Dead End
Agra
Mid-morning, four days after Jodha's departure
Two men stood in the meeting room of Akmal Quadri's house, observing their surroundings, as they waited for him to present himself before them.
Both were tall and muscular young men, still in their early twenties. Yet both of them had stoic, expressionless faces and cold, calculating eyes, a sign that in this short time the world had already hardened them.
Soon Akmal Quadri entered the room followed by a servant boy. Quadri was a tall and lean man in his mid thirties. He was average in looks and appeared to be jovial, if the laughter lines on his face were anything to go by. But the bags under his eyes suggested of sleepless nights.
The two men introduced themselves as Faisal Beg and Iqbal Quasim. They were the investigative officers appointed by Atgah Khan to investigate the case of the entry of a man, namely Kunwar Sujamal, into the royal harem in the disguise of an eunuch.
Quadri was the head of the department which was responsible for confirming the identity and authenticity of the potential candidates. His subordinates had already been questioned and nothing fruitful had come out of it. Quadri was their last lead and the officers hoped that this would not bring them to a dead end yet again.
It was the beginning of summer months in Agra and the sun was scorching. The air currents were warm and hence incapable of providing any relief. Yet the officers seemed to be rather unaffected by this behaviour of nature. Their host on the other hand had beads of perspiration dotting his forehead. He ordered his servant to present some khus sherbet and the boy scampered off to follow the orders.
"Quadri Sahab, kya aap jaante hai hum yahan kyun aaye hai? ("Quadri Sahab, do you know why we are here?) It was Faisal Beg who began the questioning.
"Haan. Aap yahan humse shahi harem mein ghuse uss Rajvanshi mard ke baare mein poochhtach karne aaye hai. Jo bhi hua bahut bura hua. Harem ke kanoon ko toda gaya hai. ("Yes. You have come here to interrogate me about the entry of the Rajvanshi man in the royal harem. Whatever happened was very unfortunate. The rules of the harem were broken.) answered the man very calmly.
"Vo sirf harem mein ghusa nahi tha. Usse kisine aane diya tha Quadri Sahab. Toh hume bataiye, kya aap jaante hai ye kisne kiya hai? Ya aapko kisi pe shak? ("He didn't just enter the harem. He was allowed to come inside Quadri Sahab. So tell us, do you know who has done this? Or do you have any suspicions on someone?)
"Nahi. Hum nahi jaante ye kisne kiya hai. Humare liye kaam karne wale logon ko hum bakhubi jante hai. Unmein se koi bhi aisi harkat nahi kar sakta. (" No. I don't know who has done this. I know everyone working for me very well. No one amongst them can do such an act.)
"Toh kya aap aaisa kar sakte hai? ("So, can you do such a thing?) This straight forward attack came from Iqbal. He was slightly darker than his partner and gave the 'dark and brooding' vibes.
Till this point Quadri was calm but the moment the question was asked his eyes began darting between the two officers and he visibly gulped before answering. "N-nahi! Hum aaisa kyun karenge? Issmein hu-humara kya fayada? Aap ye dhayan mein rakhe, hum biwi-bacchon wale sharif audedar hai! Aisa karne mein humara koi fayada nahi. ("N-no! Why would I do something like this? What is m-my profit in this? Please keep in mind that I am a respectable officer with a family! I whatsoever have no benefit in this!). He took deep breaths to calm himself. The officers' sharp gazes were focused on him. The constant scrutiny was making him nervous.
"Quadri Sahab, aksar sabse bade gunahgaar vo log hote hai jinke upar kabhi shak bhi nahi kiya jata kyunki vo sharif aur izzadar' log hain. (" Quadri Sahab, a lot of times the culprit is one who isn't even suspected in the first place because they are respectable and noble'.) Iqbal Quasim interjected.
"Bharosa kijiye hum par. Humara iss mein koi hath nahi hai. (" Trust me. I have no hand in this.)
"Quadri Sahab, humara kaam hi aise sawal poochhna hai. Sawal jo logon ko khas pasand nahi aate." ("Quadri Sahab, it is our job to ask such questions. Questions that people don't like a lot.)
Faisal Beg informed that this was just a normal procedure of investigation. But Iqbal Quasim knew that this was not just a simple interrogation. They had finally obtained their lead and now they were going to pursue it.
Quadri gave a sigh of relief as his servant took that exact moment to re-enter the room. He carried a tray with glasses of sherbet. Taking the glasses from the tray Beg and Quasim nursed them between their palms. They knew better that to consume anything offered by a suspect.
"Quadri Sahab, ab hum chalte hai. Magar hume aage ki poochtach ke liye aapki zaroorat pad sakti hai. Isliye aap kuch waqt tak Agra choodkar nahi jayenge. ("We have to leave now, Quadri Sahab. But we might need you for further questioning. That is why you cannot leave Agra.) saying this Beg and Quasim exited the house.
Once out of hearing range, they ordered their spies to keep an eye on the man and his family. He was calm. Too calm for that matter and his answers were almost as if he had practiced them. The sudden question had thrown him off guard and he had barely managed to maintain his composure. That small crack in his facade was all that was necessary for them to suspect him.
But they were also sure that Akmal Quadri was nothing but a mere pawn and this was a game being played by someone else. They knew that if this was the case then Quadri will attempt to meet the person that he was working for. Now they hoped for their spies to get them some news.
Their guess was not just a mere hope of two clueless officers, it was an educated conclusion which they had arrived at after observing Quadri's house. The employees of the Mughal Empire were paid well. But the amount was not so high to afford fancy tapestries or expensive pieces of furniture and they had observed the presence of these things in abundance in Quadri's house.
Meanwhile one of Quadri's servants quietly sneaked out of the house. He returned about a quarter of an hour later with a message ordering Quadri to be present at the regular meeting place an hour after dusk.
*****
"Baadab! Bamulahiza! Hoshiyar! Noor-e-takht, Sultanat-e-Mughalia, Shehenshah-e-Hind, Jalaluddin Mohammad, Diwaan-e-Khaas mein tashreef la rahe hai! ("All rise! The Shehenshah of Hindustan, Jalaluddin Mohammad is entering the Diwaan-e-Khaas!)
The Shehenshah took his seat on the jewel embedded throne and the proceedings of the Diwaan-e-Khaas for the day began. A Hindu man was presented before the Shehenshah. He was a tall and healthy, middle aged man. He wasn't wearing anything expensive and his overall attire was actually very simple but there was something about him, maybe his aura, that stated his significance. He greeted the Shehenshah in the traditional Hindu way by joining his palms together.
"Raja Todar Mal, hum Agra mein aapka isteqbaal karte hai. Hum Sultanat ke khazaane ko lekar bahut fikarmand hain. Hum aapki inn cheezon mein kabiliyat se wakif hai. Issi liye hum chahate hai ki aap humare darbar mein Wazir-e-Malyat ke taur par shamil ho jaye. ("Raja Todar Mal, I welcome you to Agra. I am immensely worried about the treasury of the Sultanate. I am aware of your capabilities in these matters. Hence, I want you to join my court as the Finance Minister.) The man, now known to be Raja Todarmal, smiled at the Shehenshah's straight forward way. He hadn't expected the man to beat around the bush and he had proved his expectations correct.
"Shehenshah humari kuch sharten hai jinke swikar hone ke pashchyat hi hum aapke darbari banenge. ("Shehenshah I have a few conditions after the acceptance of which I will join your court.) The Shehenshah nodded and indicated him to proceed.
"Hume akele kaam karna passand hai aur hume humare kaam mein kisi aur ka hastakshep hume swikar nahi hai. Issi kaaran hum apne kaam ke bare mein keval aap hi ko suchit karege. Aur hum apne anusaar kaam karne ki swatantrata chahte hai. Hum jo bhi sujhav denge, agar vo aapko swikar ho toh unhein tatkal hi kaam main laya jayega. ("I like to work alone and I will not accept the interference of anyone else in my work. Hence, I will only report to you directly. And I want the freedom to work according to myself. Whatever suggestions I present, if you accept them, should be implemented immediately.)
"Hume aapki shartein manzoor hai. ("I accept your conditions.) declared the Emperor without any hesitation.
"Toh hum aaj se hi karya praarambh karna chahenge. ("Then I would like to start working from today itself.)
"Aapko zaroorat padi toh Atgah Sahab aapki madad kar denge. Vo humare wafadaar hai aur kuch waqt ke liye malyat ka kaam bhi sambhal rahe the. Agar aapke zehn mein koi bhi sawal hain toh aap unse pooch lijiyega. ("Atgah Sahab will help you if you need. He is one of my trusted officials and he has handled Finance for a while. If you have any questions ask him.")
After dismissing Todar Mal, the Shehenshah discussed about the matters that needed his attention and then dismissed the Diwaan-e-Khass.
***********
A few hours later
The sun had set a while ago and the moon was now shining brightly upon the beings of the Earth. The sky was clear and stars were twinkling like sequins on black silk. Thankfully the temperature had dropped. The weather had become pleasant due to the cool winds that were blowing, soothing everyone and healing the burns from the sun.
The birds were returning to their nests and the night creatures were revealing their presence for maintaining their existence by finding food.
A figure covered by a shawl walked silently through the shadows so as to not attract any attention. As the figure approached the temple of Goddess Amba, where the preparations for the evening aarti were taking place, it took an unexpected turn towards the back of the temple. Walking further it reached the edge of the forest behind it. Suddenly the figure tensed due to the feeling of being watched. It quickly turned and surveyed its surroundings. Finding no one, it continued to move into the woods where it met with another shawl covered figure, who was considerably short.
"Humne kitni baar kaha hai ki hume intezaar karna pasand nahi! Humare paas barbaad karne ke khatir waqt nahi hai. ("How many times have I told you that I hate waiting! I don't have time to waste away.) the short figure spoke in an angry whisper.
It clearly appeared that even if not being quite intimidating in terms of build, the shorter person held power which was the reason for the obvious fright of the taller one.
"Hume mauf kar dijiye. Aisi galti hum phir nahi karenge. ("Please forgive me. I won't repeat this mistake.)
The beginnings of the evening prayers in the temple could be heard and the atmosphere was getting saturated with the ringing of the sonorous bells and the sound of various larynges chanting as one and offering their gratitude to the higher power.
"Hume saaf saaf batao kya hua. Unhein tum par shak toh nahi hua? ("Tell me what happened. Are they suspecting you?) The other figure enquired.
"Unhone humse kuch sawaal pooche. Bas yahi ki kya hume kisi par shak hai ya nahi. Unmein se ek ne humse achanak se poocha ki kya hum iss sab mein shamil hai. Humne saaf mana kar diya. Hume nahi lagta ki unhein kuch malum pada hai Huzoor. Magar hume darr lag raha hai. Humne aapke kehne par uss admi ko harem mein ghusane diya. Magar hum nahi chahate ki iss wajah se humare biwi baccho par koi aanch aaye. ("They asked me a few questions. Whether I suspect anyone. One of them asked me if I was involved in this. I refused. I don't think that they have understood anything Huzoor. But I am afraid. As per your orders, I allowed that man to enter the harem. I don't want to endanger my family because of this.)
"Ya Khuda!... Aaisa karo, tum apne parivaar ko lekar jald se jald Agra se ravana ho jao. Ye asharfiya rakho. Abhi ke abhi Agra se niklo! Jitna door ja sakte ho jao. Agra mein hume phir se tumhara chehera nahi dikhna chahiye! Yahi ek Rasta hai mehfooz rehne ka. ("Oh Lord!... Listen to me, leave Agra with your family as soon as you can. Keep these gold coins. Leave Agra right now! Go as far as you can. I should not see you face in Agra again! This is the only way for you to remain safe.) The second figure was agitated. It was asif the person could predict what was going to happen now. Hence, the first figure took the bag of coins without any argument and left the forest with the same stealth as earlier.
The evening prayers in the temple were coming to an end. He tried to cover the bag of coins with his shawl as he made the return journey at a faster pace in an attempt to get to safer grounds quickly. He occasionally turned to survey his surroundings because of the nagging feeling of being watched.
As he reached the safe premises of his abode he turned around once again and then rushed inside. His instincts weren't wrong for not far from his home, a dark figure stood in the shadows, observing and mentally noting his every move. He waited for a few minutes even after the man's entry in his house, and then he left. He had heard Quadri's confession of his crime and had also come to know of the next step. He knew this was a news that would please his employers greatly.
**********
Meanwhile, Agra Fort
"Ye rahi humari chaal. Aapki rani khatre mein hai Iqbal Miyaan! ("Here is my move. Your queen is in danger my dear friend, Iqbal!)
Faisal Beg smirked after making his move and putting his comrade in a fix. Both the officers were sitting in the room delegated to them for their stay in Agra with a game of chess placed between them, as they waited for some news on Quadri.
"Waise rani se yaad aaya... Aapko koi haseena mili jise aap apni Begum banana chahe ya abhi bhi... khoya khoya chaand bina chandni ke? ("The queen reminds me... Did you find a bride for yourself or are you still... a lost moon without any moonlight?) Iqbal Quasim was trying hard to think of a way to protect his queen without getting her in another trap but this question caused him to raise his eyes from the board and stare at his impishly grinning friend. It had only been a couple of years of them working together but their friendship went way back to the early years of their lives and hence such incidents of teasing were common.
Iqbal Quasim smiled and replied, "Hum toh chahate hi hai ki koi humari zindagi mein shamil ho. Bas wo haseenayien ye nahi chahati. Humare kaam ke bare men sunate hi kahin gayab ho jati hai. Ab humari kismat aap jaise toh hai nahi. Hum yahan hai magar Ammijaan wahan par koshishen kar rahi hongi. ("I am always ready to accept someone into my life. But it is the beauties who just don't want me. The moment they learn about my job they vanish. I don't have a luck like you. Even now Mother must be attempting to fix me with someone.)
"Sabr rakhiye. Koi na koi toh hogi hi jise aapse mohabbat ho jaye jaise aapki Bhabhijaan ko humse hui thi. Varna humara nikah hona bhi ek door ka khwab hi tha. ("Be patient. There will be someone who will fall in love with you the same way your sister-in-law fell in love with me. Otherwise my marriage was quite a far fetched dream too.)
With that said, Faisal observed the move made by Iqbal. He had been able to safely remove his Queen from harm's way.
"Aapko nahi lagta ki shayad Jodha Begum Shehenshah ke liye kuch zyaada hi khaas hai? Matlab unki ek khaas jagah hai Shehenshah ke zindagi mein aur... shayad unke dil mein bhi. ("Don't you think that maybe Jodha Begum is very special for the Shehenshah? I mean that she holds a special place in his life and... maybe his heart too.) Faisal Beg peered up from the board and sat back after moving his pawn. Unfortunately he had failed to notice a small detail because of the distraction.
"Hume lagta hai... Shehenshah ke liye Jodha Begum unki bake begamon se zyaada mayne rakhti hai. Varna sabke saamne apni galti ki maufi mangna jabki vo Agra mein bhi nahi hai, iss tarah hume khaas Dilli se bhulva lena aur kisi anjaam ke liye itna dabav dalna. Iska aur kya matlab ho sakta hai? Pehle kabhi bhi aisa nahi hua hai. ("I feel that, for Shehenshah, she is a lot more special than any of his other Begums. Or else asking for forgiveness in front of everyone when she wasn't in Agra, specially getting us called from Delhi and putting so much pressure for results. What other meaning does it have? Because this has not happened ever before.)
It was true that even if there had been cases of infidelity earlier, the Shehenshah had not been affected in any way emotionally. The investigations were also carried out internally by any common officer. Faisal Beg and Iqbal Quasim were the top order investigative officers. The order for their involvement in this case had surprised them. They were mostly called upon only when the matter was of an extreme importance to the Shehenshah and Sultanate like a threat to the life of the Shehenshah or treachery or neutralizing secretive schemes or bringing traitors to justice. The had never been called upon for cases related to the harem.
Faisal Beg looked at his thoughtful friend. As a man who had experienced love, he knew the signs. He had understood the feelings the Shehenshah held for his Rajvanshi Begum in the first couple of days itself. Even if the Shehenshah was very good at hiding his emotions but it appeared that any topic about his beloved Begum was capable of extracting expressions from him.
The impatience to get some news, the elation when they found some clue or suspected someone, the disappointment on his face when they met a dead end, the look of hopelessness he had when they came back empty handed. All the signs of a man in love, but also one who was guilty of hurting his beloved. A man who wished to right the wrongs as soon as possible and to save a relationship he had almost destroyed.
"Hume lagta nahi hai Iqbal. Hum jaante hai ki unhein Jodha Begum se mohabbat hai. Aur iss liye hume apni har koshish karni hogi. Shehenshah apni poori zindagi nafrat ke samundar mein rehkar guzaar rahe the. Lekin ab unhein mohabbat ka jazeera mil gaya hai. Hum samajh sakte hai ki apni mohabbat ko khone ka darr kya hota hai. Isi liye hume apni har koshish karni hogi. Bas koi khabar aa jaye. ("I don't think so Iqbal. I know, that he loves Jodha Begum immensely. And because that fact, we have to do everything we can. We just need a news.) Iqbal nodded in the affirmative, agreeing on the same motive as he moved his knight.
At that exact moment a soldier entered their chamber. He had a look of pride on his face. The pride which can only adorn the face of a man who has successfully accomplished his task.
The men hoped that the man had obtained some news. That was the only accomplishment that they would appreciate as of now.
"Aadab Huzoor. Quadri ke bare mein ek khabar hai. ("Greetings My Lord. There is a news about Quadri.")
The men left the room after hearing the news. The chess board lay on the table with Iqbal's knight attacking Faisal's wazir (queen) and rook at the same time in a knight fork. The only smart move would be saving the all important wazir but the well placed rook will have to be sacrificed.
******
The two officers rushed towards the Shehenshah's chamber, followed by their spy. They finally had found a solid clue, something to take them forward in this sea of the unknown. They were elated because of this breakthrough and hoped that they would be able to find the main culprit soon.
"Hume Shehenshah se rubaroo hona hai. Abhi! ("We want to meet the Shehenshah. Now!)
Jalal was staring at the evening sky through his window. It had become his favourite thing to do after Jodha had left. During the day he occupied his mind with work but there were moments like this. These moments of silence and loneliness that brought her thoughts to the forefront. In these moments he tried to find the face of his beloved somewhere in the skies, hoping that she sees the same moon that he does, hoping that she thinks of him like he thinks of her.
But the doubts in his heart reappear now and then, when his mind is vacant. She didn't wish to stay in the same place that he does, breath the same air. Would she look even look at the moon, knowing that he looks at it too? Does his thought even cross her mind or has she forgotten him after returning to Amer? Is she happy there? Oh! Why wouldn't she be? It is her motherland. She would be happy there surrounded by her loved ones. He might not even cross her mind. Why would he when he had committed such a grave crime, given her so much pain? But a man can hope, can't he? He could hope for her forgiveness. He could hope for her attention. He could hope for her love.
His thought spiral was disrupted by a soldier asking permission for the entry of the two investigative officers.
"Shehenshah Ka iqbaal bulund ho! Huzoor hume hamare iss jasoos se ek khabar mili hai. ("May the Shehenshah be successful! My Lord, our spy here has a news for us.)
Jalal could barely control his emotions. His face did not show much and remain stoic but his eyes had suddenly started sparkling with hope. This news might get him one step closer to Jodha because he intended to visit Amer and bring her back only after punishing the convict and delivering justice.
After receiving a nod from the Shehenshah the spy started narrating the happenings that he had witnessed.
"Ghar tak peeche karne ke baad hum kuch der wahan ruke bhi. Magar koi halchal nahi hui. Phir hum ye khabar dene ke liye mehal aa gaye Shehenshah. ("After filling hum to his house I waited there for a while. But there was no movement. Then, I came to the palace to report this.)
After the spy had finished his narration, the faces of the occupants of the room changed. The meeting of Quadri with someone influential from the palace suggested that the traitor was someone close to him and that thought terrified him. Who was it this time? Adham Khan or Sharifuddin? Or was it someone else this time around? These questions were flooding his mind but only one man could answer them. Akmal Quadri.
The four men hurried out of the palace on horses. Akmal Quadri was an important lead and they could not afford to lose him. They had to get a hold of him before he escaped.
**********
They slowed the speeding horses down to a trot and eventually stopped them a few metres away from the house so as to not alert the inhabitants of the structure. They then met with their other two spies who were keeping a watch on the family. After greeting the Shehenshah with a respectful taslim they informed that no one had exited the house after Quadri's return.
With the confirmation of the presence of their target in the area, they moved forward quietly and divided into two teams. The Shehenshah, along with Iqbal and one of the two spies moved towards the front of the house while the other three moved towards the back exit to prevent any attempts at an escape.
The only sounds in this silent night were of the various nocturnal insects communicating with each other. A large rat had come out of its hiding place to search for food in the cover of the night. A barred jungle owl was perched on a nearby branch. It had spotted it's prey. It's large eyes were focused on it as it spread it's wings and took flight. The descend was stealthy, the rat was unassuming as the bird of prey swiftly captured it in its talons. The rat had no chance and the game was over.
The front door couldn't hold against the force applied by the furious Shehenshah. It gave way on the first strike and the raging man marched in, followed by awestruck companions who quickly regained their senses and walked behind him. Quadri and his family were shocked by the loud crack and then by the entrance of the men in the room. They froze mid motion, not even a muscle twitched as they observed the expression of absolute rage on the face of their Shehenshah. The other two men entered moments later through the window that had been left open. None of them was passionately furious enough to knock down a door it seemed.
The two officers stepped forward taking hold of the man before them to arrest him and listed out his crimes. "Akmal Quadri! Tumhein Shehenshah aur Mughal Sultanat se gaddari karne, apne audeh ka galat fayeda uthane, Shahi Harem mein ek mard ko ghusane dene, apne kaam mein jaan bujhkar kotahi baratne, apne Shehenshah se sach ko chupaye rakhne, Mughal Sultanat ki begumon ki shaan mein gustakhi karne aur Shehenshah aur Sultanat ke khilaf sajish mein shamil hone ke jurm mein giraftaar kiya jata hai. ("Akmal Quadri! You are under arrest on grounds of treachery towards the Shehenshah and the Sultanate, misuse of power and position, allowing the entry of a man into the Royal Harem, being purposely inadequate in your work, lying by omission to the Shehenshah, causing disrespect to the pride and honour of the Begums of the Mughal Sultanate and taking part in a scheme against the Shehenshah and the Mughal Sultanate.)
Quadri's family had been puzzled when he had sneaked into his own house and had ordered them to pack the valuables and some clothes as quickly as possible. They had no idea what had encouraged the husband and father to have plans of relocation in the middle of the night. They had questioned him a number of times but had been unsuccessful in getting a satisfactory reply. The man appeared shaken and extremely fearful. His healthy tanned skin had lost its colour and had become pale. His strong hands were shaking continuously as he rushed to fill whatever valuables he found in a bag. His fearful gaze had scanned the surrounding area through the windows as if in fear of someone's arrival. Even the smallest sound had him on full alert.
All of them were already so confused that when the Shehenshah entered after the deafening crack, their agitation knew no bounds. The haze cleared when the list of crimes was read out. Quadri's family had no idea of his exploits. His wife couldn't believe her ears as she glanced between the Shehenshah, the officers who held her husband and the man in question. Her legs had given up and she had to sit as she absorbed the information that was being revealed.
The children were still clueless as to why the Shehenshah had demolished their door and what had encouraged people to sneak into their house through a window. They were young and innocent minds that had no inkling about the horrors the world presented. Quadri's daughter, Najma, who was barely two years old had been terrified by the loud sound and clung to her older brother Farooq, who himself was just five years old, as she sobbed. He tried his best at calming her but he himself was intimidated and fearful of the Shehenshah.
As the Shehenshah glanced towards Quadri's family it was clear that they were innocent. Quadri's wife was heartbroken and was desolate. The children huddled together in a corner, fearful of his powerful presence, melted his heart. How he wished for the joy of fatherhood. He wondered what could have compelled Quadri to take such a step and risk losing his family. He had a loving wife, two beautiful children, a roof over their heads and enough food. What more was required for a person to live a happy life?
"Hume apna har gunah qubool hai. Bas humare parivaar ko bakshdijiyee. Unki koi galti nahi hai. ("I am accepting all my crimes. But please pardon my family. They are innocent.)
"Hum kisi begunah ko saza nahi dete hai Akmal Quadri. Tumhara parivaar ab iss Sultanat ki zimmedari hai. Unhein kuch nahi hoga magar tumhein apne gunahon ki saza zaroor milegi. ("I don't punish innocents Akmal Quadri. Your family is now the responsibility of the Sultanate. They will remain unharmed but you will pay for your crimes.) Saying this the men exited leaving behind a broken family.
******
Meanwhile, Agra Fort
"Dekh rahe ho Sarifuddin? Ek aur Hindu humare Mughal darbar mein baithega! Humare saath! Aur ab hume ek Hindu ke saamne paison ke liye haath phelane honge! Jalal ne sarpe bitha rakha hai inn Hinduon ko! Pehle ek Hindu rajkumari se nikah kiya, Jo Rajput bhi hai, use apne shareek-e-hayat banaya, use Mughal sultanate ki Begum banaya! Ek Hindu ko! Aur jaise vo kam nahi tha, toh ab dheere-dheere Mughal darbaar mein bhi hum Mughalon ki jagah inn Hinduon ko audeh diye ja rahe hai. Vo audeh jo humare hone chahiye the! Dheere-dheere humare saare hak humse cheene ja rahe hai! ("You see this Sharifuddin? Another Hindu is going to sit with us in the Mughal court! And now we will have to beg before a Hindu for money! Jalal is pampering these Hindus! First of all he married a Hindu princess, who is a Rajput too, he made her his wife, he made her the Begum of the Mughal Sultanate! A Hindu! And as if that was not enough, now he is gradually giving the positions of Mughals in the Mughal court to these Hindus. The positions that were supposed to be ours! Gradually all our rights are being taken away from us!) spat the enraged Adham Khan as he sat downing glasses of jaam (an alcoholic drink in medieval times).
Both Sharifuddin and Adham Khan had a habit of regularly sitting together to have a few glasses of wine and, almost always, formulate a plan to kill the Shehenshah and usurp the throne. It was a fortunate thing that none of their plans had ever been successful, hence, keeping the Shehenshah in good health and the power of the throne in the right hands. When they were not formulating plans they were crying about their unfortunate fates and how they were not being given what they deserved as relatives of the Shehenshah. How ironic!
It was a well known fact that Sharifuddin and Adham had been constantly spared even after repeated violations of the law and will of the Shehenshah, because they were his relatives. Jalal did not want to make his sister a widow again and thought that he was somehow obligated to forgive Adham's misdeeds because his mother, Maham Anga, had nursed Jalal and taken care of him when his own mother had not. But there is always a breaking point. And Adham and Sharifuddin had no idea that Jalal was gradually reaching his. The vessel of their misdeeds is almost filled. It only needed one little wrong for their time on this Earth to come to an end.
"Waqt aa chuka hai Adham! Hume ab zaroorat hai bas ek acchi chaal ki, aur Jalal ka khel khatam! ("The time has come Adham! Now we need a good plan and then Jalal's game will be over!) Sharifuddin was smiling like a maniac and his words confused Adham.
"Kis ka waqt aa chuka hai? Kaunsi chaal? Kya bol rahe ho Sharifuddin? Kya tumhe samajh aa raha hai ki tum khud kya keh rahe ho? Ghum ne tum par itna gehra asar kar diya hai kya, ya aaj itni jaldi apna hosh kho chuke ho tum? Hume kuch nahi samjh raha! ("Time for what? What plan? Do you even understand what you are saying? Has the grief hit you so hard or are you already drunk so soon? I am not understanding anything!)
"Hum jaante hai hum kya keh rahe hai Adham. Hosh mein hai hum abhi bhi! Jalal ko khatm karne ka waqt aa gaya hai. Aur humare dimag mein kuch hai jo ismein humari madad kar sakta hai. Bas tum apna dimag shaant rakho. Josh mein aakar koi bewakoofi mat kar dena. Baki sab hum par chhod do. ("I know what I am saying Adham. I am still in my senses! It is time to finish Jalal. And I have something in my mind that can help us in this. Just keep your head cool. Don't do something stupid. Leave the rest to me.) Saying this Sharifuddin got up and left the room and a confused Adham behind.
"Aisa kya chal raha hai iske dimag mein? Pata nahi ab kya naya karne wala hai ye! ("What is going on in his mind? Don't know what new he is going to do this time!) Watching Sharifuddin leave Adham finished his glass of jaam and decided to leave too.
******
As the four men, Jalal, Iqbal Quasim, Faisal Beg and Akmal Quadri entered the fort, gossips began among the guards and the bandhis. Resham Khan, Maham Anga's khwajaserah, witnessed Akmal Quadri being led towards the prison cells. He dashed towards his mistress's chambers to inform her of this development.
Akmal Quadri stepped into the prison cell, the Shehenshah and the officers followed him. He was now going to face further questioning in the presence of these men to reveal the complete story and finally the mastermind of this crime. He knew that he will have to speak the truth now and hope for a bit of mercy. He can't leave his family without any support, he hoped that telling the truth might give his wife and children a better future.
The news of Quadri's capture reached Sujamal and he followed the guard to the prison cells. He had been following the case closely and the capture of this man would be a strong step towards justice for his sister.
Sujamal entered the cell and greeted everyone with a respectful pranaam. He then took a seat and observed the arrested man. He didn't appear as one who would hold ill feelings for someone. The respect for the Shehenshah, which was clear in his eyes, meant that he held no grudges against the emperor. It also meant that most probably he was forced or blackmailed, threatened with the life of his loved ones. But nothing could be stated as a fact until and unless the man uttered it with his own tongue. Hence, four pairs of eyes were fixed on Quadri's face waiting for him to start spewing the secrets.
Quadri hung his head in shame, took a deep breath and began.
"Humari biwi ek ameer khandaan se thi. Unke abbujaan zamindar the. Humne unse mohabbat ke khatir, unke khandaan ke khilaf jaakar nikah kiya tha. Uss waqt humare paas zyada kuch nahi tha. Hum mehez bees saal ke the.
Phir hum gaanv chhodkar Agra aaye aur yahan bas gaye. Mehal mein kaam mila aur jaise waqt beet-ta gaya, humari tarakki hoti gayi. Tankhwah bhi acchi thi. Sar par chhat, pet bhar khaana, badan par kapde aur madad ke liye kuch naukar mile. Cheh saal ho chuke hai hume yahan kaam karte hue. Magar bas ek gila tha humara ki hum apni biwi ko vo aaisho-aaram nahi de pa rahe the jo unhein apne maike mein milti thi.
Toh jab unhone humse asli Dilawar Khan ki jagah Kunwar Sujamal ko, Dilawar Khan ke bhes mein, harem mein ghusane dene ka hukm diya toh hum maan gaye. Vo iss kaam ke liye hume bahut badi rakam dene vale the.
Vo hume paigamon se hukum dete the. Kal aap logon ke jaane ke baad humne unhein ek paigham ke zariye uski khabar pohanchayi. Aur phir unhone hume ek Hindu mandir ke peeche ke jungle mein bulvaya. Hum waha gaye toh unhone humse Agra chhodkar jaane ke liye kaha. Hum usi ki taiyari kar rahe the jab aap hume giraftaar karne aaye.
Hum aapse gaddari nahi karna chahate the Shehenshah, bas apne parivaar ko aur bhi aachhi zindagi dena chahate the. Hume mauf kar dijiye Shehenshah. Hum unki baaton mein aa gaye.
("My wife was born in a rich household. Her father was a landlord. We married out of love, going against the wishes of her family. I did not have much of my own at that time. We were just twenty at that time.
We left our village and came to Agra and settled here. I secured a job in the palace and as time passed, I moved up the ranks. The salary was pretty good. We had a roof over our heads, enough food to eat, clothes to cover ourselves and some servants for help. But I could not help but lament upon my inability to provide my wife with the luxuries that she got in her parents' house.
Then when they ordered me to allow Kunwar Sujamal, disguised as Dilawar Khan, into the royal harem instead of the real one I agreed. They were paying me a large sum of money for this.
They sent me missives containing the orders. Today, after you left, I sent a missive informing them about it. They called me to meet them in the forest behind a Hindu temple. There they ordered me to leave Agra as soon as possible. I was doing that when you came to arrest me.
I didn't want to commit treason against you Shehenshah, I just wanted to give my family a better life. I am sorry Shehenshah. I was blinded by their talks.)
"Vo kaun tha jisane aapko iss kaam ke paise diye? Naam bataiye unka. ("Who was it that paid you for this job? Name them.) Sujamal asked. Who disliked the presence of his sister so much that they could steep to such a level?
Before Akmal Quadri could speak anything he started coughing furiously. Faisal Beg asked the guards nearby to hand Quadri a glass of water. Quadri took the offered glass and handed it back to the guard after gulping the water down.
As suddenly his coughing began it stopped and he slumped forward. Faisal Beg caught him in time and tried to straighten him, only to find him unconscious. He laid the limp body down and shook him and patted his face. But unfortunately the man didn't wake up. Beg grew sceptical and immediately searched for a pulse.
"Faisal Beg, kya hua hai use? ("Faisal Beg, what has happened to him?) The Shehenshah asked this question. Confused frowns marred the faces of the three men.
As much as the man wanted, he couldn't give any pleasant news to the Shehenshah for he could find no pulse.
"Shehenshah... Quadri nahi raha. ("Shehenshah... Quadri is no more.)
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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