lam India
The Himalayas guard my boundaries
The Ganges is the witness to my chastity
Since the beginning of time...
I have been a friend of darkness and light
These marble edifices tell the world:
Tyrants robbed and ravaged me...
well-wishers adorned me
Fools chained me...
my lovers broke those chains
Among those who loved me there was...
one named Jal Al-u-Din Mohammed Akbar
Akbar loved me
Standing high above the divisions of religion and tradition...
he taught people to love one another
And he held me in his embrace for ever
This is the palace of the Emperor Akbar
Now its every nook and cranny...
can tell stories of bygone days
Far from the comforts...
of his splendid palace...
in this scorching desert...
walking barefoot on the burning sand...
is Akbar the Great
The despair in his eyes is because...
he had yet to see the smiling face of an offspring
Akbar's pilgrimage is to a hermitage...
of the Saint Sheikh Salim-u-din Chisti...
in the hope that through his prayers...
God might bless Akbar with a son
In the entire royal caravan...
Akbar the Great alone had vowed to walk on foot
At last he reached his destination
The Emperor, before whom the world bowed...
bowed his head before a fakir
God never refuses the entreaty of his devotees
Lift your hands in prayer...
I shall join you
O Emperor of Emperors
You have bestowed on this insignificant man...
boundless wealth from your treasury
I have been called Protector of the world, and Shadow of God
Let me now hear a voice that calls me father
O Master of the Two Worlds...
let me not die without a trace
He shall bless Queen Jodha with a child
Congratulations, Your Majesty
God has blessed you with a son...
and an heir to the Mughal Empire
Praise be to Allah!
You have brought a message of joy to the dispirited life of Akbar
Take this ring as a token
I swear by these sacred scales of justice
that whatever you may request of me...
shall be granted
In the passage of time...
the Prince revealed his mischievous nature
Prince!
These scales are not your playthings
Are they the Emperor's playthings? - No
Emperor Babar's sacred scales...
are an emblem of Mughal emperors' justice
Wonderful!
Prince, please learn these words you will say in the Court
It is a command? - No, a request
Then I shall try
The Prince's insubordination increased...
and he overstepped the bounds of respect
Take this and let it float on the currents of Jamuna
The grandeur of Mughals began to waver...
and the intoxicated Prince Salim started staggering
To Akbar the Great...
the future of India seemed bleak
I shall not see that evil day...
when Mughal greatness becomes the toy of a profligate Prince
Mansingh
Divest him of his mother's tender love...
and clad him in armour
Nurture him in the scorching sand-storms...
of the battlefield
I entrust you with the future of the Mughals
Salim has performed his duty as we would have wished
My darling, my child!
ls this the magnificent Queen of India?
No, Your Majesty. Merely a mother
I was not aware...
that a mother's weakness would make...
Queen Jodha forget her dignity
Your Majesty, does Mughal rule...
not allow a mother to pine and weep...
when her son's blood is pitilessly shed?
She may pine, but not weep
If all the mothers of other sons...
on the battlefield were to weep...
then India would drown in tears
Distribute gems among the poor equal to the weight of this armour
For fourteen years, Prince Salim...
was nurtured on the battlefields
He became a victorious general
Have the Prince's wounds not been cleansed?
We are not allowed in
The surgeon is waiting. Prince, do you not want your wounds cleansed?
They are not wounds, but flowers
For flowers to die is an insult to spring
It is not only an assassin but also a beloved;...
It is rose-bough and also a sword
After fourteen years of bloodshed you are still soaked in poetry
Astonishing
There is nothing astonishing
Would an Omar Khayyam verse change if it were written on stone...
instead of gold?
Then whatever your ruler has thought about me...
is wrong
Why send the story of my blood-drenched youth page by page?
Send this saga of my life, in blood and dust, to His Majesty
And none best-fitted to deliver it than my faithful son, Durjan
May His majesty's good fortune remain! The Prince has emerged victorious again
How many wounds did your Prince receive?
Countless. Many blows fell, but the swords were blunted
They could but not salute the prince's courage and Akbar's blood
We shall inspect his armour
Instead of armour, the Prince has sent this message
Let it be read aloud
The Emperor of India, Jal Al-u-Din Mohammed Akbar
Sire, here is the account of every morsel of the land...
soaked with the blood of your heir
For fourteen years, this land engulfed in the flames of war...
has sucked your blood which flows in my veins
The flames are extinguished...
but there is still blood in Salim's body
Command me, and I shall stain the valleys of the south with my blood
Sire, your humble servant, Salim
All praise to Allah!
Today Salim has become our heir
Chief Scribe
Send a command to the Prince to return to the Court
Congratulations on the Prince's return
O Lord, you are silent. Let me see Salim's face
His Majesty has ordered Durjan to bring the prince back to the Court
Bahaar, you have come with a message of joy to dry our tears
I shall reward you with plentiful pearls
It is not enough. I want the prince to walk on pearls, when he returns
And more than that, Bahaar. I allow you everything for Salim
My son is returning after many years
I shall ask the Emperor to let me have him
He has seen his father's manner of rule...
but not the love of his mother
Tell the Court Dancer to prepare an elegant dance...
to erase the fiery images of war from Salim's eyes
And tell Tansen to compose such melodies for Salim's welcome
that he will forget the bellow of cannons
Bahaar, encircle Salim with everlasting spring
Make a thousand moons glow for my son
Where his steps fall, let there be an astral carpet
And wherever he glances, let there be heaven
All that my heart yearns for but cannot express
O Lord, let that auspicious moment come soon
when my son shall be before my eyes
Then I shall even forget you for a while
Sculptor
The Spring (Bahaar) of the palace in my deserted workshop?
I have come for a statue for the Prince
The princes and emperors do not like my statues
Why not? - Because they speak the truth
This is the Royal Court, every word of the Emperor is justice
None can appeal against it
And here is a battlefield
The blood of millions shed for the triumph of one man
And this is for speaking the truth
Death
That is not true, it is an artist's complaint
The mind accepts the beauty of your art, the heart does not
What good is that statue if a proud head does not bow before it?
Then I will make a statue at whose feet a warrior will lay his sword...
a king his crown...
and a person his heart
One is crowned by another's hands
But with one's own courage
I hope no one comes. Have you no fear?
Fear? The crown does not rest upon fearful heads
You wish to become queen of this glorious country
So many others dream the same
Let them dream
Look into my eyes
Like the eyes of a drunkard who has picked up a sword instead of a goblet
Do you plan to pluck stars from the sky?
Sometimes the stars fall to earth
For a haughty Prince, my one submissive glance is enough
Only three more hours before break of day
Here is the last pearl of time-keeping
Let the price of this pearl be paid
Will the Emperor wear armour to welcome his son?
We are not welcoming our son, but a brave soldier of India
Your Majesty, I have not seen Salim grow from child to man
Do not bring him to me at once
News of the prince!
The Prince has entered the Fort
Charity, to save the Prince from the evil eye
His Majesty welcomed the Prince and embraced him
The Prince is passing through The Great Hall
There are carpets of flowers to welcome him but he cares naught for the pomp...
He is firm in his steps as he walks in here
His Majesty has given the prince permission to come here
The Prince is coming
ls the world swaying with joy, or am I swooning?
Bahaar, help me
Who knows in what voice he will call me mother?
How can I hear this new voice?
The word "mother" will echo in the realm of motherhood
I hope that echo will not stop my heart
Mother, look at me. I am here
Salim, you have grown so big
I used to see your face close to mine
Bow down a little, Salim
So you have become a great warrior
How cruelly you have shed my blood
Did you not think how these wounds would alarm your mother?
If you had but once called out to me on the battlefield...
lullabies would have flowed from the clash of swords
The battlefield would have become a mother's lap
But you never cried out to me
Salim, My child
Bahar, take him away, or I shall cast an evil eye on him
Eyes long to glimpse you...
paths await your steps
"On an auspicious day the Prince has returned"
Who is hiding from me, Bahar?
Not hiding, but hidden, Prince
The sculptor claims that when this statue is unveiled...
Speak. Sometimes such claims are interesting
On seeing this statue a warrior will lay his sword at its feet...
a king his crown and a person his heart
The claim is too interesting to resist
I shall view his arrogance
It is His Majesty's order that the prince should not see the statue now
The Royal Astrologer says it will be a bad omen...
if the Prince looks at any statue before this moon has set
His Majesty will attend the unveiling tomorrow morning
On one hand, the sculptor's claim; on the other hand, the prediction
And the statue is shrouded
How can I wait until morning, Durjan?
The Sculptoﬁs claim is justified
Only stone can endure the power of infinite beauty
I am tempted to accept the divinity of idols
The Prince would be accused of idolatory
But also praised for showing faith
I could not complete the statue. You must again stand in its place tomorrow
The Prince has seen me; he praised your art
Within that praise is also a secret love for you
Love for whom? - For you
I beg to make a suggestion
In the legends, unveiling was done with an arrow
We like your suggestion
Legends can also be made into reality
Your Majesty, it shall be done
Praise be to Allah! It seems an angel has descended from heaven...
and taken form in marble
lam no angel, but a human being
Then who forced you to become a statue?
A wilful sculptor of your realm who prefers anonymity
His art is indeed praiseworthy
But why did you remain silent when the arrow was shot?
I wanted to see how a legend becomes a realty
Splendid! We admire your courage
Queen
Let her be one of your maids
We bestow the title of Anarkali on her
Tomorrow, when we celebrate Lord Krishna's birthday, Anarkali...
will be a suitable Radha
You have taken the words out of my mouth
"Krishna teased me at the well"
"He twisted my delicate wrist"
"He cast a pebble at my pitcher "My garment was dripping wet"
"He cast a magic glance...
"and won my heart"
"With his glance, he pierced my veil"
What happened Suraiya?
You are in love, sister
Who can I be in love with?
He who is in love with you
Who? - The Prince
Be silent Suraiya
Don't order me to be quiet, until you are Queen
For God's sake, as a maid I dare not entertain such dreams
He is the Prince, the future King of India
So What?
No doubt kings come from God, but their Queens can come from anywhere
What possible relation can exist between heaven and earth?
Then what do you want to be?
A maid. - But of the Prince
It will be a calamity if someone hears you mention his name
People will hear of it, as always with love.
I know
Then why be afraid of getting a bad name?
I am not afraid of getting a bad name?
I don't want him to get a bad name. - Then say farewell to love
If you have courage, come with me
To where someone's eyes are longing to see you
Now I cannot bear those eyes
Let me stay here
Stay, then. But I have the courage to face him
Have you lost your senses?
That's it: I'll ask the Prince why people who see him lose their senses
Even yearnings do not become insolent in his presence
That might be true only if he has no yearnings himself
Now, love has put him in a state where he cannot perceive insolence
Suraiya!
Why have you come here? - I have come here
With whose permission? - My heart's
Go away
No
Allow her, Durjan
What do you want? - To find out...
why those who look at you lose their senses
Who said that? - My sister, who has lost her senses
lnsolent girl
My name is Suraiya
And your sister calls you Suraiya?
She used to. - And now?
Now she has forgotten all names but one
The Prince
Take this message to your sister
Such a letter will be dangerous
Fall in love, and you will lose fear
Sister, why so dreamy?
Take this letter
What letter?
From the Prince. - Allah?
Call upon Allah and you'll get another letter
It quivers: perhaps the Prince's heart is in it
Take it
No
You gave your heart so quickly. To take another's, why do you tarry?
Beautiful Anarkali, dearest Anarkali
Accept my salutations
My heart is restless, because of the sorrow of separation
Day and night, I remember you. I die
God forbid
I die with longing
This night I shall await you in the Western Garden
Place your reply in a lotus and float it soon on the stream
Forget not, O love, I await your reply
Salim
She refuses?
Yes, she refuses
Reason?
Because she is only a maid and unfortunately, I am a prince
And both positions are irrevocable
And we are human being; that, too, is irrevocable
The heart sought sustenance from the song and went beyond its limits
Prince, the sun illuminates every corner of the universe
Why, then did the sun trouble to step in here?
To become one with the moon
Do not invite ignominy to your princehood
You are the master, I am only a servant
Today I shall break down this wall of high and low
Sit down, Anarkali
Prince
Anarkali, look at me
I want to see the confession of my love reflected in your eyes
Do not look into my eyes
You will see nothing but the fearful longing of a maid
Forget you are a maid. Let Salim read in your eyes what you fear to say
Do not rob my dreams, from my eyes
It would kill me
I shall change those dreams into reality
Daughter, where are you?
Prince! - Let her, see
I can suffer separation from you, but not your disgrace
Oracle, tell me what will happen?
What does that augury mean, sister?
It means:
My heart has escaped me
May the world never know the pain hidden in it
What has happened to you? Aren't you afraid of loneliness?
Everyone asks for you. Come with me
No, I fear the world...
might read my secret thoughts from my face
Why do you seem so lost daughter?
If you avoid other people...
they will say that the honour of Who can call a helpless person proud?
Enemies cannot be stopped from talking
What do you know of the tales of the palaces?
Come, Bahaar
Take her with you sometimes. - Do not worry
I have come to take her with me. - Bless you!
Take care of her
Anarkali, how beautiful is your new name
Like Shama, the name of the candle
Since you have become Shama (flame), why fear moths?
What moths?
Me, for instance. Why not join our company sometimes
company?
I have arranged a melodic debate. How nice if you took one side
And? - And I the other
And? - The prince will be the judge...
of our performance
"In your company, we want to see What fate has in store for us"
"We shall see what happens if we come closer to you for a moment"
"We shall see"
"In your company, we want to see what fate has in store for us"
"We shall see what happens when we supplicate before you"
"We shall see"
"Today, spring has brought the message of love"
"The buds of hope have blossomed after a long duration"
"We shall see what happens by evading the pain of love"
"How can one relish life without pain?"
"Without vitality..."
"how can one relish the taste of tears?"
"We shall see, by shedding tears for love of some one"
"The one story of lovers..."
"is to pine..."
"heave sighs and choke to death"
"We shall see, some day, this spectacle - with a smile"
"We agree that..."
"love devastates life"
"Yet is it not fulfilling..."
"that after death the world remembers you?"
"We shall see, by staking our world for someone's love"
The only story for lovers is to pine, Heave sighs, and choke to death
We shall see, some day, this spectacle - With a smile
Your opinion of love deserves this flower
Anarkali, your opinion is: We agree that love devastates life
Yet is it not fulfilling that after death the world remembers you?
We shall see, by staking our world for someone's love
For that you get these thorns
I am fortunate
Thorns need not fear of fading
What is that Mansingh?
Papers concerning Ajmer province
For our consideration? - Yes Sir
Do you not know that we have given Ajmer to the Prince?
I know, sire. - Then these papers?
Strife may break out in the province; circumstances oblige me to inform you
Why have you not reminded the Prince of his responsibilities?
The papers were presented to him many times, but...
But what Mansingh?
I am unable to find that reason behind his negligence
I shall find out
Durjan, convey my message to the Prince, the Governor of Ajmer...
to issue the instructions in these papers forthwith...
and also tell him I wish to know...
the reason for his negligence
And tell her that without her Salim's Life is a dark night
And?
Salim is losing himself in her contemplation
O ne more message
His Majesty's message...
is that the instructions in these papers be issued forthwith
Durjan, are you an enemy of love, to appear at this moment?
Prince, I am your friend
Seek another friend, then you may also Receive message
Quiet, girl! - My name is Suraiya; you are forgetful
Prince, I have seen fire in the Emperor's eyes
Stop this dangerous game, otherwise people will begin to talk about you
Sister
What has happened to me, Suraiya?
Why don't you ask where I have come from?
You know that your sister is always lost in her thoughts
Remain so, then. I've no time to carry messages hither and thither
Did you meet him? What did he say?
What sort of madness is yours I shall not tell you
Tell me, or you shall see my funeral
The Prince met me in the garden. - Then?
He had the look of one who had not slept
He asked: How is your sister?
Then he took my hand and said, She must be in the same state as I am?
What did you say?
I told him
And he kissed my forehead
Then what happened? - He said:...
Tonight, when Tansen starts to sing his raga...
tell your sister to meet me in the Western Garden
Why feel embarrassed to kiss my forehead?
Because the Prince also...? - I had forgotten that
Sweet forgetfulness. But the Prince kissed my forehead twice
"Being a devotee of love..."
"l got in search of my handsome love"
"When our eyes meet..."
"my thirst will be quenched"
Perhaps someone is watching us
The impudent person who has dared to come here must come to my palace
Your servant is here
The disobedience of the dagger surprises me
And I lament my wretched life
Prince, give one more chance of victory to the insolent dagger
There is much blood left in my body
Bahaar
What does a candle - flame know?
Murmurs of the night, and secrets
For that reason every candle - flame is extinguished at break of day
Prince
You tried to know a secret
You, too, could be extinguished
Go now
Anarkali (pomegranate buds)
They are in full bloom in the Palace Garden
Yet your Majesty has not seen them
And I have not seen our Anarkali of late, either
Her charming dance would soothe our weary mind
Present her
She cannot come
Why not?
With Salim, Anarkali shall reign as Queen of India
Do not raise the paw-dust to the stature of a crown
That has already happened, Anarkali
I can see that Akbar the Great's India shall be your domain
For God's sake... please
The destiny of the people of India shall be within a lock of your hair
And wherever you glance...
thousands will tremble and the future will shake
His Majesty!
Prince, do not be so bold before the Emperor. Let me go
The Emperor is coming
If the Emperor sees me here, my grave will be dug before your eyes
Love that fears is not love, it is lust and sin
Move! - No!
Where is he?
who?
Akbar the Great, at whose command God-given breath is chocked
Speak respectfully
Salim's Anarkali shall not die. I want His seal on this order to free her
Anarkali shall not be freed
Why not?
Silence!
A Prince should not forget his duty
What duty is that which dares to crush love?
Your duty is to obey the Emperor
No, it is a punishment for being born in a king's palace
A punishment that you shall have to suffer
Then let Anarkali share my punishment with me
You have no right to meddle
But I have a right to my life
If Anarkali is not freed, this night she spends in the prison
will ruin the plans of Akbar the Great
"Let me lament the false story of love"
"l suffered countless hurts"
"Let me lament my youth"
"l lost all my senses"
"Your longing has reduced me to this"
"Let me lament the generosity of your love"
"Who knew I had to keep silent?"
"l had to live and conceal my love"
"l live, but I lament my life"
Anarkali shall be presented in the Great Hall