Janhavi ji firstly I m sorry last night I got confused between u and shruthiji. Actually, I was half asleep then.. so
A very very happy new year / gudi parwa to u😃.. every year cheti chand, gudi padwa m ugadi (tamil/keralan new year - I don't know which) falls on the same day.
coming to our discussion on Janak, I agree with u on almost every word u wrote. Let metry to put my pov again. The way I see it:
he came to offer his condolences and offer comfort to his children (sons-in-law and daughters) and the queens.
But on reaching the rajbhavan, he saw bharat in that state and ready to go off to van to fetch ram back. I have no complaints reg. his encouraging bharat and explaining to mandvi - those IMO were really awesome scenes.
I also don't have issues with his being the head /Judge during the dharma sabha.. he was the best person to judge..the reasons are what u wrote. While all this was implied (His being knowledgeable, impartial n not swayed by emotions or common fallacies)... I just wanted an exchange of dialogues between him and vashishtha, when he was called upon to judge - something like this:
J - but I don't think I have a right t have a say in this matter being sita, urmila mandvi's father, Please don't put me in this dharam sankat.
V - I am not askinh you as the girls' father. I sm asking the only person knowledgeable, qualified and justice-oriented enough to be able to judge without any bias...etc etc..
I hope u got my point now?
Just this one exchange of dialogues would have elevated that scene to altogether another level - just my pov.
Anyways its a v. small thing.. n as u rightly, it was implied.
I have just come back from the new year function.. I will read everyone's take and come back in the evening..