Here are the links to Part 1 and Part 3. Enjoy!
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The day dawned early as usual. She set off, armed with baskets of flowers towards his houseboat that lay at the end of the narrow lane overlooking her home. Megha struggled to walk in a billowing black burqa. The family elders had reluctantly initiated this Islamic tradition to protect their womenfolk, given the current turbulent situation.
Just as well, she thought. Of late, those incorrigible louts in her lane had been whistling every time she passed by. They can't do anything now!
Megha crossed the alleyway that led to the Nigeen, where his houseboat was docked. But as she looked around, she realised something was amiss. There was a huge mess of belongings strewn all around her. Tents were being folded. A lorry stood in the distance, in the process of being loaded. The womenfolk of the house were running around with huge vessels in their hands. She wondered what was going on.
Just then a voice called out to her. It was Atif’s sisters, Noor and Gulshan.
“Salaam aleikum, aapa!” she cried, lowering her basket filled with flowers, “which ones today?” she asked as usual, referring to their daily transaction.
“Not today, bibi. You don’t come from tomorrow, samajh gayi?” Noor’s face was contorted with worry; and she looked like she would break from some sort of inexplicable strain.
“Why, aapa?”
“We’re leaving today”, said little Gulshan very seriously. “Abbu thinks Srinagar isn’t safe anymore, you see.”
“Our khaala lives in Anantnag. It’s a relatively quieter town. So Abbu says we’ll be safer if we migrate there. Here, everyday there is some or the other militant maamla, hai na? Remember last month Ammi nearly got killed at Lal Chowk?” reminisced Noor.
“Oh”, Megha’s face fell. “Well then, hope you have a safe journey, aapa. Allah salamat rakhe”, she added in, for good measure.
“Of course, aapa. Hope we find flowers as good as yours when we get there! Now run along, jigra, and go help Ammi.” Noor sent her sister away and turned once more to face Megha.
“Bibi, just for the information, I wanted to let you know that Atif’s nikaah has been fixed for next month. Khala jaan has already found a suitable match in Anantnag. The girl is Shia like us, 10th grade pass, a real chaand ka tukda!”
“Oh, really? How unexpected…I mean, what good news!” faltered Megha. She felt like someone had just slapped her hard in the face.
“Yes, yes, it’s all very good news, hai ki nahi? Now bibi, I have work to do, I have to go. You take care, haan! Come to visit us sometime. You will, won’t you?”
“Of course, aapa. Khuda hafiz!”
After Noor was out of sight, Megha dropped to the ground in despair. She had really not thought of this scenario. How could she have not seen it coming? She had forgotten the basic truth.
Atif was Muslim. She was Hindu. They lived in Srinagar. In the very heart of Kashmir. How could she have been so naïve?
Megha felt like crying. But she had to steel herself, an inner voice told her. Suddenly, in a flash of realisation, she realised exactly why Noor had told her about Atif’s impending nikaah.
The message had been very clear.
Forget about him.
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“Aapa? You, of all the people? You thought that informing me about my own nikaah was not important?”
“Bhaijaan, please. You know very well why we didn’t tell you.” Noor tried to reason with her brother. It was going to be difficult.
“Oh, really? What is it, then? Let me hear it.”
“Don’t behave like you don’t know anything, bhaijaan. You stop short of salivating whenever that kafir comes here. Allah jaane what is so special about her. I’ve seen the way you look at her, like she’s a hoor from heaven. What’s more, she is Hindu, bhaijaan! How can you even think about it? Abbu will bring the roof down if he gets to know!”
“I don’t care, aapa. I don’t care. I love her!”
“What is wrong with you? This is haraam! It is forbidden! Have you ever thought about your sister? If you do as you please, Gulshan’s future will be at stake. Which self-respecting family will want to fraternise with a khaandaan that has a kafir daughter-in-law? And think about Abbu and Ammi…oh, the shame!”
“Aapa!” snarled Atif. “Her name is Megha. Do not call her a kafir!”
“Whatever you say, I will not let you treat the family honour as if it is a toy! And one more toe out of line, bhaijaan, and Abbu and Ammi will get to know of this, I’m telling you! You have to forget her.”
“You dare do that! And forget her? What do you mean by that? I love her. Don’t you get it? Where are you going, aapa? Don’t walk out on me! ”
Noor turned away. She could not bear to see her brother’s face. She felt horrible for what she had done to Megha earlier that day. She had seen enough in her twenty-four years. A failed marriage and a stillborn child had aged her prematurely. So when she saw that Atif was in love with the Hindu, it gladdened her heart to see romance blossoming in their dreary lives once more. Her brother was her heart and soul; her only wish was to see him happy.
But, she decided, some things were just not meant to be. For everyone’s happiness, he had to give something up, at the very least. She knew what an unforgiving place the world was. And in a land like theirs, it was even more so.
Noor knew what a dangerous thing love was. She herself had been in it once, with fatal consequences. And she was not about to let her brother succumb to its charms.
_______
Megha awoke with a start that night. She got the feeling that someone was at her window. However, till her eyes adjusted to the dark, it was too late. Whoever had been there, disappeared. Just then, she spotted a stone covered in paper lying near the window. She picked it up and smoothened out the paper.
It was a note; containing the following words:
"Tomorrow, Nigeen, 4am. I will wait for you. Atif."
Megha froze. She looked at her sisters sleeping next to her. Young, innocent faces.
If she listened to her heart, their lives would be blighted, If she did not, she would have to live without him. Forever. Her only chance at a life for herself would be lost.
What would she do now?
