20. Nikhat's Matrimony.
I tried to impart training related to stitching and embroidery to all
my daughters. When Nikhat’s college was closed for the vacation, I got her an
organdy saree for embroidery. A decent looking lady came to our house one day
and told she was the sister of Ishaq Balkhi and had come to meet Jahan Aarah
and just dropped in to meet us. When it was revealed that she came from
Biharsharif, it immediately struck to me to that she had come to see Nikhat.
Earlier someone else had mentioned to Doctor Sahib about Anwarul Huda of
Biharsharif who had retired as senior engineer from Tata’s job in Jamshedpur.
One of his sons Qamrul Huda, was a doctor and had gone to America for higher
studies and they were looking for a suitable match for him. Doctor
sahib was a quiet person and did not immediately respond to the proposal.
When Reyaz came to know about it he was amused as he knew Qamar and told
us that he is gem of a boy with good looks and very sharp in
studies. In fact Reyaz had earlier suggested this proposal for
Nuzhat but at that point of time Qamar had just left for America.
Reyaz strongly recommended the proposal to his Abba. Hassoo also kept insisting
as to why Bhaiya is not accepting the offer for they might approach elsewhere.
He however, thought it prudent to wait for some more time. Nikhat had just gone
into the final year of her graduation and thus full one year was still left for
its completion. Considering the offer it was decided that she will complete the
remaining studies after the marriage. When the final negotiations took place it
was made clear to them that she will go to America only after completing her
graduation.
Our house construction was nearing completion and some finishing work was
still going on. He made up his mind to have the marriage from that house and
thus the completion was expedited. As soon as it was in a position for us to
shift, we went there as the date for the marriage was approaching. This house
was just diagonally opposite the park and was almost visible from Hassoo’s
house where we had lived for nearly a decade. Gradually we shifted there and
Mumani Amman also came along with us. I got along with the preparations for the
marriage. Somehow, I could observe that Doctor sahib was a bit disturbed and
remained worried. Neyaz had completed his studies and had come back. Reyaz was
already in the service.
One of these days Doctor Saheb told me
“After Nikhat’s marriage is through, I will get Reyaz married to any damn
girl we can find even if she is lame or handicapped”.
“Why do you think we won’t get a suitable girl for Reyaz?” I tried
to console him “We will marry him to a doctor”.
He was able to foresee something which I could not visualise. As a father,
he had a dream to see the wedding of his son.
In the new house, late at night, when everyone went off to sleep, I would
check all the doors to ensure they are all locked. A cat had entered the house
and whenever I got up at night it would rub itself to my feet. I gave the cat
some milk and bread to eat. As the date of the marriage came closer, his
worries increased. I started having weird experiences. I would see strange
things happening before me in a state of day dreaming. Despite the fact that I
was immensely disturbed, how could I tell all this to the children. At times I
saw that the diamond nose stud that I had was broken into pieces and fell down.
Sometimes I saw all my bangles are falling down from my hand. What I was
visualising now, I had never even seen them in a dream before. I sent for Talat
and Shahnaz to come as I was all alone. The date for the marriage was initially
fixed to be 9th of June which was subsequently shifted to the
11th of the same month. It was the peak of summer. I kept
feeling restless and always apprehended for something disastrous to happen.
Initially I thought it could be fear of Reyaz or Neyaz getting a sun-stroke as
they were moving around during the daytime on the scooter. He was also for the
first time started talking like a pessimist.
“You are spending without any check”. He would say. “what will happen
after I retire or am not there?”.
“Allah will take care”. I said.
Another day he told me not to have very high expectations for when they
are not fulfilled it will be miserable for me. He was fed up with the finishing
work of the house still going on and will ask Reyaz to just bring it to an end.
He got very irritated when it all went on “ this will stop only after my
funeral” These type of utterances were unusual for a man who had seen many ups
and downs of life. He had probably got the premonition and so had I. Mumani
Amman was a saintly lady and after all was the mother. She too must have got
the foreboding. When he came from the office and was busy writing the
invitation cards in his own handwriting, she will silently come and
sit behind him and just stare at his face.
The cook came to understand the menu and the arrangements. The man who was
to make Baqarkhani bread went with the advance money. Most of the arrangements
were finalised. Reyaz did the purchasing of clothes for Qamar. At the back of
our house was the vacant land which belonged to Nuzhat and the cooking
arrangements were to be done there. For all the cooks and the servants there
was no toilet outside so he got a temporary toilet made at the back of the
field and supervised it himself. Nuzhat was to come the next day. Sakkoo who
was with us for some time, also left with the promise to come on the day of
manjha.
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Chapter
INDEX.------------------------------------
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