Even though Jodha was an officially

Even though Jodha was an officially wedded wife of Jalal and thus a special begum, still there were only two special chairs allotted in Diwan E Khaas, Harem function hall and in the Grand dinner hall for Jalal's special begums Rukaiya and Salima only. Gradually, every harem women realized that Jalal hates Jodha begum and doesn't want to give her the respect of his official special begum.

Most of the people in the palace started treating Jodha like Jalal's maid or concubine instead of his officially wedded wife. Slowly Jodha accepted this kind of behavior, she got used to hearing loud mocking laughs behind her back, her self-esteem was breaking day by day. When she got married she expected this is how her life would be. The only people who were good to her and had become her support were Ammi Jaan and Salima begum and her only fun was spending time with Rahim. She created her own little world with Ammijaan, Salima, Rahim and her daily routine...she found peace in it.

It was about more than a month now and Jalal's ego was getting bigger with his frustration.

To entertain harem women, every now and then different types of activities and functions were organized and once in a while Jalal would also come to attend the function.

Jalal ordered his newly hired maid to inform his special begums to attend tonight's function since he was planning to attend the function too.

Jodha also received this special invitation by the new maid, which surprised her since this invitation came directly from Jalal. At the same time Jodha was also feeling excited. For some reason every time she heard his name or saw him...some unknown feeling gave her happiness. But still she decided not to attend the function and save herself from any humiliation that might happen there, but Moti convinced her to attend the function saying that this invitation directly came from Shenshah so she should go so as not to create any unnecessary problem or conflict.

Jodha was very pleased inside that Jalal had kept his word and never tried forcing her for anything and also let her follow her religion and rituals. Even after many ignorance's and humiliations she developed respect for him and she decided to attend the function.

Everyone gathered in the big harem function hall. Two chairs were arranged next to Jalal's chair for Salma and Rukaiya and about thirty five chairs were arranged for his special begums, each chair was allotted individually and for rest of the concubines a carpet was arranged in the back to sit.

Everyone came before time and took their places. All of the begums and concubines dressed up with expensive jewelry and dresses to please Jalal. Jalal also arrived and sat on his throne. Rukaiya begum and Salima begum greeted him warmly. About a minute later Jodha entered through the main entrance dressed very simply and with minimum jewelry. Jalal got surprised seeing her in the function without invitation. She looked around in the hall and their eyes met, Jodha quickly stole glance from him and looked for an empty chair, but soon she realized that to humiliate her, she was not allotted a chair. In a few seconds every single person in the hall grasped that she has not been allotted a chair. Jalal noticed many begums were sniggering at her seeing her in dilemma. Jodha gazed back at him with fiery annoyed stare then walked gracefully with stiff neck and sat on the carpet next to the concubines. This extreme humiliation brought tremendous pain on her face. After sitting she couldn't lift her eyes up to see anyone, it was getting very difficult for her to gulp her tears. Her eyes got moist but she controlled her tears to not come out. Her face turned entirely red in intense anger and disgrace.

Jalal couldn't take his eyes off her, his eyes turned soft seeing her in this vulnerable condition. His chair was big enough for two people to sit so he asked Rukaiya to come sit next to him and called his personal maid and instructed her to tell Jodha begum to come and take Rukaiya begum's seat.

Salima begum got pleased hearing that but it was a shock for Rukaiya since he gave her chair to Jodha begum. For Rukaiya her position and power was everything, her eyes got filled with extreme rage towards Jodha.

Rukaiya out of jealousy taunted him "Jalal, what happened, your heart winced seeing her in this condition?"

Rukaiya's statement suddenly made Jalal realize that he was showing care for Jodha in front of the entire harem.

As per his order Jodha came and sat on Rukaiya's chair. Her face expression was impassive. She was still looking down; she suppressed her boiling anger and knuckled her fist.

Jalal dryly in bitter tone asked "Jodha begum, why did you come here without an invitation? What happened to your self-esteem and Rajvanshi ego?"

Jodha with shock looked at him dreadfully and replied "Shenshah, I didn't know lying is also one your qualities. Your personal maid came and invited me for the function otherwise I have no interest in seeing you or your function." she paused and fumingly stared at him and then continued "By the way thank you for this humiliation." Then she got up gracefully and walked out of the hall.

Jalal recalled his instruction to his new maid and realized that he made a mistake and said all of his special begums instead of giving individual names. He closed his eyes in guilt and after a few minutes he also got up and walked out of the function hall.

Few days later, Jalal was passing through harem to see Rukaiya and he heard a very melodious song. He stopped to hear more and wanted to find out who was singing.

Jalal realized that the sound was coming from Jodha's chamber. He quietly went inside her chamber and got shocked seeing her chamber, she was given the smallest room compared to the other begums. Even the decoration of the room was not like special begums. His eyes caught her singing while doing prayer to kanah. Her eyes were closed and hands were folded and immense peace was on her face. Her simplicity was making her look heavenly. Jalal was surprised by her mellow singing; he did not know that Jodha's voice was so melodic. Jodha's purity always touched his heart and he always knew she had a transparent personality. Jalal got completely lost in her peaceful bhajan. Her beautiful mesmerizing bhajan was making the atmosphere so divine. He had been standing behind her for more than ten minutes but she was so involved in her prayer that she didn't realize he was standing behind her. After the prayer she turned back with Aarti thal and suddenly she saw him standing and looking at her all mesmerized and lost, but seeing him in her chamber in the evening gave her a shiver out of fear.

Jodha forwarded her hand to give him aarti but he didn't understand. He saw sindoor in the aarti plate and remembered how he had put sindoor in her maang at the time of their wedding, so he thought she is asking him to put sindoor in her maang. He took the sindoor and filled her maang.

Jodha got shocked at this gesture from him, she walked back two steps. Tears pricked out of her eyes then she ran out of her room with weeping eyes. This gesture made her realize once again that Jalal is her destiny and this realization made her feel very gloomy.

Jalal got confused with her reaction and thought maybe she wanted him to do something else when she forwarded the thal so to find out he called one of his Hindu administrator and asked him about the importance of Sindoor and aarti.

The administrator explained "Sindoor is symbol of marriage; every married hindu woman fills her maang with it proudly and for long life of her husband. Sindoor is their life; Hindu women want to die before their husbands or with their husbands, so hence they put sindoor." He also explained how to take aarti.

Jalal understood she was trying to give him aarti and not sindoor. Her ignorance always gave him pain. He realized that she hates him to the extreme and doesn't even want him to fill her maang. He was so shocked and impressed by her melodic voice and her divine face, they both were attracting him towards her. Every effort that he made to win against Jodha with his wicked brain was becoming futile for him. Whenever he went in front of Jodha he forgot everything, including his hatred. He was fighting with himself now and losing it every time. This defeat was something very new to him and was making him extremely angry.

Now winning Jodha became his obsession, the entire month Jalal didn't visit any of his begums, at night he just wanted to be alone and think about Jodha. Thinking about her was making him happy. He couldn't hold himself without seeing her and every time he met her instead of happiness, her sharp words and her sad face gave him immense pain and this pain little by little got converted into anger. He wanted to defeat her any way he could.

In fact, his real desire was to win her heart but he was unable to understand his own desire. He realized that he was losing against his mind. His own heart was defeating his mind. Jalal knew this but he didn't want to admit it.