Chapter 13

Chapter 13

            Jalal standing in front of the window in his bedroom, he is thinking bout what happened this morning, he remembered when jodha looking at him with very crystal clear message that how can he let ruqaiya to ack very cruel to the made, but jodha must learn that here she is nobody, she is only his new begum, she is being a amer rajkumari wont make any differences here especially when she must face to face with ruqaiya and go against her, ruqaiya is the chief of his harem and she have absolute power and he don’t like to interfere with whatever happen in harem because he is busy enough to run mughal sultanat but jalal seems can’t forget how jodha looking at him that time and how she willing to be hurt to do her duty as wife when she perform arti for him.

“ hmmm jodha . . . you are like puzzle to me . . you said you hate me but yet you  save my life, isn’t you will be happy if I’m dead but instead let me died you save my life . . I really want to know what’s happening inside your head, and I feel bad because I must crush you but no one can challenge me like you did and still alive . .i will make you surrender yourself to me then I will throw you out from my system and you will just be unforgotten begum just like other unimportant begum “ said jalal with cruel and he smirk, he can’t wait to crush this angel of amer, in the end the devil will win and angel will fall from heaven.

Maham anga sitting on her bed while she think about what happening in harem today, everyone talked about this how jodha go against ruqaiya to stop punishment of a mere maid, she defend unimportant people, maid are jus low class people in harem and it’s their lucky and honor when they work in harem, maham anga think that may be she can create lot problem for jodha since jodha’s nature is very kind hearted so she wont sit quite watching people suffers, but in this mughal sultanat she have no power to do whatever she want and there are lot possibility that she will go against jalal too since maham anga know that different from her jalal have cruel nature so it will be a clash between kind hearted and cruelty, maham anga must make sure that jodha and jalal never get too close so jalal wont got influence from jodha.

“ hmmmmm . . . want can I do to make them hate each other more, I wish can do something to make jalal send her back to amer, this palace will peace if she is gone, she is just few days here but she already create chaos . . “ said maham anga to herself then she got an idea to make jodha realise that here she is nobody and she is not belong here, maham anga smile with happy and smirk.

Ruqaiya still feel angry that jodha begum dare to go against her and jalal too do nothing to stop his new begum, ruqaiya smoke her hookah.

“ I will crush you jodha begum . . you dare to challenge me so I will accept your challenge and you will about to find out who is you deal with . . this is nor amer and you can’t do whatever you want here jodha begum, I’m the chief in harem and I can do whatever I want . . my harem my rule jodha begum and I will show you where you should belong “ said ruqaiya then she laugh with happy, she will enjoying crushing jodha and show her in this mughal sultanat ruqaiya begum is away above other begum including her.

Jodha following with moti and reva heading to mariam makani’s room, she want to ask her permission to go to mandir, she want to do puja there and even reva and moti already bring food and money to give to poor, every eyes set jodha as jodha wearing yellow choli, lehenga and her duppata close her head, she is like a sunlight inside harem and maids not only hindu maids but muslim maids too pray that jodha will make this harem better place to live and to work, they’ve seen how wth brave she go against ruqaiya begum couple days a go and they seen a hope in jodha, jodha bump into jalal and abdul in the middle and jalal curious where she want to go.

“ pranaam shehenshah . . . pranaam abdul  “ she greet then and moti reva too doin the same way

“ adaab jodha begum . . “ reply jalal

“ adaab “ reply abdul

“ are you go somewhere ? “ ask jalal

“ yes shehenshah I’m on the way to meet ammijan to ask permission to go mandir “ said jodha

“ you know you can call me jalal . . . even ruqaiya begum call me jalal “ reply jalal

“ I’m sorry shehenshah but I’m not ruqaiya begum and I’m allow to call my pati by name shehenshah “ jalal and abdul looking at her wint interesting

“ hmmmmm do as you please jodha begum . . anyway you don’t need to ask mariam makani to go outside since you already meet me . . I give you permission to go . . “ said jalal “ take some guards with you since this is not amer and you can get lost very easily “ he add

“ ok . . thank you shehenshah . . . . pranaam “ reply jodha then she leave with moti and reva., jalal and abdul watching them leave.

“ it will very interesting “ said abdul

“ what interesting ? “ ask jalal

“ I wonder if jodha know that in mughal sultanat hindu must pay to enter mandir and pray there . .  I’ve heard bout her confrontration with ruqaiya begum and so I want to see her reactions when she know about the tax for hindu people to pray in mandir “ said abdul

“ well abdul I don’t care what she feel because this is mughal sultanat and every kingdom have own rule . . so wont matter if she objection with the tax because this rule applied since the previous shehenshah and beside she is my begum so she have privileged so she don’t have topay “ reply jalal

Abdul smile “ we’ll see jalal since what I’ve heard bout her that she is got very high sense for injustice and what makes me curios is that if the fact that she live in mughal sultanat will make differences for her . . .may be she will become angerl of mughal sultanat “ tease abdul

Jalal looking at abdul like he is out of his mind “ there wont be any such things happen here . .  remember abdul I just want to crush her  . . I want to destroy angel of amer not make her angel in my sultanat . . and I will enjoying shattered her pieces by piece and after that she wll be forgotten just like my other begum “ said jalal with cruel

“ well I will be very happy to see the battle of angel and devil but my friends I will put my money on this sweet angel .  . . “ reply abdul

Jalal laugh “ alright abdul if I win I want your dearest horse “ said jalal, he always admire his beautiful horse

Abdul grin with big “ ohhhh it’s on jalal and if I win I want your sword “ said abdul, jalal winch because abdul hit the right button, he know that he really love his sword because that sword gift from his abbujan.

“ done . . . be ready to crying abdul because I will take your horse “ said jalal with confident

“ ha ha ha ha . .  dream on my friend “ reply abdul then both leave because jalal must attending court for his people.

Jodha with enthusiasm loking around outside palace and when she pass the market she watch with happy but she notice that people whispering when they are looking at her and she can see fear on their faces.

“ jodha  . . do you wonder why people look scare of you ? “ ask moti in low tone

“ I don’t know moti I feel very curios too “ reply jodha

“ and they all keep looking at you jodha “ said reva, jodha too notice that but she try to ignore them, then they arrive at mandir and she see some people make a crowd and they giving money to guard out side the mandir and after that they are enter mandir

“ what is happening here ? why they are give money to those guards ? “ ask jodha to moti

“ I don’t know jodha “ said moti

Then jodha call her guards “ why are those people give money to the guards before enter mandir ? “ ask jodha

“ they are paying tax  .   in mughal sultanat every hindu people want to go to mandir and pray must pay tax first then they will allow to enter mandir “ reply the guards

“ hey bhagwan . . . jodha do you hear that how can such things happen here “ said moti in shock, jodha and reva too really shock to hear that.

“ it’s been forever like that begum sahiba but you are shehenshah begum so you have privileged and you don’t have to pay, you can go straight to mandir “ said the guards and jodha feel herself really bad, there is nothing to be proud of to have privileged free from tax before enter andir.

“ bhagwan . ..  how these people act like this, they are lost from God’s way . . if people can’t afford to pay tax that mean they wont be able to go to mandir, isnt it mean they all commint the wost sin because prevent other people to pray to their God “ said jodha with sad, then she look some other crowd who looks very sad and she see a very old lady crying outside mandir, jodha come to them and the moment they look at jodha they are bend their head and look very scare. “ pranaam “ jodha greet them all

“pranaam begum sahiba “ they all greet her back.

“ you all know me ? “ ask jodha

“ hmmm yes begum sahiba . . with your clothes, your beauty and we never seen you before so you must be jodha begum “ answer one old lady

“ yes I’m jodha begum . . .  if you all don’t mind I want to ask is everything ok ? why you all no come to mondir ? “ ask jodha then she touch the very old lady hands and look at her “ why you cry? “ she ask

The very old lady looking at jodha with sad and sobbing “ I don’t have money to pay the tax so I can’t come to mandir, my life already hard because everyting very expensive these days so I don’t have money left to pay tax “ she said

“ yes jodha begum . . we all don’t have money to pay tax so we only can pray here eventough we all very sad can’t come to mandir but there is nothing we can do either “ said one old man, jodha’s hearts feel really hurt thinking how these hindu people want to enter mandir and pray there but they couldn’t and jodha want to do something for them, moti and reva looking at them with teary in their eyes.

“ come . . you all come with me “ said jodha then they all following jodha go to guards who got duty to safeguards the mandir and make sure everyone pay tax before entering mandir, people who in queue to pay tax looking at jodha with surpise “ guards .  . “ call jodha

“ adaab jodha begum “ said guard

“ pranaam . . . I want to know how much to pay the tax for all these people her for a years ? “ ask jodha, not only guards and people who shock with jodha question but moti and reva too feel sad, then guards tell jodha the amount, jodha take off her necklace and her bangles then give them to guards “ here . . is it enough to pay pax for all of them for a years ? “ ask jodha again

Guards looking at jodha with fear because he don’t know how shehenshah will react if he know that jodha begum give her jewelry to pay tax for hindu people “ hmmm it’s enough jodha begum but this is very expensive jewelry are you sure you want to give it to . . . . “

“ I’m very sure “ cut jodha “ that jewelry is nothing compare to these people faith and if that jewelry can help them to enter mandir and pray to bhagwan then it’s worth it “ she add and so guards have no choice rather than accept the jewelry as the payment

“ okey then jodha begum then I will accept this jewelry “ said guard

“ oooh bhagwan I can’t believe this . . jodha begum thank you . . . thank you “ said the very old lady and everyone with teary eyes come to her to said thank you

“ you all very welcome and remember that you all free to come to mandir for one years . . now why don’t we go insideand pray together “ suggest jodha then with happy everyone following jodha entering mandir and for the first time they can hear someone sing puja with soo beautifully and they are not realize that are crying while listening jodha sing puja, they are watching hindu begum of shehenshah e hindustan pay and sing with them, they they all pray to bhagwan to let this shehenshah jalaluddin new begum to become their ange, they heard about jodha’s reputation as angel of amer and so they all believe that she will become angel of mughal.

Hoshiyar run in hurry as he can’ wait to meet his master, he must let ruqaiya begum know what news he just got, he enter ruqaiya bedroom and see that she is choosing new clothes.

“ begum sahiba . . begum sahiba “ call hoshiyar impatient

“ what’s wrong hoshiyar ? why are you running like that ? someone dead ? “ ask ruqaya

“ no ruqaiya begum . . I have very important news for you “ reply hoshiyar when ruqaia seems not care he drop the bomb “ it’s about jodha begum “ he said

Ruqaiya lookin at him with angry “ what’s wrong with her ?  is she make a new problem ? “ ask ruqaiya

“ I don’t know if this problem but she . . . “ then hoshiyar tell her what he heard

Ruqaiya stand up with angry “ what ? she did that ? that stupid bitch ? why the hell she did that ? “ ask ruqaiya with angry

“ may be she want to gain trust and love from hindu people her in mughal sultanat “ said hoshiyar

“ cccihh . . that is very low for her to do something like that to gain people attention . but I wont let she always have her way “ said ruqaiya then she got and idea “ come hoshiyar I want you to do something “ hoshiyar then come closer to ruqaiya and she give him order and hoshiyar smile with eveil just like his master, both smile then hoshiyar leave and ruqaiya laugh, she imagine jodha’s imagine when that time is come.

Jodha just leave mandir after distribute money and food and everyone saying good bye to her with happy, then jodha ask moti and reva to visit market, may be they are will find something they like, and jodha see one stand who sell a silk fabric, she touch the silk and it’s very smooth she ask the price and she feel that it’s too cheap but she pay it and moti hold it for jodha, then they move again until they pas an alley and jodha see one little boy crying, jodha come to the little boy at first guards prevent her but jodha give him sign it’s ok.

“ helo . . . why are you cry little boy ? “ ask jodha and that boy just watching her with tears on his cheeks “ what’s your name ? “ ask jodha

“ ahmad “ said the boy

“ and why are you cry ? “ she ask

“ because my bhaijan in trouble because of me “ he said with low voice

“ and why is that ? “ ask jodha again

“ because I stole money to buy food for my ammijan . . she is very sick and hasn’t eat  for couple days so I steal money and buy her food but I’ve almost got caugh but bhaijan protect me saying that he is the one who stole the money and now he will got punish by shehnshah “ said ahmad and then he cry, jodha bout to say something when one woman and jodha guess she is his mother, she looks very sick, her face really pale and she soo skinny, she take ahmad hands and ask him to come with her, ahmad turn aound to see jodha before he disappear, jodha see soo many people in poor outside palace and she wonder if shehenshah know about all these people, guards then ask jodha to go back to palace soon and jodha nod, they back to palace in hurry since they’ve gone too long but they meet maham anga when they just arrive in palace.

“ adaap jodha begum “ she greet her and she is been looking for her to let her watch something.

“ pranaam maham anga ji “ greet jodha

“ where have you been ? “ ask maham anga

“ I’ve just back from mandir “ reply jodha

“ aaaaah I see . . . but you come back right on time “ said maham anga with cheerfull

“ ooh and why is that maham anga ? “ ask jodha

“ jalal now in court .  . there is a boy who steal and jalal punish him by cutting one his hand “ said maham anga, jodha, reva and moti totally shock to hear what just maham anga said and they can’t believe shehenshah will do such cruel punishment to a boy, it seems what she heard about him is true that he is really a devil and very cruel.

“ where is the court maham anga ji ? “ ask jodha

“ why ? “ ask maham anga, she pretend to be curious but this is what she hope and she is very sure jodha will go against jalal in front of everyone.

“ I want to see the court “ reply jodha

“ ooooh ok . . then come I will show you “ said maham anga then she lave and jodha following her, maham anga really happy that till now her plan are doin great and jodha come right into her trap and now she and jalal will move dance according to her music, she will make they are hate each other more and will make their more distance, maham anga know that both jalal and jodha hate each other but she concern when jalal allow jodha to keep her religion when they marry, as a man he must be feel interesting to her but maham anga know that jalal never know what is love and she always succesfull make jalal get rid everyone she don’t like and jodha too not exceptional and jalal will help her get rid of jodha from harem, from mughal sultanat for good, maham anga feel jodha have the opportunity to make small change in harem and so she need eliminate her as soon as possible, she already handful with people who try protect jalal from her influences so she no need another one.