Jodha Akbar 76-78: Clarity and confusion - Page 10

Originally posted by: Bindu_nhbr

New thread is ready Shagun,go n attack!😆

Originally posted by: -AkDha.Lover-

Discussion going on about conjugal rights...

I never really knew the meaning even, before reading it here...😲😆

Not quite the topic for a 14-yr-old maybe...😆

Sorry Aunty, can't join in...😆

Originally posted by: sashashyam

My dear Shagun,

I had no idea you were so young! What are you doing here, in this crazy place, with people constantly fighting over Jodha and Jalal? I am sure times have changed a lot since I was 14, but in my days one read Jane Austen and Enid Blyton's school stories and the like.

Anyhow, skip the first third of my new post. It is definitely not for 14 year olds. Well, I suppose I have now made sure that you wade into it first thing!😉

Shyamala Aunty

Originally posted by: sashashyam

Anyhow, skip the first third of my new post. It is definitely not for 14 year olds. Well, I suppose I have now made sure that you wade into it first thing!😉

Shyamala Aunty

Originally posted by: ---Khushi---

@ Saraswathi Aunty:

Hello Aunty...I'm khushi ...I'm responding to u directly for the first time...kindly correct me if u think I'm wrong in my summation here...

Jalal is the emperor of India. Yes, he is ruthless, but very powerful. Jodha, a princess loathes him. Jalal's army defeats Amer, & Jodha's father is forced to offer Jodha's hand in marriage to Jalal to save his Kingdom & his sons, despite knowing very well how much jodha loathes Jalal. (We all remember how jalal reminded Bharmal that he didn't really NEED to MARRY Jodha, after conquering Amer, as was the norm in those days...)

Jalal could have added Jodha to his long list of female conquests without marriage too...but he chose not to...of course, he was prompted by the political benefits from this alliance...but nothing that he couldnt have survived without...

Now, coming to conjugal rights...I thought that these rights were not to be "granted" or "be witheld" by a wife to the husband (particularly in the 16th century)...just the way the "queenly" status of the wife of a king are the rights of a wife...both are automatic from the moment the marriage takes place...they are 2 sides of the same coin...

Jo got her rights after marriage...more than her rights, I'd think..."khaas begum" of the Emperor of India isn't a small status...& according to me, Jodha, AFTER marriage has NO RIGHT WHATSOEVER to "withold" or "grant" permission to Jalal for consummation of the marriage...it is Jalal's right automatically but he choses NOT to exercise his right ,(that is another matter) ..& Aunty, please do not forget to bear in mind that we are dealing with an era where sati, jauhar, n other social evils were at their peak in a completely male dominated society...

I await your reply, Saraswathi Aunty...😃...kindly oblige, if time permits.😃

Regards,

Khushi.

Originally posted by: myviewprem

Let me start off with my limited knowledge on the marriage aspect in those times

Please read foll

In middle ages virginity was most sough after because it was surest method to gaurentee paternity. The only way to make absolutely sure that a cjild born to a marriage a child who would inherit properyy from his father is a legitemate heir was to bed a virgin bide.

Katherine of Aragon legend says kept her honeymoon bedding for years and presented them to court during the annulment case beought against her by Henry VIII

So what they showed in a movie or serial that Akbar and Jodha did not have a suhaag raat is highly unlikely. If a wife could not prove her virginity on first night she could be killed or send back to her parents house. This was followed practice in Europe, Asia and Africa almost all over world in 16th century. And more so for kings and emperors that their wives prove their virginity first night as an heir born to them should be undoubtedly be the emperors blood.

We also know in history that Genghis Khan(one of Akbars ancestors) first wife Borte was captured by his enemy and in captivity for few months(mind you few months only) gave birth to his first son Jochi after he freed her. People and Ghenghis Khan family doubted that Jochi was not Ghenghis Khan son but the chief who captured Borte, Chilger Bokh. Hence Ghenghis Khan second son Chatagi(Akbar comes from his family) disapproved Jochi becoming next emperor in a meeting called to announce Jochi as next heir. So Ghenghis Khan made his third son as his succesor.

So now you can make out how critical it was for women especially emperors wives to prove the virginity or the child was the emperors. Indeed in many countries(including india) hindu, muslim, christian, buddist etc kings kept a records of when they visited a wife, maid, cocubbine etc so no one gives false claims that some other lovers/mans baby was not declared as emperors child.

Lets not go to Ghenghis Khan and Akbar, what about 21st century. When doubts were raised on Prince Harry being Charles son its rumored as kid he underwent paternity test. This report was on many papers.

So lets talk of Akbar and Jodha as per this serial now

In 16th century an emperor had many wives and it was up to him to decided who was main wife and favourite wives. Based on this Akbar had three chief consorts Ruqaiah, Salima, Jodha and 36 chief wives(overall) who had various powers and enjoyed privileges. Usually these 36 were either the emperors cousins, childhood friends, clan members daughters(mughal) or powerful kingdoms princess( like marwar, jodhpur etc). Chief wives not only meant they got titles, powers and privileges but also that it was the emperors desire to have an heir out of these chief wives. Many of Akbar's kids were born to these 36 chief wives(though they may have not lived long) or even Jehangirs and Shah Jahan's etc wives.

At this stage in serial jodha is not a chief wife(not even first 36 chief wives) and just another wife. She will become a chief wife after a few more years and the top three chief wife only after giving birth to the heir. Jodha was Akbar's 5th wife and Salima the fourth one. So there were two more wives between Ruqaiah and Salima and these were mughal wives of powerful nobels. So why these two may not have become one of three chief wives is a mystery? Ruqaiah and Salima are sure shot to be chief wives are they are the closest blood relatives of Akbar.

Based on all this history facts, this serial looks more like a 21st century ordinary mans life. Because as an emperor no ways Akbar can get away with marriage protocol like virginity test. He may be an emperor that does not mean he can by pass conventions of that time. But here Akbar himself hates Jodha, in movie Akbar and Jodha never hated each other like this but Aishawarya's jodha never raised voice in front of emperor or dared misbehave with him. Both were headstrong individuals but both maintained dignity in their relation in front of outside world and even when both were alone. Akbar respected jodha and jodha respected Akbar not only as a pati parameshwar but as a emperor. Here both have no idea of respecting each other in front of others or alone, they act like two 7 years old who require constant reminding of how to behave and spanking from time to time(that no one does except Hamida rarely)

Its true that a woman has to mantain a relation be it with parents, siblings, husband, in laws, children usually a woman has to compromise(still the norm in 21st century or you are labeled vamp). Here jodha was expected to follow these norms and accept akbar, treat him like pati parameshwar and shahenshah both but she is not doing both in public and private. Akbar is anyway the man he can misbehave how much ever with wife, society will never find fault with him. Just like jodha many other begums must have married Akbar hating him but they do not show it in public and private, they may talk to the friends etc but never to Akbar in public and private. If real jodha dare behave 10% of what she is behaving here in serial she would have been sent back to parents house etc.

Anyways amer would never accept jodha back, they have washed off their hands off her responsibility so jodha would have no where to go and run back to agra and only hope Akbar forgave her and accepted her back or to a ashram for abla nari in mathura or kashi. So all the more for jodha to behave well with akbar in this circumstance. But here Akbar is the most patient, forgiving husband of 16th century and no matter what her ghrina etc lets her be after giving a piece of his mind now and then. In any relation of marriage one dominates the husband or wife in 16th century 99% of time it was a husband(1% were like jehangir nur jahan or shah jahan mumtaz case) who dominated. But here slowly jodha starts dominating and by end of serial she is the emperor by default and akbar the lesser partner in relation.

I read of rajputh wives who revolted against their husbands but that was rare case 1% because their brothers and fathers must have loved them very much they dare complain. Otherwise like jodha they would be admonished and left to their fate mostly. Why was this the case? Because brothers did not want to share their property with their sisters and their kids. They wated to keep all property to themselves and hence when a sister came back brothers and sister in laws abused the girl so much she preferred abuse or death in husband house. That is why so many woman even today prefer being abused and burnt alive to going back to their parents or brothers house.

Following experts from book Indian history medievial india

- The birth of a girl was not regarded as event of pleasure in rajpuths. A wife who gave birth to many girls was treated as acursed. The birth of female child in rajputh family was regarded as trouble. The rajpuths usually married their daughters by age 8 to 10 years.

- Divorce and remarriage was common among muslim women but not allowed in hindu society. The position of hindu widow was miserable. The muslim women had rights on father and husbands property but hindu girls had no right on anything except their own gold ornaments(again not ancestral) and were dependent on men.

So considering all this jodha's behaviour is dangerous for her own future and thank God this is a serial in real life she would be in big trouble.