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JODHA'S TENT
'In what way have I wronged you that my Begum is blaming ME for YOUR faults?' he talks to the snake slyly 'look at what has she blamed me of now!'
[I actually burst out laughing as soon as the episode started!]
'When even 'I' don't have the rights to touch her yet, how did you muster the guts to do something like this?' Jodha looks down in shame [and so did I] while the wry Emperor continues addressing the snake wriggling in his palm 'Thank the Lord that I managed to catch you in time, because if you HAD bitten her - then, you have NO IDEA the extent of punishment you'd have had to endure!'
Saying so, he coils the snake in his hand and throws it outside the tent.
Returning to the bed, he pulls the sheer drapes down and readdresses her with a victorious grin 'I wasn't trying to touch you Jodha Begum...I was only saving the life of THAT snake!'
She looks away - defeated!
He then spreads some form of powder/medicine around her bed in order to possibly ward off insects/creepy crawlies [I could be utterly wrong here about what he was actually doing!]
'Thank you for saving my life' she slowly speaks up - observing him with conviction [I just fainted here, thenceforth the late update today as I needed time to revive myself!😆]
'No...'I' should thank the Lord...' he reiterates 'Because, if something had happened to THAT snake...then my Begum would be needlessly blamed for it!'
[HOW DELECTABLE ALL OF HIS DOUBLE ENTENDRES WERE! I enjoyed this scene like I've done none other yet!]
She looks down - nearly nearly nearly breaking into the slightest hint of a smile
He watches her for a moment with a grin 'I was only teasing you Jodha Begum..it's alright to laugh a little!' [Awww ting ting ting civil conversation, here we are!]
She heartily blushes to herself as he eventually returns to his couch.
He reposes on the couch - facing the other way around. Though his eyes are nearly shut, he can't help but smile to himself. He knew that his Begum was fidgeting in her bed - studying him off and on!
A moment later, he tells her calmly 'Don't worry Jodha Begum...sleep peacefully...I keep up my promises always...I will not come to you...'
She sits up in alarm 'How do YOU know what's going on in my mind? Do you have eyes at the back of your head too?'
'As a Shehenshah, I need to be alert to dangers lurking on all sides... so yes, I am aware of all that goes on around me...'
NEXT MORNING
The voiceover says that Jodha had begun feeling guilty for her behaviour towards Jalal!
Jalal stops his troupe when he catches a lone baba sitting under a tree. Dismounting his horse, Jalal approaches the man to ask him about the clothes and jewels that he appeared to be accumulating. The man informs him that he was collecting donations to help the homeless in a nearby city - a city that had been razed due to a natural calamity!
Jodha glimpses at her jewellery and is about to remove her bangles when Jalal stops her.
Though confused, she walks away silently - mentally rebuking the 'HARD-HEARTED' Emperor for not donating anything himself AND not allowing her to donate either.
[Ever heard of the word - spoken too soon, Jodha?]
While she returns to her spot, Jalal removes all of his jewels and places it at the Baba's feet.
'There are two reasons why I didn't let my Begum donate' he clarifies to the baba, unaware of Jodha's state-of-mind 'A Begum's honour is lessened if she removed the jewels that are meant to adorn her...secondly, my jewels are far more expensive than what she is wearing...so take mine instead!'
When Jalal is about to place his crown down too, the baba stands up 'No Badshah...not your crown...its a symbol of your status...your pride...'
'Its priceless, therefore it should be able to help more victims...' he replies 'And as far as honour is concerned...nothing is more honourable to a king than the well-being of his subjects!'
He goes on to place his crown down 'Anyway, I'm going to Ajmer Sharif now..and HE is the Emperor there'
[CVs hit the jackpot in the dialogue department today, have we? Is this the same Jalal we saw at the start of the show?]
The baba stands up to let Jalal know that no King's attire was complete without the 'Turban' Therefore, he takes a piece of cloth and ties it around the renowned man - who was only too happy to oblige by bowing his head down! [Jodha, can I trade places with you now please, pretty please?]
Their souls exchange a conversation - voiceover
'I was angry with you then Shehenshah - when you didn't allow me to donate my jewellery'
'Even I was no less then Marium-um-Zamani...' his soul tells her 'At that time, I was only Jalal...not Akbar!'
'Similarly, how was I to be aware that my life was going to take a new turn from Ajmer Sharif yatra?'
DARGAH
The holy saint praises the king for having shed all of his regalia before visiting a Holy place! He blesses them both, following which the couple offer their respects.
Kneeling down, Jalal prays in his customary fashion while Jodha goes on to offer her pranaams.
Watching her, Jalal tries correcting the queen cordially - letting her know that their mode of worship differed from hers 'If you want to follow your customs, you have the permission to do so here too...you can avoid offering your prayers here if that suits you...'
'No I want to' she smiles back. She goes on to tell the emperor all that she'd heard about this Dargah - how people of many faiths visited there, how powerful the Dargah was and how renowned the saint was!
Genuinely praising the Dargah at Ajmer Sharif with all her heart, she states how fortunate she felt to be praying there. Her words impress not only the Shehenshah himself, but all the other maulvis present there too!
'Suban Allah' the maulvi says 'you've stated something so pure Begum...your holy thoughts will safeguard your reputation forever... your wishes shall be fulfilled and your 'jholi' shall be graced with blessings (indicating the birth of a child)...'
Jodha looks towards the king - in subtle abashment while Jalal continues looking ahead with a slight smile [possibly still not knowing how that'd ever come to be!]
He then goes on to offer his prayers and she tries copying him - a genuine longing in her mind to do so with earnest!
The music playing at the background, the spectacle of Jalal and Jodha offering their 'Sajda' at the Dargah - all of it in a Dargah with blue tinged light infiltrating the lattice designs was possibly the most beautiful scene I've witnessed in the serial till date!
She continues watching her husband and emulates all he was doing - following their customs and traditions as per the norm.
In the end, the priests wish the couple well - wishing them that their 'love' stayed untainted forever!
At this juncture, Jalal couldn't help but cast a grim glance in her direction - which she returned with a sceptical one.
'An heir - eternal bond of companionship - successful rule' all of it were part of the maulvi's blessings. However, those words could do nothing more than make Jodha and Jalal uncomfortable for that moment in their lives!
Akbar's soul voiceover
'I was under the impression that the priest was saying all this because he wasn't aware of the reality of our relationship...how was I to know that all of it would become true one day...Ajmer Sharif was not the end of our journey together - it was the start!'
Jalal takes something from the dargah and offers it to Jodha 'Eat it...' watching her hesitance, he explains 'Ermm...it's Prasad'
She picks it from his fingers and eats it with grace.
Offering their salutations to the priests, the royal couple proceed to tie the dhaagaas!
'Shehenshah has stolen EVERYTHING from me' she silently tells the Lord as she ties the holy dhaagaa 'Give me ONE opportunity to teach him a lesson - just one!' [This appeared to be more like a light-hearted rebuke of the king than a seriously vindictive request!]
'So, what did you ask the Lord?' he asks his silent wife
'One shouldn't reveal what they've prayed for...or those prayers never materialize!'
'But, I would have told you if you asked me' he replies
'What?'
'That I haven't asked HIM anything for myself'
'Why?'
'I've taken away a LOT from you...so I prayed that he should fulfil whatever you'd asked him for...I wanted your wishes to come true...'
She doesn't appear very moved [Grrr] 'Even I wanted my wishes to be fulfilled...good that you've hoped for the same too!'
Letting out a slight smirk, the Emperor then leaves from her presence.
PERFORMANCE
The king and queen are seated on a raised platform. The august twosome are treated to a series of melodious religious songs by pious musicians. [This is another spectacular scene - pious & simple - yet the couple's expressions praiseworthy!]
Jodha turns to read his expressions for a moment. He was enjoying the performance unfolding in front of him - unaware of her attention on him.
Jodha's soul voiceover
'For the first time, I'd laid my eyes on this nature of the Shehenshah - a human side to him that bowed to the Lord...one who claimed to have no heart and yet, I'd sensed a heartbeat in him somewhere...' she pauses 'I was pleasantly shocked witnessing this aspect of him...'
Gradually, Jalal gets up and joins the troupe in their religious performance - shedding all sense of royalty and immersing himself in the devotion of the Lord as he danced along with the performers.
Watching the king's devotion, Jodha folds her palms as a mark of respect - as a mark of gratitude to the Lord!
Akbar's soul replies to Jodha's
'When the distances between Man and God are as close as close can be, only then can such changes be witnessed! At that time, I'd found myself close to God...I'd lost all sense of my status...possibly that's why, people say that to avail peace of mind, one must offer himself to the Lord!I'd forgotten everything for a moment there and found myself in the Lord's presence then!'
[My only complaint -if any - would be the sudden-ish transition from the dargah to the hunting bits..please take it slowly guys...the Dargah scenes were magnificent..we want many many many such more! Please apply brakes on the romance!]
LATER THAT NIGHT - TENT
Inspecting a gun, Jalal informs his minister that he intended to go hunting with Jodha the next day. When the minister mentions that he'd have the soldiers ready to accompany the king, Jalal dismisses him saying he WANTED to go ALONE with her!
'Make arrangements for my stay in a suitable spot in the middle of the forest' he concludes
The minister goes off to do as told.
JALAL'S TENT
'I don't agree to this' she tells Jalal, who was now loading his rifle in his tent 'I'd come here for a pious deed...to offer my prayers at the Dargah...I can't stand by and watch you kill innocent animals and birds...' she pleads with him
'Hunting is my passion' he tells her 'You can't stop me...if you want you can come with me and try your luck too...I've heard that you have a good aim!'
'Where I come from, people don't stand by and entertain themselves at the expense of animals' lives'
'Why? Don't people from your family hunt? Remember this Begum, if I hadn't saved you, that snake would have killed you by now...in order to save one's life, we have to take the life of such animals'
'But now, the issue is is not about saving anyone's life...it's about TAKING the life of innocent animals and that too purely for entertainment...just to satisfy false pride, you'd murder these beings?'
'Fine! Consider it my arrogance...but, hunting is a habit of mine that I shall not give up'
He then inspects the gun 'Whoever has manufactured this has done a good job!'
Having said so, he aims a shot into the skies and she shuts her ears in retaliation!
THE HUNT
'Are you not going to say anything all the way along?' he teases her as the couple traipse along the thick grass.
'Wow! You are one strange man...so much has transpired between us...in spite of having no heart into it, I'm compelled to accompany you on this hunting trip...and now you want me to talk to you too?'
'That's enough Jodha Begum!'
'Why, what'd you do?'
'I'd do the same thing that Emperors do in dense forests...HUNT!' he retorts 'You can't stop me Begum!'
'I can...just like how I'd saved the life of that deer that you and Ruqaiyya Begum had wanted to slay'
'Oh...so that's you?' he states, scanning the shrubbery for signs of any interesting animals he could hunt 'So you'd made up your mind from the very beginning that you'd challenge Ruqaiyya Begum, is it?'
'My battle is not with her, its with all people who murder innocent animals!'
'What's this Begum?' he jests 'Animals would feel a sense of pride when they come to know that they sacrificed their life in order to entertain the King' [LOOOL SO ARROGANT...just like Jalal!😆]
'I'll only be disheartened ...that an animal was killed by another animal!' she chides him
He laughs boisterously 'Well...who's the animal and who's not shall be decided by my gun!'
'Weapons are for self-defence, not to kill animals!'
He becomes fed-up [serves you well for taking her along!😆] 'Now can you please keep your opinions to yourself...be quiet for a while...I don't want the animals to get alerted to our presence...'
The King and queen walk through thick shrubbery, woodlands, hedges and what not. The breeze starts becoming wilder too as can be witnessed by the leaves flying past. The light was dimming - it was reaching dusk. Suddenly, Jalal notes a disturbance in the wildlife - birds, monkeys - all appeared disturbed as they scattered through the greenery! [This scene reminds me of my SS for some reason😆]
'The birds are screeching...seems like my hunt is near by!' he says with a anticipatory smile on his face
PRECAP
Mohan & Jodha's tell-tale confession!
MY TAKE
1) If today's episode wasn't the best episode - entertainment AND direction wise I don't know which one was!
2) An episode FULL of AKDHA takes a hell of a long time to type!😆
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