This was typed a few days back. But I am posting only today with some changes.
To Shehenshah-e-Hind Jalaluddin Mohammed...
Dear Emperor,
My salutations to you. I congratulate you and wish you the very best on the auspicious and joyous occasion of your first wedding anniversary with your Hindu wife Jodha Begum. I am very pleased that despite all differences and highs and lows you have traversed one year of your journey together, which I must confess, is remarkable.
On this day, you tied the knot with someone who wanted nothing more in life except your head. Over a period of time, many incidents took place and ultimately the same lady who had demanded your head from her then fianc, almost gave up her own life to save yours. What led to this change in her heart, rather this dramatic U-turn is known to you and you alone.
But I am forced to wonder, how great your endeavours must have been, that someone who never wished anything but ill for you went on to such an extent as to pray for nothing except your welfare and yours alone! I applaud you on this day, for your feat, for feat it is, and an incredible one at that.
They say marriages are made in heaven and celebrated on earth. I have no idea as to the truth of this statement. Are marriages really made in heaven? I do not know. May be. May be not. From the outside, everything looks great in your relationship as of now. Everyone around seems very happy that finally happy times have returned! Jodha Begum who had left for her hometown leaving everyone in Agra behind returned much to everyone's pleasure and joy.
Finally, everything in your marriage with the Princess of Amer is at last, at its best.
But somehow, one particular and very much unnecessary incident is seen to spoil your day. Well, no doubts as to what I am referring to here. It is the near- experience with death that your dearest godson Rahim had due to the carelessness and childish behavior of your wife's mentally deranged companion that has left a sour expression in everyone's mouth. I am probably, crossing all limits when I say this, but truth is bitter and has to be faced. Even by the mighty Emperor of Hindustan. It is so heart wrenching, that you have everything that anyone could ever ask for.
Probably every single thing that every single family member of yours wants, which is quite a bit, as you have a very large family comprising five thousand and more wives alone. Still, what you want the most is what you lack. You were initially a very unhappy man in life, Shehenshah thanks to all the wars and other political issues alienated you from your own mother and brought you closer to another woman who only used you as a pawn to fulfil her own ambitions. But you understood that really late. Too late to make amends I would say. But no. Not for the respected and loving Hamida Begum who did not utter a word, neither then, nor now.
Of course, how can I forget the ever beautiful and intelligent Begum-e-Khas Ruqaiya Sultan who has the privilege of being the First Lady in the Imperial Mughal Harem? Well, she has been the longest with you Shehenshah, she should know you the best and I am very much sure that she should be the happiest one today. Yet the question arises in one's mind, is she truly happy that you are happy?
Pardon me for my insolence Shehenshah, but I do not think, nor does anybody else, that she is feeling anything but joy today as you enter a new phase of your life with your life partner. And, that is not because, she couldn't be the one; but because, someone else finally became one. And that someone just happened to be Jodha Begum was Her Majesty's misfortune, I presume.
You being a generous person allowed her the freedom and gave her the space that she very excellently misused and abused every single time. I again apologise for my frankness, but I can't help but notice these things that happen in your kingdom and in your life. Do not mistake me as any passerby, Oh King, I see everything, I hear everything, I know everything. Despite this, I am unable to do anything as it is not in my powers to do anything. I just pass.
It was just yesterday, wasn't it, that she gifted you a painting of herself and you? Hanging that portrait in the place where she did wasn't expected of her intelligence and good sense. You must have or rather you have realized the reality of that entire episode which I find nothing less than hilarious. Here, I blame you Shehenshah. This is again the shortcomings of being above all. You get the blame for every wrong done.
Friendship is a very beautiful relationship that the Great God has created. It is up to you know to maintain it well. What if she is wrong? She isn't any less a friend to you. Her desperation to be the most important Begum in your Harem has forced her to stoop down to such acts that are neither becoming nor expected of her! I hope or rather pray that some miracle happens. For what, even I am not eligible to reveal.
You could have explained to her. Not once did you tell her that you are in love. But no, you claimed you had a headache and took clear advantage of Jodha Begum's indifference. This is not to preserve Jodha Begum's untainted dignity which by the way is no way tarnished due to these frivolous deeds of your childhood friend. This is to save you friend from doom. But I empathise with you too.
You are a friend and a husband trying to create a balance between the three- Ruqaiya's husband and friend, and Jodha Begum's husband. You too, are perfectly right in your place. Ruqaiya Begum is and will always remain dear to you. You too expect her to understand without you feeling the need to verbally communicate anything to her. Because, after all, even friendship has a language of its own very much like love that many tend to forget. Not you though. You have always been a great friend and a great husband in spite of making tall claims of being stone hearted.
And maybe you are right in your approach. Ruqaiya Begum has not done a heinous crime that cannot be forgiven and forgotten. You did behave like a mature person. And here, comes my next praise for you which you totally deserve. Your patience. It is a rare virtue these days, as I see men come and go. Your ability to tolerate and tolerate silently is indeed admirable, Badshaah Salaamat!
I must say Ruqaiya Begum is quite lucky to have someone like you in her life. Poor she.
Salima Begum, an important person in your life has been the chaperone in your journey with your Hindu wife undoubtedly. With her good sense, intelligence and empathy she has helped you and your Begum many a time. I sincerely wish her regards. She must really love Jodha Begum to stand by her even when poor Rahim was almost dead.
An Emperor is surrounded by enemies, friends, and enemies in the guise of friends, the latter being the most. Yet you have handled all the political affairs with such shrewdness and bravery in such correct measure, that I am forced to doubt the accomplishments of one so young in age and experience!
Anyways, coming back to the matters at hand, after today's near death encounter for the poor child, I suggest he be given proper care though there wouldn't be any scarce there. You are livid with rage. Your dear Jodha Begum has allowed a mentally unstable woman to live in your palace which could have resulted in a serious casualty but for your timely interference.
But herein, I raise the most important question, who was that person who led to this unpleasant occurrence today? Who was it whose freedom led to such an incident? Why did this happen? No, if you think I will say, Jodha Begum, you are entirely wrong Shehenshah. She is not to blame for this. Neither is her unshakeable resolve to protect that woman. It is you. It is you and you alone who are wholly responsible for this, Oh Emperor! And, why you may ask...
I have no qualms in telling you this, Jahanpanah as I have nothing whatsoever to lose. Who allowed Jodha Begum every single freedom that probably even you do not possess? It was you. Who was it who encouraged her childish fancies to such an extent that it became impossible for her to listen to a NO? You might consider blaming the esteemed Raja Bharmal and his wife Mainavati. To an extent Yes. Yes indeed! But you haven't seen as many women as I have, even though you have quite a few in there.
Your Jodha Begum being pampered in Amer isn't unusual. Every princess is, as a matter of fact. She was more pampered than others, is also a fact I must not reject. That too, was natural. You yourself are very well aware of her talents and accomplishments. So she being a spoilt daughter and a stubborn princess comes as no surprise. What is surprising here is the fact that she enjoys the same freedom and independence that she did in there, in her marital home to that precise degree.
She is allowed to do what she pleases with everybody's approval, not necessarily acceptance in the pretext that she is large hearted, which she is. To give shelter to a woman like Shehnaz and then defend her requires sympathy and a pure heart which this she doesn't lack in the least.
There are many instances where Her Highness' has proved that she regards every single human being as essential and important. The reason why you gave into her demands. With time, her demands grew, so did your love for her. She wanted to and succeeded in celebrating the birthday of a Khwaja Sera which was unheard of. Yet you allowed it to happen as she said it would increase their happiness. No doubt, she had the best of interests in her heart.
But she always has the best of interests in her mind Shehenshah. She is really pure hearted. Sometimes this is a negative point not in her favour. She has persuaded you to give in to her every small fantasy that would not have been allowed for any other Begum. Why? Because Jodha Begum has a way with words and others don't. I am quite convinced as to why your other Begums, some of them, do not think much of her. Look at it from their point of view, Jodha Begum gets her way every time. Though what she wants cannot be bought by money, it requires a lot of effort. Mental effort.
The same queen who urged you to bury the hatchet with your estranged sister could not bring herself to do the same with you. Later she did apologise and you very generously did accept it. Isn't this somewhat like a double game? Jodha Begum has an excellent position nevertheless. No matter what she does, to what extent she goes, she is scolded and chided but graciously forgiven and later cajoled. Why may I ask this partiality?
She is overtly talented and none like the women you have seen before that she gets what she wants? That is indeed the reason you are ready to even get the moon for her. You are at her beck and call. Very apt it is though. She is the one who rushes to save your life every time. I have to give her that much and I will. Somewhere a line could have been drawn though. There lies the beauty of the whole thing, I presume.
But, I admit. somewhere I think there is nothing wrong in what she does. It is a matter of perception. What goes around comes around. Someone did help her when everything could have fallen apart. Jodha Begum truly deserves every single thing that she has- your attention, love, care, blessings and what not! And, that is a very unusual thing I find here that she is able to forgive all those who were bad to her. Even Maham Anga. She could not forgive you because you were closest to her unlike others.
Perception is a very tricky issue, Shehenshah. Jodha Begum was both right and wrong. You were both right and wrong. In a relationship between two people, both can make mistakes. Both should correct it. There isn't a competition here.
People will know her to be the most pampered and spoilt queen of Shehenshah-e-Hind and not with distaste will they speak so. They will speak with pride that there was a King, mighty in both valour and courage, who bowed to one, as mighty as he himself is, albeit that one being a woman. You who have given her this much space is really noteworthy for doing so.
Herein, can I see your intense love and regard for this wife of yours who undoubtedly deserves all of it. That is the reason why your relationship with her is more special to you than any other. Do not mistake me, when I say this, as here, I praise you both for sharing this unique and extraordinary a bonding that will definitely last forever.
Now, I think you have guessed who I am. I was there before you and I will be there even after you leave. But I assure you, though I see everything, I do not necessarily remember it all. But you and your Begum will always be etched clearly in my memory, more clearly than any other.
Yours truly,
Do you want to know who I am?
The Greatest Healer of All Wounds.
Everything starts and ends with me.
Without me, there is nothing.
____________________________________________________________________
So this was a random post after a long time. I have tried to highlight the positives and negatives of characters here without partiality. TRIED. I intend to tell you guys that both Jodha and Jalal are equally important in the show. If one were to leave, the show would lose its charm. And all other characters are important too. A car runs on four wheels not on two or three.
I am sorry if I am being preachy but I could not help it.
If in case you feel, I have not put across a particular character's POV well enough, you are free to tell me. And, PLEASE DO NOT START A FAN WAR HERE. I do not want this topic closed.
And, ya.. keep guessing the writer. If I get atleast 50 Likes, I will reveal it. Which I am sure, I won't.đđ
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