“Hey Manmohana…Hey Manmohana..”
Jalal could hear the faint voice of Jodha's arti in his languid state. The sound of her pleasant voice was making him smile in his drowsy state. He didn't want to open his eyes lest the dream broke and he had to face the harsh reality, reality that he and his Jodha begum weren't together in a room.
From the time he had fallen in love with the Rajvanshi Begum of his, he had dreamt of such serene mornings where his eyes would open hearing the soothing and pleasant voice of Jodha. Alas! This could only happen in dreams of his for the time being though!!
“Hey Ratnakar…Krishna Murari…”
He could hear the lyrics now clearly and it didn't feel like a dream to him anymore. Was he dreaming or was he in her room?? But how, wasn't he in Ruqaiyya's room last night? His eyes sprang open only to be opposed by morning sunlight. His eyes stung, his head was feeling heavy as if he were struck with some heavy object. He groaned a bit, before he felt something different on his body too, the blanket wasn't the ones used in their rooms, it had mirror work done. Finally he came into senses and the first thing he noticed was his Jodha begum doing aarti of her Kanha and was immersed in the praise of Lord.
A sight to behold!!!- a sight he wanted to watch every morning throughout his entire life. He smiled broadly not caring the state in which he was and was engrossed in watching his Begum! Her open wet hair, no jewelry state, all were making him crazy in the early hours of morning, something he could watch forever.
Suddenly, realization dawned upon him, he was in Jodha begum's room, sleeping on her bed while he was supposed to be in Ruqaiyya's room! He tried to remember how he ended up here, he forced his brain to remember but ended up with an excruciating headache.
“Ahhh…” he screamed a bit before he gave his brain a bit of relaxation. Was he sleepwalking last night? How did he end up here? As he was submerged in thoughts, he heard the clinking of bangles of his begum. Rising his eyes, he could see his Jodha begum standing there with a glass of water, she was smiling mysteriously as if she were in some assurance or peace,something he couldn't decipher.
He woke up hurried from the bed, ignoring the glass of water which was presented to him. Hurriedly, he got out of the bed but he was stopped by his begum as she held his hands.
He was surprised by the act of hers, as this was an addition to the surprising events happening since morning. He still couldn't understand how he ended up here, in her room and now she's not letting him go, her face not leaving that weird smile .
“Hume jaane dijiye Jodha Begum. Hume apni din ki shuruwaat karni hai..” he requested his Rajvanshi begum to leave as he needed some alone time to clarify all the events happening since morning, everything looked so puzzled for him.
“Suprabhat Shehenshah. Hume pata hai aapko apni din ki shuruwaat karni hai parantu aise abastha mein aapko hum jane nahi denge. Ye jal pee lijiye aur thoda apna muh dho lijiye. Phir aap jaa sakte hai..” his favourite begum requested him earnestly.
Jalal was dehydrated. And he knew the reason well. He drank too much wine last night in Ruqaiyya's room and now his head was also in pain. He needed a massage. But he couldn't accept in front of Jodha begum as all the events of past nights dawned upon him. The fact that someone other than him kept his hands on his begum's shoulder was eating him inside but he couldn't gather courage to ask her questions. He jerked off his hands, though he stood there still.
“Kal raat aapne kadachit adhik madira paan karlia hoga, aap humare kaksh mein ardh ratri ko aaye the. Aap humse kuch puch rahe the Shehenshah. Kya jana hai aapko?” He could hear Jodha asking him questions.
Though Jalal really wanted to confront Jodha about the incident and use the opportunity fully, he kept silent. The morning was too beautiful for him to spoil it with unnecessary suspicions. He didn't want to deal with a heartbreak early in the morning when he had the best morning of his life.
“Kuch nahi. Nashe mein humne shayad kuch ulta seedha boldia.” He ignored the topic and went for the glass of water kept behind Jodha begum, feeling defeated due to suspicion and dehydration also.
As he went closer to Jodha begum, he saw something which he never expected, the changes of colour of her cheeks, as if she were ready to acknowledge his touch, there was no resistance from her side, no stopping as if she had accepted him in every possible way. He could feel she was disappointed that he went for the glass of water not her, again a surprise for her.
He left the room silently, bewildered at the developments he felt from the morning, keeping his blushing begum at her state. A small smile carved into his face having realized that he had the best morning of his life.
comment:
p_commentcount