Posted:
Wonderful update loved it.
If rukaiya and jodha stand together they will give tough competition to mahamanga.
Wonderful update loved it.
If rukaiya and jodha stand together they will give tough competition to mahamanga.
Originally posted by: crazyforu
Wonderful update loved it.
If rukaiya and jodha stand together they will give tough competition to mahamanga.
Thank you dear!
Exactly! Ladies should always stick together and should not let themselves manipulated by the white witch ever😎
Amazing update dude
Loved the politics inside harem scene
For the first saw this fave of ruqaiya
The serial never showed this maturity in her
Aur ab zyada der tikne wala lg bhi nhi rha iska ye roop😂😂
Mahamanga is really shatir beyond words
Missed joja scenes🥺
But u will cover it up in the necxt chapter
Rightttttt🥺🥺🥺
Aur pm ni diya
Update soon
Kya update tha....👏
But utani khushi nahi mili, JoJa ka 1 bhi scene nahi🥱
Jalal ko to scope hi nahi isme😔 Bahot Miss kar rahi hu 😭😭
Chapter 60:
It was just before afternoon when the large caravan made a stop in front of the palace. Sheikh Ajmal Kafur, the admiral of Sambhal himself was present to welcome the queen’s caravan. He came forward in hurry and bowed with all his respect. “Accept my warm welcome in the land of Sambhal, My Queen.” He addressed to the royal palanquin which was heavily guarded, but still had a majestic aura around it. “I am deeply honoured to have the great opportunity to host you, Your Highness. Please allow me to escort your caravan to in the palace. My Begam herself is present to welcome you in the imperial inner palace.”
The chief attendant of the queen whispered something to her personal eunuch. The eunuch stood up and bowed. “Our queen is deeply touched with your warm welcome, Sheikh Kafur. She would be deeply honoured to accept your invitation in the imperial palace. However, she wishes something different. If it does not bother much, our queen will love to stay in a temporary arrangement nearer to the temple instead of the brick palace here.”
Sheikh Kafur looked visibly disturbed with the strange wish. “I am afraid a temporary arrangement outside will not be able to provide the same warmth, comfort and security as the queen must anticipate. The palace is already prepared and adorned for the arrival of the queen; as a caretaker of this home of the Emperor I can assure you, Her Highness will not face any kind of discomfort in her short visit in this place...”
“Sheikh Kafur...” Instead of the eunuch guards, one horseman from the outer cycle of security came forward this time. His outfit was utterly different that the other Mughal warriors- the tilak on the forehead distinguishes him as one of Hindu community, and under the heavy shiny head-armour he rather had an innocent boy face; although the shining eyes are as mature as an experienced and responsible as a queens’ guard should be. One of the relatives of the Hindu Queen- maybe the nephew who is slowly becoming the apple of eyes of the Emperor- thought Ajmal Kafur.
The young man came forward and bent his head a little to greet. “It is nice to meet you, Sheikh Kafur, my name is Maan Singh. I am in charge of the queen’s security and comfort in this trip. Your warm welcome in the palace is very much appreciable, although I want to assure you that in the temporary arrangement the queen will face no security threat under my supervision. Our queen is eager to stay closer to the soil, and her wish is order for us.”
“Her Highness’s wish is order for me as well.” Ajmal Kafur bowed. “My men and I would be here for any kind of assistance you need. We will send you every resource you need in your small stay in this place. I am sending my people to arrange the temporary stay soonest as the queen’s wish. Also a troop of my men will accompany your force in order to ensure the utmost security for Her Highness.”
“Thank you for your co-operation, Sheikh Kafur...” Maan Singh was about to proceed, but the eunuch of the queen suddenly stood on his way. “Pardon, My Lord...” He said. “Our queen has sought for you.”
“For me?” Maan Singh frowned a little. Although being the nephew of the queen he can meet her with no restriction, but seeking for him in a public place is quite an exceptional thing. He followed the eunuch towards the palanquin and stood straight at its door. The commander of Harem’s security cycle Jashn Khan has also joined him, he noticed.
“Order, Your Highness...”
“Maan Singh, Jashn Khan... Tell Seikh Kafur that his heartwarming concern is very much appreciated, but I am very sorry to say I won’t be able to accept his offer of sending his men with us.” The queen’s voice came from inside.
“My Lady, I don’t see any reason to refuse the extra security...” Jashn Khan objected.
“Except there is no need.” Jodha interrupted him. “Also... Maan Singh, the soldiers should be tired by now, so are the horses. They need rest and food under a warm shelter. Sheikh Kafur was very kind in welcoming the Mughal soldiers, and we should accept his warm welcome and let the troop halt here in his shelter.”
“But Your Highness...” Maan Singh’s voice touched deep concern. “The troop is here for your security. They are here to cover you from all kind of threats.”
“Maan Singh, I have come here to visit the place, to see the temple, to look into the rural lives. I am not here for a war. Then why should I be surrounded by a royal army who always have weapon ready in their hands?” Jodha reasoned.
“I admit we are not for a war, Buasa... But it is extremely dangerous to...”
Jodha peeped a little from the curtain, looking straight into Maan Singh’s eyes. There was a sparkling energy in her eyes, which Maan Singh recognize from his childhood. “Maan Singh,” Jodha said. “I believe your sword has more than enough might to save me from all kinds of threats. I have a Rajput sword vowed to protect me, I don’t need the institutional effort from a royal army anymore. And also the internal security circle of Harem led by Jashn Khan is more than efficient to protect me. We don’t need an army.”
“Pardon me, Your Highness... My people and I would give my life at an instance to protect you from any kind of danger; but we must not forget we are in a vulnerable area; sending away the troop might be a foolishness...” Jashn Khan tried to reason, but Jodha stopped again.
“Yes, we are in a vulnerable area, Jashn Khan. And sometimes to settle the score we need to put down the weapons and open our heart. I don’t reject the necessary security or intend to break any protocol, but I don’t want to go there looking like a parade of soldiers from the capital who have come to probe into their lives.” She said with such a strength in her voice that Jashn Khan could not say anything more. Maan Singh stared around confusedly, and after a moment he smiled, as if he made his mind.
“Your wish is our order, Your Highness. No extra group of soldiers will accompany us for the rest of the journey. Jashn Khan and I would give our everything to protect you from any kind of danger.” He stated. Jashn Khan looked displeased, but he bowed and went away. Maan Singh walked towards Sheikh Kafur to convey the wish of the queen. After a few exchanges, Sheikh Kafur had to give in. “Her Highness’s wish is like order to us. But we would be very anxious. Contact me whenever you need any kind of assistance from me. This is my area, the queen’s safety is my responsibility; I would fulfil that with everything I have.”
“Thank you, Sheikh Kafur.” Maan Singh greeted the man and instructed the caravan to move forward.
After a few moments, the caravan stopped near to the village area, in a field close to an old temple. The royal palanquin was kept in a secured corner and the queen got out from the curtain and looked around as she proceeded to the newly build awning in front of which the workers were going to set tents. Her eyes fell toward the yard of the temple all of a sudden. The place was not crowded, but the surrounding gives the idea that this place of worship is popular locally. There were people inside the temple, some village women were standing with plate of offerings at the gate chatting with each other; a light hymn was floating in the peaceful air- probably the priest was inside and worshipping. This is supposedly the temple which was the root of the unrest that took place in this village a few days ago. Today again everyone has gathered around to pray to their God keeping the bloody memory behind. Time indeed heals every wound.
“We are setting up the camp here?” Gulal Khan whispered to Reva in a grumpy voice. “Leaving the comfort of a palace, leaving all the security behind or queen will live here? Why? There isn’t even any kind of scenic beauty around!”
“Our Rajkunwari Sa is sometimes like that. She loves to be closer to the land, closer to the poor... Now shut up.” Reva rebuked.
The guards stood in attention and started chanting the name of Mughal Empire as Jodha walked towards the awning, and their voice suppressed the sound of hymns in air. Jodha minutely noticed how the expressions of the women in the temple gate changed drastically as they noticed the Mughal caravan. Some looked dumbstruck, and others ran towards the temple with raising hue and cry. In a minute the people inside the temple came out with horrified faces, and started running towards the localities for their life. The peaceful environment changed in chaos. “Gulal, order the guards to stop chanting.” Jodha said immediately, but the terror had already spread.
“Begam Sahiba... If you wish I will go there to discipline that crowd...” Jashn Khan ran towards her and suggested. Jodha looked annoyed. “We are not here to discipline anyone, Jashn Khan. I am here to visit this temple.” She took a long breath. “Which I am going to, right now.”
“But how can you visit the temple in this chaos? Begam Sahiba, I think you should take a little rest here as the tents will be set in a few minutes. After that maybe...”
“Tell the workers to stop what they are doing.” Jodha said. “We cannot build our temporary shelter here until I visit my God and take His permission and blessings for staying here.”
“This place comes under Mughal territory, Begam Sahiba... A Mughal Begam does not need permission of anyone.” Though Jashn Khan’s tone was very modest, one could smell the snobbish odour from his attitude.
Jodha smiled. “All places over the whole universe comes under God’s territory, Jashn Khan. The Mughal Empire is flourishing because He permitted, and He blessed. So don’t say this... Do what I told you. My girls and I will seek blessings in the temple meanwhile. Maan Singh you can come too if you wish.” Jodha proceeded forward, followed by Moti and Reva with plate of offerings in their hand. They walked passed the scattered gathering, most of them had ran towards the locality. But as she stepped on the stair, something happened that she did not expect.
“STOP RIGHT THERE!” One woman screamed. Jodha looked in shock that four five women of different age-groups were standing in front of the door, guarding the view of the idol.
“WE WON’T LET MUGHALS TO POLLUTE OUR GOD’S HOUSE ANYMORE!” The protesting women shouted together. “We will stand here until the very end. Until our last drop of blood!” They were not a lot in number, but the blazing rage in their eyes, heart-wrenching emotion in their voices and deadly hatred in their tears made them much more powerful than the whole Mughal Army. Jodha’s eyes shivered as she could feel that fiery emotion in the string of her heart. This is the same tune she has grown up with, the same values that has been rooted in her soul. Her blood boiled as the voices of those women reached the sky, declaring their existence fiercely to the creator of the universe... but she cannot stand by them; because the person they are standing against, the person they are protecting their faith from, is none other than Jodha herself.
What a funny game the destiny has played.
“Let’s go back, Rajkunwari Sa... These people are getting agitated.” Moti Bai murmured from behind. She was not very pleased with the whole mess they had come to get into.
Jodha sighed a little, and then shocking everyone, she proceeded to climb on the stairs. As she went closer the voice of those women got stronger. “GO BACK MUGHAL! WE WON’T LET YOU TOUCH OUR GOD!” They shouted and shouted...
“Jiji...” Jodha stood calmly in front of the leading woman at the front of the door. “I am a devotee like you, coming from a long way. I won’t be able to eat, drink or take rest unless I see Him. Won’t you let me in?”
“No Mughal will touch the ground of our Baba Bholenath! Not before we die! Leave!” The woman said in the same raged tone, followed by the chant of the others – “Go Back! Go Away!”
“Look at me Jiji!” Jodha tried to smile, tried to drill some sense in them. “Look at me. Do I look like a Mughal? I am a Hindu girl, Jiji. A Hindu Rajput woman, who is an ardent devotee of Baba Bholenath. I am begging you, please let me visit my God.”
“We don’t believe in your disguise! We don’t believe in your drama! Go away!” The ladies said in unison. “Send your army and kill us all, we have nothing to lose. But you won’t taint the air of our temple by your poisonous breath today!”
As Jodha stared with hurt eyes, Moti came by her side. “Rajkunwari Sa, listen to me... Maybe we should lay back and let Jashn Khan to handle the situation by rulebook.”
“Rulebook does not understand the depth of devotion Moti. The devotees do.” Jodha snapped at Moti. My devotion has led me in front of my God’s house, and a true devotee will recognize that call. If needed I will spend the day standing right here, but no royal guard will come near this temple.”
Moti stepped back with worry and looked behind. Jashn Khan was standing along with his troop just for an order, it will take only a moment to remove these stubborn women from the queen’s path. Maan Singh is standing near to them, perhaps only his strict instruction has restricted Jashn from taking the next step. Moti looked at Maan Singh’s questioning glare and shook her head hopelessly. Maan Singh smiled a bit. “No need to prepare the guards, Jashn Khan. The queen is willing to wait.”
As Jashn Khan had to order his troop to back off, the protest of those women probably faced a ripple of doubt. The leading woman looked straight into Jodha’s eyes, her endless hatred towards Mughals probably trembled a little seeing the sheer truth and determination in those eyes. She took a long breath. “We have lost everything My Queen. All we have is the pride of our faith. Don’t take that from us, please go back!”
“I know...” Jodha breathed. “I am not here to hurt your pride. All I want is to be included. Let me be a part of you, let me share your faith, your devotion. You and I worship the same God, then how your pride snatch my birthright of standing in front of Him today?”
“Let her in!”
As the women now seemed confused and started discussing among each other, Jodha surprisedly stared at the elderly figure emerging from behind. The man looked like the priest of the temple. He is a small man, with gentle eyes and saintly smile in his lips. He could be a very common man, but his smile tells that he isn’t. This monk has really left almost all of the physical bindings behind him. The old man came forward, passed the gathering of the ladies and stood in front of Jodha.
“Come in, Bitiya... Take blessings from Him.”
“She is the Mughal Queen, Baba...” One of the woman argued. “She cannot enter...”
“Who are we to hold someone back from entering in God’s house?” The old man smiled. “She has come a long way, if we don’t let her enter that would be big sin.”
“Baba, have you forgotten what happened some days ago? Has the time been able to wipe that wound from your memory?” One woman wailed.
“No! How can I ever forget!” The old priest’s voice broke. “But Bitiya, if we let our fear win over our mutual trust, then how will we live? If we don’t let this poor woman in the temple because of the fear of an evil foe, if we don’t trust our own because of an evil manipulation then we will not be able to survive. This queen has come a long way, she could have used her force to evacuate the place, to get in. But instead she is standing here begging to be a part of our faith. If we turn our back on her it would be an insult to our faith. Listen to me, I have been worshipping Bholenath for eras, if you all have a little bit trust on my devotion, let this lady in, let her pray and take His blessings... ”
As the group of women gave in, Jodha came forward. Her face crumbled as she stood in front of the priest folding her hands. “How do I...”
The old priest smiled and interrupted her. “You don’t need to thank me, My Lady. It’s your power of faith that has brought you here. Who can say, maybe our Bholenath was waiting for you as well?”
Jodha smiled softly. She was about to step in, but another pandemonium broke in unexpectedly. They looked back, and was astonished. Almost whole of the village had broken into the temple premises, all young or middle-aged hardworking males leading the march with sharp weapons like shovel, sickle, hammer, knife etc. They have fire burning in their eyes.
“What do you think, Panditji? Because you are the priest of this temple you have the right to decide the fate of our village?” A bold middle-aged man with mustache yelled in a gruff voice. “We the villagers had sworn it, no Mughals are allowed in this premise. How could you allow to contaminate the place of God again?”
“The whole world is God’s place, Sardar Ji. Who am I to allow anyone?” The priest said.
“Stop this rubbish!” The man shouted. “Last time under your nose someone from these invaders did that grave sin in our temple! They insulted our God, cursed us all. Not only that when we protested they killed our brothers! Have you forgotten how this road in front of you were flowing with blood that day? After seeing that you are giving her permission to enter inside?”
“How can I forget!” Even the calm old man looked excited. “But believe me Sardar Ji, she is here as a devotee. Think about it, otherwise she could have ordered her people to...”
“Then let her do that!” The rest of villagers shouted. “Let the Mughals kill us all! Like they did that day! The touch of Mughals won’t contaminate our temple anymore! We won’t let them do that!”
Jodha was about to say something, but Moti pressed her hand immediately. “Don’t say anything, Kunwari Sa. They are not a few women now that you can handle with your words, these men have weapons, they can do anything! Let the guards do what they need to! Let’s go back!”
“No Moti! I can’t go!” Jodha murmured. “Tell Maan I won’t tolerate a drop of blood! No one will raise arm against these people, no matter what they does!”
Moti looked around. Jashn Khan was very much alert with his troop, only waiting for a single heads up from Maan Singh before cutting all the protesting men alive with their swords. But Maan Singh looked as defiant as Jodha. He came forward calmly, looked at the eyes of the sardar who was about to raise his sharp sickle in defense.
“Sardar Ji, one should not carry his weapon in the place where he worships.” He said calmly. “I have kept the honour of this holy place but not carrying my weapon. I have refrained my troop from stepping in. I would expect as a fellow devotee of the Lord that you would do the same.”
“Who... who is fellow devotee! The traitor who licks the boot of invaders and sells own daughter to them are not our people!” An enthusiastic young man shouted. “Want to kill us, go ahead!”
Maan Singh took a long breath to keep his calm. “All I intend to say is there is no need of this unwanted situation here. Your queen has come here to worship like all of you, she can possibly do no harm. She herself is a part of your community.”
“A woman who slept with a Mughal is no longer a part of us! Her breath is impure for this temple!” Someone shouted from behind.
“WATCH YOUR MOUTH!” Maan Singh could not hold his rage anymore. “You people understand that an order from her mouth will be the destruction of you all??”
“Yes do that! Kill us! Kill all the Hindus and then loot and break the temple! That’s all the Mughals and the bootlickers can do! But not until we are standing!” The crowd cheered. “No Mughals can breathe in our land as long as we stand!”
“This place comes under Mughal territory! You people think you can hold our queen from going wherever she wants?” Jashn Khan came forward. “Allow me, My Lord. My men are waiting, they will take no time in clearing this crowd. Our queen will enter in her own temple stepping through the carpet of these people’s blood!”
“Enough Jashn Khan!” Jodha’s voice roared in the air all of a sudden above all the hue and cry. “No one is allowed to raise weapon in God’s house. No one will shed a drop of blood! Maybe these people has forgotten the value of their own faith in extreme rage. But I won’t let my rage take control over the value I always nurtured. I know my devotion is pure, the call from my God that rings in my heart is pure and I don’t have to scare anyone with power to see my God. That is an insult to my faith!” She took a long breath. “Jashn Khan, instruct your troop to calm down, and build the temporary shelter. Everyone needs rest. Pandit Ji, I owe you everything for believing in me. And to all of you,” she addressed the enraged mass- “I won’t step in this temple, not until you all believe I am here as a part of you all. Not until you can accept me as a fellow devotee and not a semi-Mughal queen! Please don’t lose yourself anymore in front of your rage. Go back. You have my word, I won’t touch a brick of this temple!”
It took quite a while, but ultimately the crowd scattered. After everyone left, and the sun was about to set in west sky, Jodha collapsed on the stair completely spent!
“Rajkunwari Sa!” Moti, Reva and other maids ran towards her. “Rajkunwari Sa! You are exhausted. Let’s go to the tent! You need rest!” Moti said while rubbing her palm.
“I had said that I won’t go to the tent before taking the blessing from the God!” Jodha murmured, the angst in her voice almost brought tears in Moti’s eyes. “Rajkunwari Sa, God is in our own heart. You don’t need to see the idol in that temple to seek His blessings. Let’s go to tent!”
Jodha looked at Moti, a drop of tear rolled down her cheek. “These people... they hate me so much Moti! I always had the pride that the common people who lives closer to the soil always love Jodha with all their heart! I was wrong! These people hate me so much that they even...”
“Because they don’t know you, Rajkunwari Sa! The day when they know you, the whole Hindustan will love their Jodha Begam with all of their heart... just like the Ameris! You will win over their heart one day, Rajkunwari Sa! You will!” Moti said pressing her hand.
Jodha wiped her tears and looked determined. “You are right Moti. I will win over their heart. I won’t leave this place until I do! I cannot. I have promised My Emperor that I would, and I can never fail him. I will never let him lose.” She sighed a little. “Yes, you are right. Let’s go to the tent.”
They were about to go, suddenly someone called from back. “My Lady?”
“Pandit Ji?” Jodha turned “Do you want...”
“If it is not too much trouble, may I request My Lady to come in my hut for a moment? It is just beside this temple. My little home will be blessed with your touch!” The old man requested ardently. “I am a poor pandit, I have nothing to offer you. But I want you to know that I am extremely ashamed with the behavior of my fellow villagers. If you at least come to my home, I will be able to move past some of the guilt that is growing heavy on me!”
“Pandit Ji, you are the only one in this whole place who welcomed me wholeheartedly.” Jodha said in teary eyes. “Of course I will go...”
“Also My Lady...” The old man whispered suddenly while sharply side-eyeing the newly appointed ‘guard’ of the temple. “Something is going on here... doesn’t seem right! I will explain that to you!
Jodha’s frown grew deeper as she stared at his face.
-----------------------------
“Come My Lady! Cannot express how much honoured I am!” The old man welcomed Jodha warmly in the small hut. The sign of poverty is evident in every corner of the hut. The only furniture exists there is a wooden cot and two selves at a corner of the mud-wall. A small idol of Lord Shiva is kept on the upper rack; it is clear that even in this house of poverty the God is adored and worshipped with all heart in this home.
“God, I don’t even have a place to offer you to sit! Tulsi! Tulsi! Bring out the carpet so that the Queen can sit!” The old priest shouted while hurriedly dusting the upper portion of the cot. Before Jodha could forbid, a widow woman emerged from the corner door of the hut which is probably the kitchen with something folded in her hands. Her eyes almost popped out seeing Jodha and her attendants’ appearances, but without saying anything she moved and spread the very old and almost ripped carpet rug on the cot.
“Please sit, My Lady! Please sit!” Pandit Ji offered. Jodha happily sat on that rug ignoring the unamused look of Gulal Khan. Moti, Gulal and two other accompanying lady-guards stood beside her. “My lady, this is Tulsi. My daughter. Poor girl has lost everything in the last epidemic- husband, two daughters...everything! Now she lives here with me with her only surviving son.” His voice broke as he sighed.
The widow bowed with all respect, but Jodha could clearly see the shadow of terror in her eyes. The woman is not more than thirty, but the wicked fate of hers has already broken her into pieces. She looked sickly, depressed and extremely traumatized. Her heart cried in pity for this poor woman. “Where is your son, Tulsi?” She asked in a soothing tone.
“Answer her, Tulsi... Where is Nandu?” PanditJi repeated when Tulsi did not respond Jodha... “In the backyard...again!” She murmured now, in an extremely timid voice.
“I said he should not sit there alone in dark! Go get him!” Pandit Ji rebuked mildly. “Our Queen might want to see him!”
Tulsi left the room, but Jodha noticed the delicate line of extreme worry playing through her already pale face. She is terrified of something, and has not taken her arrival in this hut wholeheartedly for sure. Whom is she frightened from? Her? Mughal soldiers? Or something else altogether?
“My unfortunate girl! Never knew what is real happiness in her whole life! I feel so worried about her and my grandson, what will happen to them when I am gone!” The old man lamented. “I worshiped Lord Bholenath all my life with my everything, but look what a cruel game he is playing with me! Sometimes I feel I am starting to resent Him. But again, God often tests His devotees, isn’t it?” He smiled.
Jodha sighed in empathy. “I tend to think our whole life is a trial, we cannot flee from it.” She said from under the veil.
“True! But sometimes somethings happen in front of eyes, which shakes the whole ground of faith. If my God is kind, why so many people who pray to him every moment had to die while chanting His name?”
Jodha’s brows gritted together. “You told that you have something to tell me.”
“Yes, My Lady... I don’t know why but I think I can trust you! But...” he looked towards Jodha’s companions with hesitation.
Jodha understood and looked at her guards. “You two wait outside and see if any trouble comes. Don’t worry for my safety inside, I will shout if I need you. And Gulal, I assign you with the task of checking every corner outside the hut and confirm there is no spy.”
The tartar women guards do not know to question an order. They bowed and left. Gulal also left happily assuming he has been assigned with the most important task. “Moti and Reva are my own. You can tell anything you want in front of them.”
“My Lady...” The old man proceeded. “I have been worshipping in this temple since I was twelve. My father and grandfather also had been a priest of this temple. I have seen a lot, witnessed wars and deaths in all my lifetime. But fortunately my little village and this little temple at its corner was always somehow save from the direct heat of it. When I was very young, Mughal soldiers had invaded in our village; after that horrifying night we are now a part of their kingdom, with no individual entity left for us. But we were habituated with it, we were in peace. Yes, there are often pressures for taxes, very often young people are taken from village to join the army without their consent, soldiers can come anytime and take all our grains or cattle for their need, or every year lot of our people converting voluntarily or involuntarily because of the better opportunities... but still, Sheikh Ajmal is normally a peaceful man, he allows us to live in our own term. Until that day...”
Jodha sat straight as the priest closed his eyes, his face contorted in the pain of reliving that cursed day.
“Tulsi, my daughter is the first one who opens the gate of the temples and washes the interior. That day she reached there at early morning, and saw that gruesome piece of sin lying on the floor. She was terrified of the sin, tried her best to clean the temple and all the sins associated with it before telling anyone, but some women from the village already came to the temple. One thing led to another, and our Sardar Ji gathered all the people of the village for a protest. This was something any religious man won’t tolerate. The young blood of the village was mad in a burning rage, but the aged people like me were against of enraging the Mughals. Hence the agenda of the protest was to reach to our Subedaar and ask for proper justice.” He sighed.
“What went wrong then? Why they fired?” Jodha asked.
Pandit Ji shook his head. “Our people could not keep their cool. They could not act timid and beg for justice. Maybe some people also tried to start violence. Mughals won’t tolerate any such act of protest from Hindu subjects, My Lady. Their cannons are always ready to lash upon us. That day...” He closed his eyes. “I witnessed the river of blood in my own eyes! The blood of the young boys, the blood of my friends, the partners of my happiness and sorrow! Children lost their father, women lost their husbands, mothers lost their sons... But it did not end here. To discipline the enraged Hindu mass, the soldiers invaded in the village after a long time... and...” his voice broke and he could not speak anymore. “The soil of our land had soaked with blood that day, river of blood flowed in front of my yard... there was nothing but the silence of hell everywhere.”
Pandit Ji stopped, wiping his eyes in hurry. Jodha was stunned hearing the detailed description of the incident. Her heart clenched in fury, fright and despair. A few moment passed before she could gather the strength of speaking again.
“Pandit Ji, I cannot express how much agony I felt in my heart hearing everything... I have no words to say... I feel ashamed to stand in front of the villagers anymore. But is this all you wanted to tell me? ”
The old Pandit took a long breath. “What I told you now was the facts we witnessed. But I am more concerned about what happened before that. Who committed that gruesome sin of throwing piece of meat in the temple which led to this bloodbath!” His voice became lower but sharper. “My Lady, I don’t know why I feel Mughals cannot do this.”
“You mean...” Jodha’s brows gritted together.
“My Lady, I have seen enough Mughal soldiers in my life by now. We are habituated with them by now, I know how they behave with us. Yes, they might forcefully enter in our house and vandalize, they might torture us without reason, but this? If they want, they are capable of bring down this temple to the ground and literally wipe out its existence from our life. Why would they do this instead? Going inside the lonely temple and contaminate it in the dark night? Does it sound logical at all?”
Jodha nodded. She remembered how His Majesty had suspected a strong conspiracy behind all this.
“Besides, My Lady, they do not walk by here very often; the local wealthy Mughals avoid the poverty of our village, the soldiers only come when they need something. I live here beside the temple. If any Mughal had passed by, I would hear it. My instinct does not let me sleep at nights when Mughals are around my hut, that night no such thing happened. It was not them. Someone else has done this, My Queen. Someone deliberately pushed all these people in front of those cannons for personal gain.”
“It could be a mole from the Empire’s enemies, maybe? Trying to create chaos for own gain?” Jodha suggested in a low voice. “Someone from outside sneaking in?”
“No, My Queen. Not from outside. An outsider could not have possibly done this” The priest took a breath. “Someone from inside... Someone who knows the village, who knows the temple too well. Who lives nearer, who has access to the temple. My Lady, it breaks my heart even to think about it, but I cannot shake the feeling that someone very close to me has done this.”
“Do you doubt anyone?” Jodha asked.
The old man smiled sadly. “My Lady, I request you not to ask me any name. Whatever came in my mind must bury inside the darkness of my mind. I won’t let it out.”
“Why Pandit Ji? You don’t want to know the truth?” Jodha sounded a bit impatient.
“It does not matter what I think in my mind, My Lady. The truth is truth which must prevail. I am an old man, I cannot find that myself. I could not say what I doubted to anyone... not to anyone from my village, not to any Mughal soldier. I am drowning every day in the swirl of darkness. Today I felt you have come here to free me from that darkness by bringing the light of truth in my life again!” Pandit Ji’s voice broke. “Save us, My Lady... I beg you!”
Jodha took a long breath. “Pandit Ji, the honour you have given to me by trusting me with your truth has stirred my soul. I promise you to do my best to bring the normalcy in your village life and to punish the backstabber who did such a gruesome crime against our belief and humanity. Truth will prevail, justice will follow. Being a daughter of this soil, and being the queen of the Mughal Empire I promise you that!”
“Thank you My Lady, Thank you...” Pandit Ji’s voice broke in emotion.
Jodha stood up... “I must leave now... My men will be worried by now. Where is your daughter?”
As Pandit Ji called, Tulsi came out again from the corner room, this time a little boy of eight-nine years accompanying her. The boy looked even more traumatized as her mother, he could not even dare to lift his eyes and looked at the guests for a single time. Jodha came forward, knelt and held his hand. “What is your name, child?” She asked affectionately.
The boy did not answer, rather tried to vanish himself under the veil of his mother. Jodha could clearly see him trembling like a thin leaf in fear. She looked with concern at Tulsi. Tulsi was already trying to calm her son down. She looked at Jodha once with a feeble displeased glance before withdrawing herself once again.
“Nandu is always frightened like this after that day, My Lady... He has seen things that day no little boy should see.” Pandit Ji sighed deeply. “Nandu, don’t be scared, she is a nice lady...”
“It’s okay, Pandit Ji.” Jodha stopped him from stirring Nandu. “He will eventually open up.” She got up and Tulsi’s hand. Moti was ready for the instruction, she handed Jodha a gold coin which she put in Tulsi’s hand warmly.
“A little blessing for your boy, Tulsi...” She said.
Tulsi was going to say something, but her father stopped. “One should not say no to a blessing, Tulsi.”
“Pandit Ji... If you allow me, I would like to borrow your daughter for tomorrow...” Jodha said with a smile. “Don’t fret, not going to make her work hard. I want a company from this locality whom I can trust.”
“Sure, Tulsi will go...” Pandi Ji consented happily.
“Thank you for everything, Pandit Ji.” Jodha greeted and came out with Moti and Reva. Gulal and the guards joined them. After walking in silence for a few steps, Reva could not help talking. “What did you get from all these, Rajkunwari Sa? Is there any base in that man’s words? Is it really possible that...”
As Moti stopped Reva from saying anything else, Jodha shook her head. “I am thinking something else, Reva... Why is that little boy so scared?”
“As his grandfather said, he is afraid of what he saw...” Moti said...
“Yes, but is it the only reason? I don’t know... why I felt something very off with... ”
Jodha had to stop, as they heard a running footstep from behind. “My Queen! One minute please!” Someone was shouting behind in a extreme feeble, gasping voice. She looked back, was quite surprised to see Tulsi stopping in front of her.
“My Lady... I am very pleased that you blessed my son! But please, you have to take it back. I cannot take any gold coin from you.” Tulsi’s voice is timid, broken and almost non-audible, but her intention was straight and clear. She opened her folded hands with bent head in front of Jodha as a gesture of offering, and the gold coin was shining in her palms. While Jodha’s brows knitted in confusion, Gulal got angry. “You nincompoop woman! How dare you returning the gift from the queen! You know the Emperor is the provider of you and your son, you eat on his mercy, and still you have the audacity to return the blessing of his queen?”
“My Lady... Forgive me! If I take this, then... then they will not leave us... they will...”
Tulsi suddenly stopped with a gasp, her eyes told that she regrets whatever she said now.
“Who are ‘they’? Tulsi? Who will condemn you if you take a gift from me?” Jodha asked. “The villagers?”
Tulsi kept silence, but Jodha understood what she had to. “Do you agree with the villagers? Do you hold me responsible for the nightmare of this village?” she asked.
Tulsi shook her head. “I... I just fear for my kid, My Lady. I have no one else. Please... I request you to...”
“Who will harm your kid, Tulsi? Yes The villagers might avoid you for a time being if you go against their unity, but why do you afraid of a possible harm?” Jodha touched her shoulder and felt her trembling. “What are you hiding from me, Tulsi?”
“I... I...” Tulsi’s broken voice broke even more. “My Lady, We are very ordinary people, we don’t understand any of the king's matter. My father is very simple, he does not understand reality, hence he invited you in our house to blabber some absurd doubts in front of you. But, believe me we have nothing to do with these... And what happened has happened, we want to move past it. Please My Lady, pardon my audacity and take this coin back... My son has got your blessings, his life is already content. Don’t give us anything!”
“Your father is indeed very simple, Tulsi, that’s why he did not care about any threat and told me what was in his mind to seek the truth. But I need to know what is the threat, Tulsi. What is that dark shadow lurking behind you all? Because you cannot move past this if you don’t face it.” Jodha sighed. “I don’t take back what I give a little child as a blessings. Keep it, throw it away, bury it, do whatever you want. But eventually you have to tell me what you are hiding, Tulsi. Because as a subject of Mughal Empire you are entitled to be part of every matter which bounds the mass and the Emperor.”
Tulsi stood timidly without raising her head. “I... I only fear for my son, My Lady... I... I cannot lose him. If anyone harms him... if...”
“What is your son’s involvement here, Tulsi? Why do you fear that anyone will harm him?” Jodha asked. Tulsi snapped up her head, there was fright in her eyes. Then she lowered her head again. “He is just a little child! He does not know anything.” She murmured.
Jodha sighed before shaking her head hopelessly. But she refrained herself from questioning Tulsi anymore. “Tomorrow morning you will accompany me. I will go somewhere. Good Bye now.” There was such a gravity in that order that Tulsi could not say anything more. She just nodded, and paid her respect and vanished in darkness.
“Where will you go tomorrow with this idiot woman, Your Highness?” Gulal Khan asked as the ladies moved towards the royal palanquin which was waiting near the pipul tree. “I will inform the bearers in the morning. Won’t want anyone else to interfere so requesting you all to shut all your mouth in front of Jashn Khan till then. I will...”
Jodha’s words could not leave her mouth. Because all of a sudden like a lightning bolt, a shinning object pierced the thin air in projectile, almost blazed through Jodha’s right ear while perforating and tearing her veil, before impaling the branch behind her. The whole incident happened in an instance, so sudden that all the witnesses lost their voices for a moment. The dark silence almost strangled the air for a minute, then all of them started screaming...
“O My God! O My God!”
Jodha herself had lost track of the whole incident. When she slowly came back in normal sense, she discovered her heart is racing and limbs are trembling in excitement. If that thing had been only one inch closer, she would be dead- or at least severely wounded with life-time injury.
“Someone attacked on our queen! Someone attacked on our queen!” Gulal Khan kept on shouting in nervousness, spreading the fear among the palanquin bearers... Moti and Reva ran towards Jodha and hugged her, guards ran to find the attacker, but there was absolutely no sign of anyone else in the darkness “Why...why someone will want to kill her!” Reva uttered in trembling voice. Secret assassination attempt is not very known in the women’s quarter of Rajput forts, it came as a dangerous surprise which almost numbed them.
It took Jodha another moment to be back to normal. “Calm down. Calm down everyone please!” She shouted over Gulal Khan’s hysteric voice and stood up. Adjusting the torn veil over her head somehow she followed the guards who were inspecting the weapon near the tree. A small knife was spiked on the branch along with a part of Jodha’s torn veil. The four inches blade of the knife had no way to come across as deadly if they had not witnessed the incident in their own eyes. “Who dared to do that! Who would want to kill our Rajkunwari Sa!” Moti whispered in awe.
“To kill? Or to save?” Jodha uttered in an almost silent tone as she pulled the knife out from the branch. They all saw in wonder a body of a snake was lolling on the ground now, halved and bloodied. The snake is unrecognizable in the darkness, but no doubt it is venomous.
“The snake was stuck by the knife, Moti; just behind by neck... Had the knife was not thrown, it could have bitten me.” Jodha said, her voice trembling in awe...
The whole royal crew kept on standing there, completely numb in the storm of events...
------------------------------------------------
Night in a stranger land under the open sky usually has a mystic aura looming around, but this particular night was mystical in its own way. As the darkness crept in, the whole place became uncannily silent in spite of the presence of the Mughal guards and maids. The gorgeous camp in the meadow was swallowed by the dark silence, and the small temple at far floated in that darkness like an island in the middle of the ocean. There was another night like this some days ago. That night was scary, that night was full of secrets. What happened in that night which changed the equations of lives of the people here? Is the secret still hidden in the darkness? How much Tulsi knows and she is hiding?
Moti was silently combing Jodha’s messy hair. The others were standing by her side. The lamps in the tent were not enough to illuminate the deadly darkness that has imprinted in their horrified faces. Jodha was silent, but her frown suggests she was in deep thought. After a while Gulal could not keep silent anymore.
“Why did you order us to be quiet about the incident of knife today, Begam Sahiba?” He said in a displeased voice. “Someone attacked you, it is our duty to report the same to Jashn Khan so that he can take some steps!”
“I don’t want to make a big chaos in name of my safety, Gulal.” Jodha said. “I understand your concern, but if the royal security is involved, I won’t be able to get the commoners’ trust.”
“To hell with their trust! All that matters is your safety, Begam Sahiba!” Gulal said desperately.
“No, Gulal. I am here with a responsibility, and that is way much important that my safety. I am sure the root of the incident here is much more deeper than we all thought, and whoever was behind this is successful in spreading the venom against the Empire. I cannot go back without going to the root. Don’t worry, Gulal, nothing will happen to me. I am well protected.” Jodha said.
“You are hardly using that protection. Can you imagine what could happen today if the knife did not miss the aim? Those guards could not even catch the attacker.”
Jodha looked a little lost. “Did the knife really lose aim? Then how did it manage to kill the snake which could have hurt me?”
“Coincidence, Kunwari Sa...” Moti said after a long silence.
“No, Moti... I don’t think so. A knife thrown with such a perfection misses the aim and instead saves me... seems an impossible coincidence to me.” Jodha said. “The knife was thrown to save my life from that snake...”
“But why that person did not come at front? Why hiding under the darkness?” Moti argued. “Apart from us, the guards and the palanquin bearers no one was there. Was your secret protector invisible in darkness, like shadows?”
Jodha stared at Moti’s face for a long time, but her mind was lost somewhere else... Everything at the evening happened so fast like a thunderbolt, but she has captured it in her heart moment by moment. She could still feel the speed of the knife touching through her earlobes, the goosebumps she felt as the air of it swinged by her; suddenly her nose became red recalling the audacity of that sharp razor to pierce and tear her veil... Who was the person? A killer or a protector? And why does the stranger suddenly feels so intimate to her?
As the hours went by, Jodha lolled under the comfy blanket in the bed, absorbing the soft warmth shared by it. Most of the lamps were now put out, the darkness and the chorus of the crickets mingled together creating a beautiful lullaby in the mystic air- almost like a hypnotizing spell it engrossed all the tension and exhaustion from the body and took her to the world of restful sleep. As the dark night intensified, the euphony of crickets choired with the silence, Jodha surrendered herself in the world of dream... the dream with which she is very used to... the dream she is having till the day before her marriage... she is silently lying on the bed of hay in a hut mingled in soft darkness, and a shadow comes towards her... the shadow of a man, his masculine figure emerges from the darkness, the man for whom she is waiting forever, for whom she is ready to wait for eternity is slowly coming towards her... In almost muted voice she murmured- Chandrajeet... And he comes... he comes to take away her heart and soul, she feels his aura in her every breath... and...
Jodha’s eyes snapped open. A skit of shadows is played amidst the gloom, and everything again disappears in the dead silence. Only with shaky breath Jodha clearly sees a shadow slowly faded into darkness in the cloth-wall of the tent.
“Who! Who is it!” Jodha shouted in terrified voice. The guards outside came running. “What, what happened Begam Sahiba!” One of them asked. Their voice did not sound very alert, maybe all the guards need a little rest time at night.
“Someone was here! Someone... someone was roaming around my tent...” Jodha took deep breaths. Meanwhile Moti and Gulal Khan entered, their faces marked with worry. Moti rushed in and lit a lamp.
“What do you mean someone was here, Begam Sahiba? Here means, inside?” Gulal said in excitement.
“No... I am not sure... I just saw a shadow over there... at that wall.” Jodha pointed at the wall behind her.
“No one was around, My Lady, we are guarding you.” The guard said. “No one from outside could have the audacity to roam around your tent.”
“Maybe you were having a dream?” Moti sat beside Jodha, touched her shoulder.
“Maybe... but I clearly saw a shadow...” Jodha took a breath to calm herself down. “I felt as if someone was...”
She did not complete the sentence. As the moment of terror went away, she had started feeling something else in her heart... as if someone was watching over her.
“Maybe you have seen some guards, or something else’s shadow, Your Highness. But still we are having a complete check. We will make sure nothing can disturb you at the time of your rest and no one is there with the audacity of lurking around the queen’s tent at this hour of night.” The guard assured, and went out after seeking permission.
“What if it is the attacker from the evening? I am having doubt it is a phantom attacker. Everything is possible in these remote villages.” Gulal Khan whispered in a scared voice. “Begam Sahiba, let’s tell these to Jashn Khan and let’s go to the palace tomorrow!”
“No Gulal, no need to tell anyone anything.” Jodha stopped him. “Maybe it was nothing... I was having a dream maybe... Very sorry that I disturbed you all!” She sighed. “Moti, Gulal- you both can leave. You also need rest, we need to wake up early tomorrow.”
“Let me sleep here, Kunwari Sa.” Moti requested. “You were scared, maybe you should not sleep alone.”
“No Moti. I am alright. You can go now.” Jodha took another long breath. She did not know why after this weird event she was feeling very secured from inside. An invisible protector is watching over her, protecting her from all kind of peril. She was confident she cannot lose now.
-----------------------------------------------
Night is the strangest time among the whole 24 hours. As the drama happens in the queen’s tent, another small skit was being played outside of the arena. At a corner of the meadow in the gloomy black darkness, two shadows were standing in front of each other, confronting.
“I am trying my best, but you are doing nothing. Your force is standing there like wax-models who don’t even know how to use weapons!”
“Don’t shout, don’t forget with whom you are talking. I have a job here, I cannot use my weapons against my queen’s wish unless there is a situation. Give me that situation, I will do what I have to.”
“I am doing my best you have to understand, Huzur... I am here in a tight position, if anyone doubts me slightest I am dead. You saw I tried hard to create a chaos.”
“Not enough. She is a woman, a queen, that too a Hindu queen. Even with all the hatred towards Mughals villagers are sympathetic to her. That little protests are not going to do anything. Give us something more, we will work upon. Remember, if you cannot, you will be dead anyways. Your safety depends on us.”
The shadow sighed. “You are right... I already heard some people are melted by queen’s behavior. That oldie in the temple is the reason of all these. Cannot you do anything?”
“I cannot do anything unless there is a fire. You are the one with the matches. And you already did this, what is stopping you now? Remember, I won’t lose my job over this, but your life depends on it. So you have to take more responsibility. Do whatever you need, take down one or two person, kill the queen if needed I don’t care. I need a little blood- a fire, and you are going to give me that.”
The conversation ended abruptly as the man started walking towards the camp without saying a second word while the other one vanished in darkness. The light of the torch fell on the man’s face as the night guards bowed in front of him. The man is none other than Jashn Khan.
At the other corner of the camp, another secret conversation was just about to start...
Maan Singh was waiting restlessly on the bed at the furthest tent of the camp, suddenly a shadow loomed around the entrance. Maan jumped up and moved to open the door. “Thank God, I was waiting for you. Everything alright?” He stated in excitement as someone blended in darkness entered in his tent.
“Everything ok so far... but many things are about to happen... There must have a plan.” The shadow whispered in an almost silent voice as Maan Singh sat in front of him, his brows knitted together in worry.
The darkness crawled in...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello Everyone,
Happy new Year to all. Hope all of you are well and healthy in these tough days. After a lifetime I at last got to update this story, and I have no words of apology really for keeping you waiting for so long. I was acually tangled with something so much that could not sit to write anytime soon, and after that I thought to write a looooonnggg chapter as compensation, but that too could not happen as covid happened and I was down for several days 😵
Anyways, I am back with a new chapter, and hopefully back in track. I will at least try to update the next one on time before disappearing again for months 😂
I don't know how many of you are still hooked with this story, but I will still love to read your 2 cents about it 😛 😃
Originally posted by: Akdha_Saumya
Amazing update dude
Loved the politics inside harem scene
For the first saw this fave of ruqaiya
The serial never showed this maturity in her
Aur ab zyada der tikne wala lg bhi nhi rha iska ye roop😂😂
Mahamanga is really shatir beyond words
Missed joja scenes🥺
But u will cover it up in the necxt chapter
Rightttttt🥺🥺🥺
Aur pm ni diya
Update soon
Thank you so so much dear ❤️
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