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CHAPTER 4: Someone Else's Doing?
"Kunwar Sujamal, Aapko Shehenshah ne Diwaan-e-Khaas mein yaad farmaya hai. ("Kunwar Sujamal, the Shehenshah has requested your presence in the Diwaan-e-Khaas.)
Sujamal had just returned from the hamamkhana after a much needed long and refreshing bath when the Mughal soldier gave him this message. He promptly went to put on the fresh clothes that had been provided to him but before that he appraised the cloth and the embroidery on it. The clothes were made of silk and had intricate patterns of gold embroidery. He knew it to be one of those things that he had had the luxury of, before he left Amer. Now he only wore simple cotton clothes as the expensive variety that he was holding in his hands now were not available. It had been a long time since he felt something as smooth cover his body.
As Sujamal walked towards the Diwaan-e-Khaas his thoughts drifted to the problem that had arose. A storm was destroying his sister's home."Jodha left because Shehenshah didn't trust her but as he accepted whatever she told him without question then that means he did. It also means that he had some strong reason to accuse her. If someone had instigated the Shehenshah then it is possible that all that happened after, resulted into this crisis. Yes! That can be the case or else how did the Shehenshah know that Jodha was meeting someone behind the temple? Did he see her leave the palace and followed her or had someone told on her? There is more to this case than meets the eye. I have to talk to Shehenshah. Someone is planning something and he or she has to be stopped before it is too late.
Inside the Diwaan-e-Khaas, behind the curtains where the leading ladies of the Sultanate and harem were seated, the atmosphere was thick with tension and doubts were turning into certainty due to the absence of the woman concerned. Nobody had any clear idea what was going on and what had transpired the night before. They only knew about the scandal that a man had entered the harem and the search for him had ended in Jodha Begum's chambers. What had happened after that was a mystery to many. Many questioned his presence in the third Khaas Begum's chambers. In the gossip amongst the begums, she had been accused, convicted and punished by some or the other gruesome method. Some, to be specific, the Marium Makhani Hamida Bano Begum, Salima Begum and Jijianga tried to defend her but as they had no other proof than their trust on Jodha, they had to maintain silence till Shehenshah himself would come and say something. Ruqaiya Begum was waiting for him too but not for vouching for Jodha's innocence but to declare that indeed Jodha Begum had cheated on him and that she was going to be punished. She looked towards Maham Anga, who stood at the other side beside the throne, and smirked. Their plan had worked and now Jodha Begum was going to be thrown out of Jalal's life and they would get their lost stature back. Jodha had started coming in their way making it hard for them to control Jalal's mind which they would be able to do now. Only Maham knew the truth about the scandal, after all she had planned it, but even she was unprepared for what was going to happen and what declarations were going to be made.
Jalal on the other hand was turning himself from a desolate and anguished lover and husband to the lawful and righteous Shehenshah. It was difficult, unbearable even, but he had to. He was not unknown to the gossips in the palace. He had to clear Jodha's name. He also had to declare about her absence and the reason for it. He hadn't had even a wink of sleep the night before. Even during his practice session, he was distracted. Thank God that today he had been practicing alone due to which he didn't hurt himself. As Jalal looked into the mirror he saw someone he couldn't recognise. The grief had made the face in the mirror appear years older than it actually was. Letting out a heavy sigh he left his chamber, hardening his face as much as he could, to deliver justice.
"Baadab! Bamulahiza! Hoshiyar! Noor-e-takht, Sultanat-e-Mughalia, Shehenshah-e-Hind, Jallaludin Mohammad, Diwaan-e-Khaas mein tashreef la rahe hai! ("All rise! The Shehenshah, Jallaludin Mohammad, is entering the Diwaan-e-Khaas.) The chatter was silenced and everyone stood up as a mark of respect to the Shehenshah. Indeed it was the Shehenshah entering as the husband took a back seat, showing not one ounce of the emotional turmoil within his heart.
The Shehenshah took his seat on the jewel embedded throne. An air of authority surrounded him as always. Shamshuddin Atgah Khan was the only one who knew how much the man within the tough exterior of the Shehenshah was hurting.
Just when everyone had taken their seats another announcement was heard. "Kunwar Sujamal, Diwaan-e-Khaas mein tashreef la rahe hai! ("Kunwar Sujamal is entering the Diwaan-e-Khaas.) Those words shocked everyone. Kunwar Sujamal, the former prince of Amer, Jodha Begum's brother and now a rebel, was here! Had he been caught or had he surrendered? What was he doing here? What was going on? The pandemonium that had died down with one arrival, rose with another. Most of the people were shocked and confused about Sujamal's presence in Agra. But there was one whose face had lost all its colour. Maham Anga was terrified. Sujamal was standing in the middle of the Diwaan-e-Khaas with his head held high and dressed in the best clothes. The wheels in her brain turned and all she had were worst case scenarios. The victorious feeling in her heart was rapidly diminishing and now she dreaded the outcome. Had Jalal come to know the truth? And if he did, had he discovered her involvement in this case?
"Khamosh! ("Silence!) the Shehenshah's voice boomed causing the previously established stillness to reappear. The Shehenshah greeted his guest with a formal aadab which was reciprocated in a pranaam by the rebel prince. "Kunwar Sujamal Jodha Begum ke bhaijaan hai aur vo kuch waqt ke liye Mughal Sultanat ke mehmaan bankar issi mehal mein rehne wale hai. ("Kunwar Sujamal is Jodha Begum's brother, and he will be living as a guest in the palace for some time.) declared the Shehenshah in his usual authoritative and confident voice such that no one questioned this decision of his but they were confused why suddenly the man who was being hunted down was now a respected guest in the Agra fort."Ek galatfehmi ki wajah se Kunwar Sujamal ko kai takleefein jhelni padi. Humari wajah se unhein jo takleefein uthani padi hai uske liye hum unse maufi mangate hai aur isi liye humne unhein kuch waqt ke liye yahan rehne ki iltija ki thi. ("Because of a misunderstanding Kunwar Sujamal had to face a lot of hardships. I apologise to him for the problems he had to face because of me and that is why I had requested him to stay here for some time.) The Shehenshah of the Mughal Sultanate was apologising to a rebel prince! No one could believe this. What was this misunderstanding that had compelled him to do so?
"Jaise ki aap sab jante hai ki kal mehal mein kuch hua tha. Humare harem mein ek mard ghus gaya tha. Vo shakhs Kunwar Sujamal hi the. Sujamal sahab kya aap sab ko bata sakte hai ki asal mein hua kya tha aur iss sab ki shuruaat kahan se hui thi? ("As you all know something happened in the palace yesterday. A man had entered my harem. That person was Kunwar Sujamal. Sujamal can you please tell everyone what exactly had happened and what had caused it?) Everyone was shocked with this discovery. Adham Khan leaned towards Sharifuddin, "Ye Jalal ko ho kya gaya hai? Pichhali baar jab ek mard harem mein ghusa tha usse inhone apana chela bana liya aur ab ek aur mard ne vohi jurrat ki hai, aur vo Diwaan-e-Khaas mein aise khada hai jaise koi jhanda gaad ke aaya hai. Kya ab aur ek Rajvanshi ko jhelna padega? ("What has happened to Jalal? The last time a man had entered his harem, he made him his student and now one more man has dared to do the same and is standing in the Diwaan-e-Khaas as if he had achieved some feat. Willwe have to tolerate one more Ranjvanshi amongst us?) Adham was furious with the ongoings. He didn't care about the broken rules or about the fact that Sujamal was a rebel. What he cared about was the supposed preference given to Rajvanshi's by the Shehenshah. Sharifuddin, who happened to be the more sane one among them remained quite on the outside but in his mind he was conjuring various plans in case Sujamal too was taken in by the Shehenshah. Meanwhile Ruqaiya Begum had connected the dots. It wasn't any other man who Jodha Begum was meeting with. It was her own brother! And most probably now there was going to be some great reason for this due to which instead of being removed from Shehenshah's life forever she was going to have a more important place in it. Ruqaiya Begum looked at Maham Anga. She noticed how pale her partner had become. Did Maham know that it was Sujamal all along or was she mistaken too? But the admission of new khwajaserahs is overlooked by her. So had Maham deliberately allowed Sujamal to enter the harem so that she could frame Jodha Begum? Most probably the answer was a yes. With that figured out Ruqaiya also realised that now if Jalal came to know about this he wouldn't leave them. Maham had landed not only herself in grave trouble, she had dragged Ruqaiya along with her to the gates of hell!
Sujamal nodded in acknowledgement and began narrating the events after his entry in Agra. When he claimed that he had sent a message to Atgah Khan through a kid, Atgah Khan validated it and it was clear that he wasn't the one who had attacked Shehenshah during the jashn but he was being framed. And then came the disclosure of the most 'sordid' truth. Sujamal revealed about his and Jodha's meetings and also how he had to enter the harem to catch the real culprit. With the proof of Jodha's innocence, her supporters heaved a sigh of relief and the ones who had been accusing her, hung their heads in shame. Jodha Begum had once again proved that she was indeed very special. She had once again given priority to Shehenshah's safety without thinking about its consequences for herself.
With the truth out in the open and Jodha's name cleared, now Shehenshah had to make the last announcement of the day. It was going to be very difficult to accept his mistake and that too not only in front of his family but also his ministers. However he knew that he had wronged Jodha in front of them so it is only right to correct himself the same way. He took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. "Hume ek aur baat kehni hai aap sabse. Humare zehen mein pehle se he thoda shak tha kyunki humne Jodha Begum ko inse milte hue dekha tha. Uss waqt hum nahi jante the ki vo apne bhaijaan se mil rahi hai jiski wajah se hume unpar shak hone laga. Hume laga ki agar Jodha Begum begunah hai toh vo hume sab bata dengi lekin aisa nahi hua jis wajah se humara shak badhta gaya. Hume ab samajh aaya ki hume kuch na batane ke liye unke paas ek thos wajah thi. Vo apne bhaijaan ko bachana chahati thi. Kal raat jab humne dono ko saath dekha toh jaise vo shak ka sailab foot pada ho. Humne kuch ka kuch aur hi soch liya aur Jodha Begum par kayi ilzaam lagaye. Humne bahut thes pahunchayi unhein apne lafzon se. Humne unpar ilzaam lagaye aur bina unki safayi sune unke hojre se chale gaye. Humne gusse mein unhein... Humne unhein... mehal chhod kar jaane ka hukm suna diya. ("I have to tell one more thing to everyone. There was a bit of doubt in my mind because I saw Jodha Begum meeting him. At that time I had no idea that she was meeting her brother. I assumed that if Jodha Begum is innocent she would come and tell me everything but she didn't due to which my doubts started growing. I have understood now that she had a valid reason for not telling me anything. She wanted to save her brother. When I saw them together the previous night, it was as if the flood gates opened. I took something to be something else and accused Jodha Begum. I have hurt her a lot through my words. I accused her and without listening to her explanations, I left her chamber. In the fit of rage I... I ordered her... to leave the palace.) The ladies behind the curtains gasped in shock. Gossips began again and some begums even started betting on whether Jodha left the palace or not. The silence was re-established when the Shehenshah began speaking again. "Kuch waqt baad woh humare hojre mein aayi aur unhone hume sab sach bata diya. Hume apni galti ka ehsaas hua lekin... Lekin tab tak bahut der ho chuki thi. Humare ilzaamon ne jo nuqsaan kiya tha use humari maufi theek nahi kar payi. Jodha Begum Agra chhod kar jaane ka faisala le chuki thi. Unke iss faisale ki izzat rakhte hue humne unhein, unke mayake, Amer jaane ki ijajzat de di. Vo kal raat hi Amer ke liye nikal gayi. Isliye vo aaj Diwaan-e-Khaas mein nahi aayi. ("After a while she came to my chamber and told the truth. I realised my mistake but... but it was too late. The damage caused by my words couldn't be repaired by my innumerable apologies. Jodha Begum had decided to leave the palace. Respecting her decision I allowed her to return to Amer. She left for Amer yesterday night. That is the reason why she isn't present in the Diwaan-e-Khaas today.) He completed his sentence and for a few moments pin drop silence followed. Then began the ruckus which he had expected. He had exhausted himself emotionally with the announcement and now he had no energy or patience to answer his mother's disapproving glares. He declared the ending of the Diwaan-e-Khaas for the day and left for his chamber. He needed some peace and he needed to be alone because the bereaved husband demanded to be released. He had entered the Diwaan-e-Khaas as the Shehenshah, who had to deliver justice to the innocent, and he was leaving as a husband and a lover who had been separated from his wife, his love, because of his own mistake.
Meanwhile Maham and Ruqaiya Begum sighed with relief that Shehenshah didn't know about their involvement in this scandal. But till when?
Some hours later
Jalal was standing in the balcony adjoining his chamber, looking out into the horizon. It had been hours since he had ordered the guards to not let anyone enter his room. He wanted to be alone and that is what he was at this moment, all alone, with no one standing beside him. He had upset the one person who had always been there for him by accusing her of it all being a facade. "Aaram mein khalal dalne ke liye gusthaki mauf ho Shehenshah, magar Kunwar Sujamal aapse mukhatib hone ki ijajzat chahate hai. Vo keh rahe hai ki unhein aapse bahut jaruri baat karni hai. ("I appologize for interupting your rest Shehenshah but Kunwar Sujamal is asking for permission to meet you. He is saying that it is extremely important.) A soldier informed him. He nodded and told him to send Sujamal inside. Sujamal greeted him and Jalal directed him towards the seats in the balcony. "Kahiye Sujamal Sahab, aisi kya zaruri baat hai jo aap humse karna chahate hai? ("Tell me Sujamal Sahab, what is that important thing that you wanted to tell me?)
"Shahenshah hum aapse jo hua uske baare mein baat karna chahate hai. ("Shahehshah I wanted to talk to you about what has happened.) Jalal, who till now was making eye contact, turned his head towards the setting sun. How similar the scene was to his condition. Without Jodha, his new found heart was drowning in despair to give way to an endless darkness in his life. A darkness where he couldn't see even a ray of hope. Sujamal had said that he thought that Jodha loved him. Even Jodha herself told him that she might be falling for him but he didn't know if that was enough reason for her to return to Agra. He gulped and began speaking in a low voice. "Sujamal Sahab, ab kya bacha hai baat karne ke liye? Humari galti ki wajah se humari biwi, humari Jodha, hume chhod kar ja chuki hai. Aur ismein baat karne jaisa kya hai? ("Sujamal Sahab what more is left to talk? Because of my mistake my wife, my Jodha has left me. What more is there to talk about here?)
"Shehenshah Jodha aapko sadiava ke liye chhod kar nahi gayi hai. Use bas thoda samay chahiye. Vo dukhi hai parantu aap aasha mat chhodiye. Use thoda samay dijiye aur phir jaakar use mana lijiyega. Ye aasan nahi hoga parantu agar aap sach much chahate hai ki vohi laute, jo aap chahate hai, toh phir aap haar nahi manenge. Par usse pehle aapko aap dono ke gunahgaar ko dhundna hoga. ("Shehenshah, Jodha hasn't left you. She just needs some time. She is upset but don't lose hope. Give her some time and then go and convince her. It won't be easy but if you really want her to come back, which you do, then you will not give up. But before you do this I think you should catch your culprit.)
"Aap kehna kya chahate hai? Humara gunahgaar? ("What do you want to say? Our culprit?) Jalal's dwindling attention increased.
"Ji Haan! Hume lagta hai ki saari galti aapki nahi hai. Humne bahut socha aur paya ki aap dono ki beech ki ye galatfehmi jaan boojh kar banayi gayi hai. Aapke mann mein shak ka beej boya gaya hai. Hume lagta hai aapke virudh ek aur shadyantra racha ja raha hai. Kadachit ye usne kiya ho jisse aapka aur Jodha ka saath nahi bhata tha. Jodha humesha aapka raksha kavach bankar aapke aur mrityu ke beech khadi ho jati hai, isliye shayad kisine Jodha ko raaste se hatane ke liye ye shadyantra racha ho. Jo bhi ho Shahenshah, aapko usse dhundna hoga varna aapke praanon ko bhi sankat ho sakta hai. ("Yes! I feel that everything wasn't entirely your fault. I thought this over and concluded that this misunderstanding between the both of you was created. The seed of mistrust was planted in your mind. I think that that someone is scheming against you. It can be someone who hasn't been able to handle your and Jodha's closeness. Shehenshah everytime Jodha stands as a shield between you and death, and so someone might have done this to remove her from their path. Whoever it is Shehenshah, you have to find them or else there can be a threat to your life too.)
"Agar aap jo soch rahe hai vo sahi hai toh Sujamal Sahab hum usse nahi chhodenge jisane humare aur Jodha Begum ke beech ye dooriyaan paida ki hai. ("If what you are thinking is right then Sujamal Sahab, I won't leave the person because of whom i and Jodha Begum have been separated.) Jalal replied with conviction.
"Shehenshah hume lagta hai ki aapko ye pata karne ki koshish karni chahiye ki hum itni aasani se aapke harem mein ghus kaise gaye. Aapke harem mein kisi aur purush ke aane par pabandi hai aur jitna humne dekha hai, sabhi kwajaserah ki bhi janch ki jati hai. Toh phir hume bina janch ke aur bina poochtach ke aane kaise diya gaya? Shak toh hume pehle bhi tha parantu ye sab hone ke baad ye pakka hai ki koi toh tha jo jaanta tha ki hum kaun hai aur mehal mein kisse milne aaye hai. Lekin Jodha aur aapke beech ye matbhed ho isliye usne ye sab kiya ho. ("Shehenshah I think that you should begin by investigating how I was able to enter your harem so easily. Other men are banned from entering you harem and as far as I have seen, all the kwajaserahs are checked. So why is it that I was neither checked nor was I questioned? I had doubts earlier to but due to the happenings it has been confirmed that someone knew who I am and whom I have come to meet. But to create misunderstandings between you and Jodha they did all of this.)
The gears in Jalal's head started turning. Sujamal had a point. The moment Sujamal left his chambers, the gears in Jalal's head started turning. Sujamal had a point. Jalal immediately sent a message to Adgah Sahab and ordered him to meet him. When Adgah Khan came Jalal told him about Sujamal's assumptions.
"Shehenshah, gustakhi mauf ho, magar Kunwar Sujamal chahe Jodha Begum ke bhai kyun na ho, vo Mughal Sultanat ke baaghi hai. Aapko nahi lagta ki unpar itna bharosa karna theek nahi hai? ("Shehenshah, I apologize if I might sound disrespectful, but even if Kunwar Sujamal is Jodha Begum brother, he is a rebel for the Mughal Sultanate. Don't you think that trusting him so easily isn't right?) Adgah Khan asked worriedly. Out of all of the Shehenshah's ministers there were only a few who were true to him. All the others were just greedy parasites. And Adgah Khan was one of the good lot. He was a father figure to Jalal and a very honest man. He wasn't afraid of saying his mind but he also knew when to speak what.
Jalal smiled and answered the query."Adgah Sahab hum samjhte hai ki aapko humari aur Mughal Sultanat ki bahut fikra hoti hai. Magar fikra mat kijiye, Sujamal chahe baaghi kyun na ho vo apni zubaan ke pakke hai. Unhone Jodha Begum ko zubaan di thi ki vo unke shohar ki hifazat karenge. Vo iss waqt mehal mein humari Begum ke bhai bankar reh rahe hai. Jab jung ke maidan mein milenge toh humare dushman honge. Abhi ke liye unse khatra nahi hai. Khatra uss insaan se hai jisane ye saazish rachi. Adgah Sahab hum chahate hai ki aap iss muamle ki tafteesh karein. Dhundhiye ye sab kisane kiya hai aur har naya suraag milne par hume khabar ki jaaye. Hukm ki taameel ho! ("Adgah Sahab I understand that you care for me and the Mughal Sultanate. But don't worry, even if Sujamal is a rebel he is true to his word. He had promised Jodha Begum that he will protect her husband. At this time he is staying in the palace as the brother of my Begum. When we will meet in the war field, he will be my enemy. Right now we dont have any threat from him. The danger is from the person who has planned all this. Adgah Sahab I want you to investigate this case. Find who has done this and I should be informed time to time about the proceedings of this investigation. The order is to be implemented!) Adgah Khan bowed and left the chamber to fallow the order given to hum. This had to be a top secret investigation as someone influential from the palace was involved or else it wouldn't have been possible to get Sujamal inside.
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"Kayi chale chali jayengi,
Kayiyon ka pardafash hoga.
Muddai lakh bura chahe magar
Vohi hoga jo mazoor-e-Khuda hoga.
("A lot of moves will be played
A lot will be uncovered
Even if a lakh ill wishes are made
Only that happens what the Lord has in store.)
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