SCENE (3) – ANADHA GETS SHELTER IN THE HAREM
Characters
- SULTAN (Azam Shah)
- PHULJANI (Azam Shah‘s Wife, Begum Saheba)
- OFFICIAL
- ANADHA
- GANESH (Landlord of Bhaturiya)
Setting
- The Sultan’s administrative court. The throne center.
- Phuljani sits slightly behind and to the side—a presence, not a voice.
- Maps, grain ledgers, murmuring officials.
(Formal stillness. The OFFICIAL steps forward, scroll in hand.)
OFFICIAL
Victory at Kamrup, my Sultan.
(A controlled murmur of approval.)
OFFICIAL (cont.)
The king of Kamrup accepted your sovereignty. From now on he will govern only internal affairs. Border forces withdrawn. Annual tribute agreed.
(He gestures.)
OFFICIAL (cont.)
Twenty elephants. One hundred horses. Gold—measured and sealed.
(OFFICIAL bow.)
SULTAN
Where is the gold?
OFFICIAL
Deposited in the royal treasury.
SULTAN
The animals?
OFFICIAL
Elephants and horses transferred to the military. Training begins immediately.
SULTAN
Kamrup will remember this peace.
(PHULJANI remains silent, her eyes steady.)
(A movement at the edge.)
(ANADHA enters—dust on her clothes, head covered.)
(She stops at the threshold.)
ANADHA
My Sultan—
(The court stills. This is unexpected.)
(ANADHA kneels.)
ANADHA (cont.)
I beg for safety.
SULTAN
From whom?
ANADHA
From the street.
SULTAN
Begum.
(PHULJANI rises slowly.)
SULTAN (cont.)
Take her to the harem.
PHULJANI
As you command.
(She looks at ANADHA—not with judgment, but assessment.)
SULTAN
She will be instructed. Converted.
She will be named—
—Safa.
(ANADHA lowers her head.)
ANADHA
I am grateful.
(PHULJANI gestures subtly. ANADHA follows her.)
SULTAN
What is the collection of this season?
(OFFICIAL steps forward.)
OFFICIAL
Much less than last time.
SULTAN
Why?
OFFICIAL
The peasants refuse full payment.
SULTAN
Why?
OFFICIAL
The river Ganga moved to the West. It washed out several villages.
SULTAN
But farming lands are on the East side of the river Ganga.
If they don’t pay the due tax on time, they will be punished.
(GANESH appears at the court’s door.)
OFFICIAL
Peasants are waiting outside of the court — begging for your mercy.
(GANESH steps forward—calm.)
GANESH
I beg your pardon MINISTER; the river Ganga did not move. It returned.
I beg your mercy, my Sultan. Please tax the land that remains dry. Release the rest for one season.
OFFICIAL
That rewards defiance!
GANESH
No. It buys loyalty. It will pay more to the kingdom in a long run.
Next year, they will pay without any protest.
SULTAN
You speak as if you have lost grain yourself.
GANESH
Often. The loyalty of this settlement is critical along the bank of the river Ganga. If the peasants are upset the kingdom has to deploy additional border protection guards. Then Sonargaon rebels will attack Laknauti. Our troop cannot fight against both at the same time.
OFFICIAL
I beg your mercy, Sultan. Perhaps Raja Ganesh does not know that we defeated the king of Kamrup. We can get more guards from them.
GANESH
I got the news last night, honorable Minister. We may defeat the king of Kamrup, but eighteen horsemen and one insider are also enough to put the capital at risk.
OFFICIAL
Eighteen horsemen? You are underestimating our military strength.
GANESH
Not at all, honorable Minister. Laxman Sen had ten thousand cavalry, seventy thousand infantry, eight thousand elephant, and huge navy, unparallel to anyone else of his time. Bakhtiyar Khilji came with only eighteen horsemen disguised as horse traders captured the capital of Sen kingdom. Because they got some locals on their side.
My Sultan, these peasants’ loyalty is very important for our kingdom to keep it safe. They are our best defense.
SULTAN
Do it. Approved. But, only for one season.
(The OFFICIAL fall silent. He exits, and returns immediately.)
OFFICIAL
Sultan, there are whispers near the eastern gate.
SULTAN
I’m not surprised! Everyone whispers.
GANESH
They whisper because guards change at sunset.
SULTAN
How do you know it?
I have my ears.
OFFICIAL
He is right, but it was as ordered by the council.
GANESH
Then change the order, indeed, with Sultan’s permission.
(OFFICIAL hesitates.)
GANESH (cont.)
Rotate guards before prayer. Let rumors walk into silence.
(SULTAN nods.)
(OFFICIAL exits.)
SULTAN
You see danger before it arrives.
GANESH
Danger announces itself. I just listen.
(SULTAN gestures inward—to the imperial rooms.)
SULTAN
You may come inside.
(GANESH bows. GANESH pauses before entering.)
SULTAN (cont.)
Why are you hesitating?
GANESH
I count doors before I cross them.
SULTAN
You may cross this one.
(GANESH enters.)
(Lights fade.)
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