“The Tilism-e-Azam will never end. It will remain and you and I, with our captive souls will live on. There is happiness in living inside an illusion, who needs a soul? Rooh ki parwaaz ho gayi, yeh jism hai jo jeeye jaa raha hai, the soul has flown away and this stubborn body lives on. Mirza Kallan sighs, takes his bowl and lota, collects the coins from his host, touches his forehead in salam and leaves, ignoring the murmuring and protesting audience.” IllusionThe BodyThe SpiritTilismRoohTilism E Azan Book:The Begum and the Dastan Source: The Begum and the Dastan
“Jadu, tilism surrounds us and we are blind, or choose to close our eyes to its imminent destruction - this illusion, we live in, will one day turn to ashes. We shall return to dust.” IllusionEnchantmentTilismJadu Book:The Begum and the Dastan Source: The Begum and the Dastan
“Ah, Gulistan Jadu, what can I say of her, friends. Ten times more beautiful than her aunt Bahar; she had learnt sorcery from Bahar who had laid down her life in the great fight against Afrasiyab. Gulistan Jadu has created an ever-blossoming garden with flowers from all over the universe -gul daudi, gul andaleeb, gul-e-rana, babuk, benafsha, gulab, gul-e-nargis, gul-e-niloufar, gul-e-sumbul; but this was no ordinary garden for the flowers had deadly powers to kill, maim, stun or hypnotise. Like her aunt Bahar, her sorcery lay in the blooming, innocent flowers.” FlowersSorceryBaharGulistan Book:The Begum and the Dastan Source: The Begum and the Dastan