Sati Jasma Oden (1976)

Siddharaj jaising who ruled Gujarat (A. D. 1094-1143) was popularly known as the greatest king of Gujarat. His reign extended from ganges to the southern-most limit of Kolhapur. He was great in many respects. Always victorious he conquered malwa after 12 years fighting. He was one of the greatest patrons of arts and literature in india. Some of the best Sanskrit poets and philosphers in his court. He was liberal to all religions. It was in his reign that popular folk-drama called “Bhavai” was started. Most beautiful and artistic (very huge and very high) temples, palaces, pathshalas, lakes and huge gateways called kirti sthamba were built during his time and some of them have survived today thought in ruins but still are most majestic.
    But his extreme love for art and beauty made him to fall in love with a woman of very ordinary class a married lady belonging to the potters class-literally earth-diggers, called odas. It was a case love between two extrems which could never meet unless they break.
    After conquering malwa he accidently saw her and fell in love with her. Her name was “jasma oden” a strong devotee of goddess amba and was extremely in love with her husband the kind remained dignified in his behavior and stayed away from jasma but fell madly in love with her. He decided to build one of his unique constructions, the lake sahsraling with 1108 small and big temples around it.
    All odas of his kingdome were hired jasma’s husband rudiyo was a leader of his community. Jasma with her husband and son came to patan. During the construction, siddharaj tride his best to will over her heart. He offered her to make her his most beloved queen, but jasma remained adamant and respectfully refused.
    When the chief queen came to know that her husband was hop’essly, and helplessly in love with jasma she herself went to jasma to persuade her to become king’s favourite queen. Jasma laughed and refused. She extremely loved her husband and could never think of another man.
    In sheer frustration, siddharaj took help of babara bhut. A mighty jungle man,who carried jasma to king’s palace by force, but jasma boldly faced king and remained unaffected by allurements and threats. Siddharaj became crazy.
    The queen ultimately called rudiyo, jasma’s husband secretly, and helped him to escape with jasma from the royal confinement.
    When siddharaj came to know of the escape he became made with rage and immediately followed her.
    The odas with jasma and rudia were moving fast to escape the wrath of a most powerful king but they were cornered near modhera temple by king’s warriors. rudiyo with other odas opposed the soldiers breavely with their spades, sticks and small knives, but were easily overpowered and the king had to kill rudiya. Jasma cursed the king that the unprecedental sahstraling lake will be without water and he will remain without a their.
    However she forgave the king at the request of the queen and became sati with her husband’s head in her lap. The all conquering most powerful king. Wept in remorse. He was genuinely in love-inspite of himself.