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Helllooo guyzzz...!!đđ Finallyyy I'm back after my long unannounced absence from the forum...đđI am ready for punishment darlings..."humey jo dand dena hai de dijiye...magar hum nahi sudhrenge...!!đđ
...ha!ha...jokes apart...I am really sorry for being gayab from the forum fo so long and keep most of my buddies shouting for updates...đ˛but frnz...there were several reasons for my absence...firstly I had exams...2ndly my net connection not working properly...đI can't promise to be regular from now on but anyways...whenever I'll get time I'll try n post...
...I've gone through all the comments on my ff...amusing posts by my 'update pljjj' gang...I luv u all so much...đł
but here I am back to the forum...to make up for all this...I have written an OS in two parts on the present track of the serial...though it is quite close to the actual things happeing in the serial...but it's a version of my imaginations added to it...hope u'll like it...đđđ
OS-Kaisa ye Ishq hai...
Jalal- aur hum chahte hain ki aaj ke jashn me hamare doosri aur aakar who baithe jo filhaal hi hamaari khaas hui hain...
...Hamida Bano glanced towards Jodha with a smile full of pride and love...as Jodha stood up and started making her way towards Jalal, who was sitting on his throne...an evil smile playing on his lips as his words had done just what he had intended...
As Jodha was about to reach there...
Jalal- aur wo khaas shaks jise hum aaj apne paas baithana chahte hain who hain ye...(he gestured towards the court entrance...)
While Jodha was taken aback by his announcement...and stopped midway...everybody else's heads turned towards the entrance in sudden curiosity to find out who could be so special to have a seat next to Shahenshah apart from his khaas begums...
...At the entrance stood a female figure...clad in a blue afghani styled attire with a short blouse in red...hugging tightly onto her curves. Through the flimsy shimmering naqaab she wore over here dress...any onlooker could fondly trace her hour-glass figure with his eyes...
As Jalal gestured for her to come and sit next to him, all the courtiers looked in her direction with awe and amazement...for none of them had ever seen a beauty as mesmerizing and fairy-like as hers...as she raised her downcast eyes to meet those of the people surrounding her...many of them fell off their balance...lost in a hypnotic trance...Benazir was her name...
Jodha had yet not recovered from the injury of insult and had unshed tears glistening in her eyes...she had never thought that Jalal would take his revenge of the previous night in such a mean and insulting way... moreover what hurt her the most was the fact that this time though she knew not where the misunderstanding brewed up from, yet in that misleading fire...her feelings were also trampled upon...had she anticipated the effect of her mere thanksgiving letter would be thus...she would have never written it in the first place...how could Jalal take her thanks and appreciation as an expression and token of blossoming love? And even if he had thought so...should he not have made himself sure of it before trying to be intimate with her...? She was in shock when he had tried to be physically intimate with her last night on the pretext that she only had written an invitation for him to spend the night with her...and when she found no way to escape she had pushed him away with all her force...Jalal being in a much drunken state had lost his balance and fell straight away on the floor...Jodha had repented her action later on and had even gone to ask him forgiveness and even tried to make it clear that she really had not written that letter with any such intention...but Jalal in his rage was not even ready to see her face leave alone talking to her...
As Mahamanga introduced Benazir in the courtroom...Jodha, making her way back to her seat, raised her head to see who Benazir was and why was there such a murmer in the courtroom...
Both Hamida Bano and Jodha looked at Benazir and by the look in Benazir's eyes and her gait and way of carrying herself...both had instantly known that she was indeed a seductress who could ruin the peace of many a family by playing her charm on the man of the house...While all others were praising her beauty...Jodha just looked away with a feeling of disgust...her expressions did not go unnoticed by Jalal as he quickly glanced at her from the corner of his eyes...
Jodha (in her thoughts...)- Ye kisey le aaye hain Shahenshah...humne shayad inko achcha samajhne ki bhool hi ki thi...inke liye to stree kewal upbhog ki hi vastu hai...fir chahe wo inki patni ho ya fir koi aur...kal hamare sameep aane ki cheshta poori nahi hui to aaj kisi aur ko le aaye...kaise manushya hai ye...inhe kisi ki bhavnaayon ki tanik bhi kadr nahi!!...aur to aur ek aisi stree ko apne raj mahal me laane se pehle inhone ek baar bhi nahi socha? Aur kya Rukaiyya begum ko bhi is baat se koi farak nahi padta?? Hamey to lajja aati hai ek aise insaan ki patni hone me...
Jalal who was noticing the change of expressions on Jodha's face as Benazir made her way towards him...he was relishing in the pain she felt, that was evident on her face...
Jalal (in his thoughts...)- Jodha Begum...aapko kya laga ki aapne hamare zehen me ek aisi khaas jagah bana li hai jise koi aur nahi le sakta?...aur aapke ek inkaar se hum toot jaenge?...nahi...aisa kabhi nahi ho sakta hai...na to aap hamari khaas banne ke layak hain...aur na hi hamari mohabbat ke kaabil...aapne jo kal hamari beizzati ki hai...uska to badla hum aapse lenge zaroor...aur samajh lijiye ki shuruaat ho chuki hai...(he gave an evil smirk and turned to greet Benazir who was now standing close to him...)
Jalal extended his palm to offer Banazir...she gladly took it and grasping it with as much passion, she sat next to Jalal...
Rukaiyya saw all this but was contented by Mahamanga's earlier confession about all this being just a plan to deviate Jalal's mind away from Jodha...She was happy thinking that Jalal being away from Jodha meant Jalal being closer to herself...
Jalal- Jashn shuru kia jaaye!!
...and with that began the royal jashn with Ram Tanu Pandey singing melodious verses of love...
Entire court room was under a spell by the magical voice of one of the greatest singers of the time...all the people were lost as if in some other world...all the souls were filled with the love emanating from the passion filled songs...except two which were still overwhelmed with their own overpowering emotions- one with jealousy and the feeling of insult...the other with an unusual impatience and the feeling of revenge...
Jalal's hand was caressing the backside of Benazir's palm...but his eyes were fixed on Jodha each alternate second...as if trying to draw her attention himself and Benazir...but Jodha sat there like a stone figure without the slightest movement except for her chest heaving with fast breathing...she was fighting her emotions though it was hard to control her tears and the embarrassment she felt...
...Jodha too ,on purpose did not look in Jalal's direction lest he shpuld insult her with the evil mocking gesture of his eyes...Jalal had tried long enough to sttract her attention...he knew not why but when his attempt to do so failed...he could no longer stand her stubbornness and caling Mahamanga to his side...he asked her to make Jodha leave the place immediately by his order...
Mahamanga who was waiting for this moment so long...controlled her brimming happiness behind a plain face and proceeded towards Jodha to convey shahenshah's order...
Mahamanga- (almost in a whispering tone...)- Jodha Begum...Shahenshah ka hukm hai ki aap abhi isi waqt is jashn se chali jaaye...!!
Jodha, on seeing Mahamanga approaching her, quickly wiped her eyes lest she should catch her tears and ask her about it...As Mahamanga spoke out what she had to say...Jodha turned to look at her with disbelief...
Mahamanga- Aisey kya dekh rahi hain Jodha Begum...?? Aapne sahi suna...Shahaensha nahi chahte ki aap yahan maujood hon...aur unka aadesh hai ki aap abhi isi waqt yahan se chali jaayein...(she uttered the last words with a wicked smile playing on her lips...)
Jodha still not believing what Mahamanga had just conveyed...turned to Jalal with a shocked yet questioning look...Jalal who had been waiting for this reaction of hers...returned her gaze with a distant look filled with arrogant pride...and giving her a scorn filled half smile...he turned his eyes away from her...and into the direction of Benazir, who was now leaning her head playfully his shoulder...
It was too much for Jodha to bear anymore...As a tear escaped her eye...she wiped it off quickly and with a swift pace she moved out of the hall before anybody could understand what just transpired between them...
Jashn continued in its full glory and everbody was enjoying it deeply...Jalal, too had a constant smile on his lips and though he sat next to awesomely beautiful Benazir...yet deep down in his mind was captured another image...the sight of her tear-filled eyes just before she left the jashn and went away...and he knew not why it brought a certain pity in his heart though he himself had intended to bring her to feel this insult and pain...
From the moment she had left the place...he had not listened to a single word of what Ram Tanu Pandey was singing...yet he pretended to enjoy, each single moment waiting for the jashn to come to an end...
Jalal had been thinking too much about Jodha...he had to come out of it anyhow...his mind did not rebuked him for what his heart yearned for...In the conflict of mind and heart...offcourse his mind won coz he still wasn't convinced that he could even have a heart that could feel something for someone...only one thing was now on his mind"that Jodha had insulted him by rejecting him outright and he could not forgive her for this audacity...he smirked with the new plan of action that struck his mind...
At last the jashn was over and Jalal got up from the throne and left the hall with Benazir's hand in his...
[JODHA'S CHAMBER]
...reaching for her chamber...Jodha's tears knew no bounds as she sat down on a couch replaying the whole scene in her mind...angrily she started removing and throwing aside all the precious necklaces and other jewellery that she had especially worn for that jashn...when she came to her hand to remove the gold bangles...the sparkling gold baaju-band caught her attention...Jalal himself had presented her this fabulous piece of jewellery the previous morning and had asked her to wear the same in the jashn...as Jodha remembered this...she roughly removed it from her arm...
Jodha(still holding the baaju-band in her hand...spoke up in an angry tone...)- Jab Shahenshah ko jashn me hamari upasthiti hi nahi chahiye hai to ab hamey bhi is tohfe ki avashyakta nahi...
Jodha started towards Jalal's chamber...but soon she recalled that she had left its jewellery case in the bathroom while she was putting it on before the jashn...so she made her way to the bathroom first...
As Jodha pushed aside the curtains of her royal bath chamber...she froze in her place to see Jalal sitting by the bathtub...bare-chested...with a velvety shawl draped around his shoulders...and gently throwing rose petals in water and playing with the water...
...She quickly turned away from him to hide her embarrassment and asked with an angry and shocked voice- Aap is samay hamare snan-grah me kya kar rahe hain Shahenshah??
Jalal had already sensed her arrival by the tinkling sound of her payal and spoke up without looking up- Galat sawal puchha hai aapne Jodha Begum...pehli baat to hum aapko bata de ki ye haram hamara hi hai...to ye hamam aapka kaise ho gaya??..dusri baat ki hum Shahenshah hain...aur hum kahin bhi aane jaane ke liye kisi ki marzi ya ijazat ke mohtaz nahi...aur teesri aur sabse khaas baat ki hum yahan kya kar rahe hain??- to Jodha Begum agar aap jaanna hi chahti hain to hum bata de ki hum yahan akele nahi aaye...hum yahan apne kisi khaas ke sath kuch khaas pal bitaane me mashroof the jab aap yahan par aayi...
Just as Jodha turned back towards him...there was a splash from the bath tub as Benazir appeared from the water with a sudden swift motion making her long wet tresses hit Jalal's face and chest before subsiding down to curl around his neck...
Jodha was flabberghasted to see the scene before her...no words could express the disgust she felt at the moment...Jalal had closed his eyes as Benazir traced her finger down his cheek seducingly...Jodha shifted her gaze sideways to avoid the embarrassment...
Jalal opened his eyes...and looking amusingly at Jodha's face asked her- Aapne bataya nahi Jodha Begum ki aap yahan kyun aayi thi??
Jodha remembered about the baaju-band that she still held and without a single word she picked up its case from a stand nearby and keeping it inside the box...she closed its lid with a thud...then proceeding towards Jalal she handed it over to him saying( in a raging and annoyed tone)- hum aapko ye uphaar lautane aaye the jo aapne hamey jashn se pehle dia tha...jab aapne hame is jashn me aamantrit hi nahi kia to hamey is uphaar ki bhi koi avashyakta nahi...
Jalal took it back instantly and said- Shukriya!! Agar aapki baat poori ho gayi ho to aap ja sakti hain...
He then turned towards Benazir and offering the same jewellery box to her, he said with a smile- Benazir...ye khaas tohfa aapke liye...
(as Benazir offered her thanks and opened the case...)Jalal - aapko pasand aaya??
Benazir who still sat inside the bath-tub, glanced at Jodha who was still standing there in shock...and said- Bahot khoob Shahenshah!! Aapki meherbani ki aapne is kaneez ko itna keemti tohfa ada farmaya...ye baaju-band to behad khoobsurat hai...beshak hamey ye bahot pasand aaya...
Jalal took it from her hands and gently lifting her feet resting on the edge of the bath-tub, slipped on the baaju-band onto her right ankle...he looked at Jodha from the corner of his eyes, feeling contented with the insult and pain in her eyes...he smirked and said- Ab yakeenan ye aur bhi zyada khoobsurat lag raha hai...
Jodha burned with anger and insult as she looked on...
Jalal turned to Jodha and spoke up with pretentious surprised expressions on his face- Aap ab tak yahin hain Jodha Begum?
Jodha thought it was useless trying to say anything to Jalal at that time and so giving him an angry stare she walked out...Jalal gave a mocking smile and gestured an aadab' to her as she left the chamber...
Benazir saw this and draping herself in a towel as she came out of water, she came and stood before Jalal and said- Lagta hai aapki sabse chaheti begum thi ye...
Jalal looked at her with a questioning face as if asking her, what made u think so?'
Benazir understood his unasked question and said- kyunki jab bhi wo aapke samne hoti hain...apki nazarein unpar hi tiki hoti hai...fir chahe wo mehfil ho ya ekaant...kuch to baat hai aapki Jodha Begum me jo hamari maujudgi me bhi aapka dhyan hum par na hokar un par hi tha...
Before Jalal could say something to defy her...
Benazir- Ab is kaneez ko ijazat dijiye...shabba khair shahenshah!!
Jalal simply nodded his head as she left and was lost in the possible implications of her words...was he by any means getting attracted to Jodha?? ...he shrugged away this thought the very next moment and left for his own chamber...
[JODHA'S CHAMBER]
Jodha came back to her room burning with fury...As Moti saw her tearful red eyes and racing breath...she immediately came to attend to her...
Moti- kya hua Jodha? Aap itne gusse me kyun hain? Aap to jashn me gayi thin na? kya wahan kuch hua?
Jodha(shouted...)- Moti...hum is samay bahot gusse me hain...aur tum humse itne sawal puch kar hame aur krodhit mat karo...achcha hoga ki is samay tum hamey akela hi chhod do...
Moti meekly got up and bringing a glass of water, she offered it to Jodha...
Moti- achcha thik hai...hum kuch nahi puchenge...par pehle aap pani pi lijiye...
Jodha pushed aside the glass and it fell with a bang on the floor of her chamber...
Jodha (still seething with anger)-pehle kal raat Shahenshah ne hamare kaksh me aakar aisa vyavhaar kia...fir aaj bhari sabha me hamara itna apmaan kia...us stree ko apne sameep baithkar hame jashn se jaane ko keh dia...aur fir jab hum unse baat karne gaye to us parayi stree ke samaksh hi unhone hamari baat tak sunne se inkaar kar dia...
Moti- kon si stree Jodha? Kya hua kal raat?
Jodha had been talking to herself in her anger and was in no mood to explain anything to anyone right now...
Jodha- Moti...humne kaha na hume abhi akela chhod do...hum kisi se baat nahi karna chahte...
After Moti had left...Jodha spent hours pondering over the entire happening but could not decide what hurt her more...was it Jalal's ruthless behaviour towards her...or was it Benazir being close to him that was bothering her...
[NEXT MORNING]
In the palace garden, Jalal was busy in his sword-practice when his eyes fell on Jodha who was praying near the temple situated in other side of the garden...he could no longer concentrate on his practice as he saw Ram Tanu Pandey join Jodha in singing the prayers...he even hurt his hand with one stroke of his sword as he moved it swiftly through the air aimlessly...he was shocked to see a contented smile on Jodha's lips even after what he did to her the previous day...how could she forget such insult so easily...it pricked him inside deeply...
...Jalal's thoughts were interrupted by Benazir's arrival...Seeing her back here...Jalal instantly tried to deviate his mind from Jodha and towards Benazir...She looked divine in the white warrior costume she now wore as ordered by him a short while ago when he had invited her to accompany him in his sword practice...
Benazir- Kaneez ne aapke kehne par Jodha Begum ki ye poshak to pehen li hai...par kahin is baat se aapki khaas begum aapse khafa na ho jaayein...
Jalal (avoiding her statement...)-Aap woh sab chhodiye...!! Aayiye hum aapko shamshir chalana sikhate hain...
...
Jodha's prayer was over and taking the aarti thaal in heer hands...she started her way towards the harem chambers...on the way she had noticed Jalal practising in other corner of the garden and decided to give him also the aarti and prasad ...she did not notice Banazir 's presence from the distance...As she came to where Jalal was...she regretted coming there...Benazir was standing there wearing Jodha's costume and holding shamsheer in her hand...with Jalal standing close behind her...his arms wrapped around her holding her hands to support her...their faces mere inches apart...and looking at them Jodha's overworked mind suggested her that there was more to it than met her eyes...
On seeing Jodha...Jalal slowly removed his hands off Benazir and asked- Jodha Begum...aap yahan?
Jodha did not look back in his eyes...and with hesitating tone, she said- Ji ...woh hum yahan sirf aapko aarti dene aaye the...(and she put forward the aarti thaal for him...)
Jalal stepped forward and showed his helplessness in doing so...as his one hand held the sword and the other was injured...Jodha paused for a moment and just as she was about to give him the aarti herself...Jalal stopped her midway...As Jodha looked up in shock...Jalal gestured to Benazir to do the honours...Benazir gladly came forward and giving him the aarti with her hand...she even picked up the prasad and made Jalal eat it from her own hands...while Jodha held up the aarti thaal...staring at Jalal in her patent 'ghrina' mode...Jalal too returned her gaze...but with a wicked smirk on his face...
...Jodha left without another word...Jalal was now at peace...having turned her smile upside down...
...
...Jodha had noticed the the deep cut on Jalal's hand and was worried about it...she even wanted to apply some marham on it but when she saw Jalal's attitude and his ruthless treatment of her infront of Benazir...she decided otherwise and left the place ignoring her concern for him...But her heart was pure...so once she was back in her chamber...she felt that she could not avert her face from anyone's pain or injury...She decided to make some sort of marham for Jalal that would quickly heal his wound...As she mixed various herbs in a bowl...she had flashbacks of Jalal and Benazir's closeness near the royal bath,the previous night and during the sword-practice this morning...Jodha felt agitated and annoyed...
Jodha( in her thoughts...)- Us Benazir me itna sahas to nahi hoga ki wo swayam hi hamare vastra pehen le...avashya hi Shahenshah ne usey aisa karne ko kaha hoga...hame samajh nahi aa raha...ki aakhir kya saabit karna chahte hain Shahenshah...(She knew not what was disturbing her more...Jalal ignoring her or Jalal giving special attention to Benazir...)
...hamey to yakeen hai ki avashya hi hamare us raat ke vyavhaar se unko jo thes pahunchi thi...usi ka pratishodh lena chahte hain wo humse...hamara apmaan karke...Hum maante hain ki us din hamara vyavhaar uchit nahi tha...parantu uske liye hum unse maafi maangne bhi to gaye the...parantu jab wo hamari baat hi nahi sunna chahte...to hum kar hi kya sakte hain...agar yahi dand hai hamari us bhool ka...to thik hai...hum seh lenge ye sab...aur intzaar karenge ki kab unka ye pratishodh poora ho...
...
[JALAL'S CHAMBER]
Jalal had not got a moment's peace since that night...how could he be so foolish as to fall in her trap...Indeed he was very happy to have received her letter expressing her love for him...yet he should have thought twice before going before her and expressing truly what he had started feeling in his heart for her...He had never imagined Jodha would do such a thing...mocking away his feelings...how could he not understand that their was only one relation between them since the very beginning...and that was the relation of hatred and venegence...though he had thought that time and circumstances had mellowed down the intensity of these emotions in their hearts and had started shaping some sort of soft corner or perhaps love and admiration for each other... yet that nights' incidence proved him wrong...
In one single moment...his pride was trampled over...her outright rejection of him and her audacious denial of even writing any such thing in that letter had totally shattered him...Just when he had started developing respect and admiration for her...she had done this...
Jalal( in his mind...)- kya ho gaya hai hume? kyun hum jodha begum ke baare me itna soch rahe hain? kyun Benazir ke sath hone par bhi hamara dhyan unhi par tha aur kyun Benazir ko ek hi mulakat me aisa laga ki Jodha begum hamari khaas hain? jo bhi ho par hume unka khayal apne zehen se hatana hi hoga...hum unke guroor ko zarur todenge...hum unhe ye saabit kar denge ki unki koi ahmiat nahi hai hamare liye...aur unki yahan koi khaas jagah nahin hai balki woh hamare harem me rehne wali tamam begumon me se hi ek hain...
...just then Benazir enters his chamber...
Benazir- Shahenshah ko kaneez ka aadab...
Jalal turns towards Benazir and smiles...(coincidently...Jodha too had reached his chamber at that time...but seeing Benazir...she had paused just before the entrance...Jalal had seen Jodha...but pretended having not seen her...)
Jalal (in his mind...)- Ab kyun aayi hain Jodha Begum aap yahan? Hum aapko dekhna tak nahi chahte aur aap baar baar hamare samne aa jati hain...kahin aapko ye to nahi lagta ki hum aapko apne bartav ki safai pesh karenge...nahin Jodha Begum...!! Hum aisa kuch nahin karenge...balki pal pal aapko ye ehsas karaenge ki bahot galat insaan se aap bin boli is jungg ka elaan kar baithi hain.,..hum aapko aise zakhm denge jisse aapko ehsas ho ki beizzati kya hoti hai aur aapko afsos hoga us pal ka jab aapne hamari beizzati ki...
Benazir- Kaneez maafi chahti hai ki bina ijazat ke hi hum aapke kamre me daakhil ho gaye...
Jalal (to Benazir)- humne is gustakhi ka bura nahin maana...kyunki aap pehle hi apni bepanah khoobsurti se hamare dil me daakhil ho chuki hain...fir kamre me aane ke liye ijazat kaisi?
...Jodha was listening all this, standing at the doorstep...she felt jealous on hearing such sweet words for Benazir...)
Jodha couldn't control herself...and coming inside the chamber...she remarks- Parantu Shahenshah aap to kehte hain ki aapke paas hriday hi nahi hai...phir Benazir kya aate hi aisa kya ho gaya jo aapko achanak ye ehsas ho gaya ke aapke paas bhi dil hai aur usme koi daakhil bhi ho sakta hai??
While Benazir turns back to look at Jodha...Jalal smirks at her jealousy filled remark...
Jalal shifts his gaze from Benazir to Jodha and with anger in his eyes, he says- Jodha Begum...jahan tak hume yaad hai...aapko agra aaye hue itna waqt to ho hi chuka hai ki aap yahan ke niyam kanoon jaan jaaye...ek shahenshah ke kamre me aane se pehle kya aapko ijazat lene ki zarurat nahi mehsoos hui?? Kya aapko nahi pata ki ek shahenshah apni marzi ke khilaf kisi se nahi milta? Ya fir aapko shauk hai hamare sukoon ke palon me har waqt khalal daalne ka?...beherhaal...aap jis bhi wajah se yahan aayi thi...hume koi fark nahi padta...hum aapka chehra tak nahi dekhna chahte hain...aap isi waqt yahan se chali jaaiye...
Jodha gets infuriated on his outburst and says- hum yahan ek shahenshah se nahi...balki apne pati se milne aaye hain...aur hame nahi lagta ki ek patni ko apne pati se milne ke liye kisi aagya ki avashyakta hai...
Jalal- bahot khoob...Jodha Begum!! Aapko ek begum hone ke sabhi haq to pata hain...par farz nibhane me aapko koi dilchaspi nahi hai...khair hum aapse koi behes nahi karna chahte...achcha hoga ki aap yahan se chali jaaye...abhi isi waqt!!
...Jodha is shocked to hear Jalal accusing her infront of Benazir...she is deeply hurt by his mention of their previous fight infront of an outsider...she felt tears coming to her eyes but her self pride didn't allow them to flow...
Jodha- Shahenshah...hume apne haq bhi pata hain aur apne farz bhi...aur hamari bhi aapse vivaad karne ki koi mansha nahi hai...shamsheer ke abhyaas ke samay aapko jo ghav ho gaya tha...usi ke liye hum marham laye the...lagwa lijiyega apne kisi khaas se...(saying this she puts down the bowl of marham that she held in her hands...and leaves the chamber angrily...)
Jalal was left speechless...he had abused her...insulted her...shouted at her...and yet she had brought that marham for his amall wound about which he himself had forgotten...he knew not what to feel for this gesture of hers...but one thing he was sure of...this woman had always been beyond his understanding...and once again she had proved it...
Benazir- Shahenshah...agar ijazat ho to kaneez ek baat kehna chahti hai...
Jalal- hmm..kahiye...
Benazir- Jahanpanah... wo Jodha begum----
Jalal- (gesturing his palm to stop...) hum Jodha begum ke bare me koi baat nahin karna chahte...
...just then a servant enters...
Servant- shahenshah ka iqbal buland ho...mallika-e-hind aapse milna chahti hain...
Jalal- unhe intzaar karane ki koi zarurat nahi hai...unko boliye ki wo aa jayein...
Servant nods and leaves...
...on her way to Jalal's chamber...Hamida Bano had seen Jodha leaving from there...from her face she could very well make out that there must have been some argument with Jalal which had upset her...for once she thought of asking her about it...but could not do so and decided to talk about it to Jalal instead...
Hamida Bano entered the room...she was at once disappointed to find Benazir in Jalal's room...
Jalal- aadab ammi jaan!!
Hamida bano- maaf kijiyega Jalal agar hum galat waqt par aa gaye hon...(she said sarcastically...aiming at Benazir...) hame akele me aapse kuch zaruri baat karni hai...
Jalal- nahin ammi jaan aisi koi baat nahin hai...(...he gestured Benazir and all the servants to go outside...)Ab kahiye ammi jaan...konsi zaruri baat karni hai aapko?
Hamida Bano- Jalal hum yahan aapke aur Jodha bahu ke bare me aapse baat karne aaye hain...hume nahi pata Jalal ki aap dono ke bich aisa kya hua hai jo aap unke saath aisa bartav kar rahe hain...par hum itna zarur kehna chahenge ki kal jashn me aapne jo kia wo aapko nahin karna chahiye tha...
Jalal- Ammi jaan...ye ek shauhar aur begum ke bich ka masla hai aur humne kal jo kia wo kyun kia is baat ki kisi ko bhi safai dena hum zaruri nahi samajhte hain...fir chahe wo aap hon ya fir khud Jodha Begum...
Hamida Bano- Jalal...hum maante hain ki ye ek shauhar aur begum ke bich ka muamla hai...par yun is tarah bhari mehfil me aapko apni niji man-mutav ya jhagde ki numaish nahi karni chahiye...ye ek shahenshah aur uski begum ki shaan ke khilaaf hai...
Jalal- hum aapko nahin bata sakte ki hamare aur Jodha begum ke bich kya hua...par hum itna zarur kahenge ki is baar galti hamari nahi thi...jo kuch hua wo sab Jodha Begum ne jaan boojh ke hi kia..
Hamida bano- Jalal..ho sakta hai Jodha bahu ki koi baat se aapko thes pahunchi ho...par hume vishvas hai ki unhone aisa jaan boojh ke nahi kia hoga...bajay unse badla lene ke...aapko unse baat karni chahiye...ho sakta hai ek baar phir aap dono kisi galatfehmi ke shikaar hon...aur aap dono ki hi koi galti na ho...
...Jalal ye aapke aur Jodha ke rishte ka shuruati daur hai aur is naazuk se rishte me aap dono ko ek doosre ko samjhne ki zarurat hai...kahin galatfehmion ki wajah se aapke bich dooriyon ki aisi khayi na ban jaye...jise phir bharna hi mushkil ho jaye...jis tarah zakhm marham lagane se thik hote hain aur chupane se nasoor ho jate hain...waise hi galatfehmiyan agar samay rehte door na ki jaayein to wo kisi bhi rishte ko tabah kar sakti hain...
...Jalal hum sirf itna chahte hain ki aap ek baar Jodha Begum se baat karein aur unhe samajhne ki koshish karein...ho sakta hai aapko apne sawalon ke jawab mil jaeyein...yun pareshaniyon se bhagne se unka hal nahi mila karta hai Jalal..!!
(she caresses his head with affection ..)
Jalal..! aapko aur Jodha begum ko lekar hume hamesha fikr hoti hai...jaise hi aap dono ke bich ki dooriyan kam hoti nazar aane lagti hain waise hi fir koi na koi musibat aa jati hai...ya parvardigar! kab tak aisey hi chalega mere maula...
(...Jalal feels sad to see her so worried...)
Jalal- ammi jaan aap fikrmat kariye...hum sab kuch thik karne ki koshish karenge...
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Benazir was having rest in one of the guest chambers of the palace...her caretaker Zakira sat by her side...
Zakira- kis khayal me doobi hain aap?
Benazir- khayal to bahot khoob aaya hai hamare dimaag me...bilkul gulab ke phoolon sa khoobsurat aur mehekta hua khayal...bas ab ye sochna hai ki apne is khwaab ko hakikat banane ke liye...us gulab ko paane ke liye kaante kaise hataye jaaye...
Zakira- hum aapka matlab nahi samjhe...
Benazir- Zakira...matlab ye ki agar baadshah Jalaluddin gulab ke phool hain to Jodha Begum kaante se kam nahin hain hamare liye...pehli baar Benazir ki maujoodgi me koi aur aurat kisi mard ka dhyan apni aur khiche hue hai...yun to shahenshah bhi hamare husn ke kayal ho gaye hain pehli nazar se...magar kuch to baat hai us Jodha Begum me...jo shahenshah unse naraaz hokar bhi unhi ke khayalon me rehte hain...unse judi har chhoti badi baat me Jodha begum ka zikr shamil hota hai...
Zakira- to fir aap kya karengi?
Benazir- aaj tak to hamare husn aur aankho se hi kaam ban jaya karte the...par is baar baat kuch aur hai...is baar hamare jaal me fasne wala panchi ek hans hai jo apni hansini ke moh ko nahi chhod pa raha hai...aur isi liye hamare kareeb nahi aa raha...is baar hame apne husn ke sath apne dimaag se bhi vaar karna hoga...tum bas dekhti jao Zakira...is baar bhi Benazir ka shikaar uske jaal me fas kar rahega...
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It had been whole day since their face-off this morning...neither Jodha nor Jalal had eaten anything...their minds were so occupied by thoughts...that they didn't feel any other thing...be it hunger or sleep...It was late evening and both of them were having a stroll in the palace garden not too far away from each other...but neither was aware about the other's presence nearby...
Though Jalal was replaying the various instances where he had insulted or overlooked Jodha since that night...yet his ego did not make him feel guilty...and he had a reason too...he had full trust on his badi ammi who had read out to him Jodha's letter word by word in which there was clearly mentioned her love proposal to him...and now she was saying that she had not written any such thing in that letter and it was just a thanksgiving letter and nothing else...Just when he felt he had started feeling something for her perhaps...she had rejected him outright saying that she just thought of him as a friend and nothing more than that...
...but then why will she do so?? Maybe to avenge all her previous insults as Badi ammi had suggested to him...he was not quite sure though...As far as he had known her...she was not the kind of person...who could do such a thing...but who knew to what heights or depths the emotion of hatred could lead a person to?...and she had hated him from the very beginning...this was the fact...
Jodha on the other hand, was still upset over his constant rude and insulting behaviour towards her...why everytime she had to suffer the wrath of his anger or hatred...even when she had not done anything to invoke his anger? This time too...she had one pure intention of expressing her gratitude to him for his generous decision for the welfare of his people...and before she could cherish the new-born feelings of admiration and respect for Jalal...all this happened and just when their relation felt like going moving up the ladder...they werre back to square one...just like a game of snakes and ladder...
...She had even tried to make the situation better by asking forgiveness...but he had refused to even see her face...and now when after gathering much patience and hope...she had once again tried to smooth up the cracks...he had insulted her infront of an ordinary baandi just to satisfy his ego...
...their thought-process was never-ending...and though it started from two different emotions---for one it was anger...and for other it was jealousy...they both ended up with cocentric confusing thoughts...
Jodha (in her mind...)- Jab hum unse prem hi nahi karte to fir har baar us Benazir ko unke sameep dekhkar hum kyun vichlit ho jaate hain...kyun hamey achcha nahi lagta Shahenshah ka kisi aur ke itne sameep hona?
Jalal (in his mind...)- Jab Jodha Begum hamse prem hi nahi karti...aur hame thukra chuki hain...to fir kyun jab unke samne jab hum Benazir ki taarif karte hain...to unke chehre par jalan ka bhaav mehsoos hota hai?...Na to wo hame apne kareeb aane deti hain aur na hi kisi aur ke kareeb jane deti hain...aakhir kya hai unke zehen me?
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...heyy...will update soon...plzz do comment on this one...đđ
...catch the next part on page-4:
Anupamaa
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