Dasht-e-ulfat
Written
by.
Shazain
Zainab
It was nighttime. A gentle breeze was
blowing. The moon in the sky was playing hide and seek with the clouds.
Outside, the lawn was decorated with fairy lights. White sheets were spread
over part of the lawn, with maroon-colored cushions placed around. In the
center, a dholki was set up, adorned with garlands of marigold
flowers, and a few petals were scattered over the white sheets. This area had
been specially decorated for tonight’s dholki ceremony.
Durab, after getting ready in his room,
stepped out and walked a bit before resting his hand on the railing. He was
watching the servants working in the TV lounge below when Zuraiz and Hadid came
and stood behind him.
"I don’t understand where all the
servants were this morning," Durab gritted his teeth as he spoke.
"Brother, we gave them the day off until
tonight," Amna, who was passing by, overheard Durab's words and replied.
After saying this, she walked away as quietly as she had come.
Meanwhile, Zuraiz and Hadid suppressed their
laughter, and Durab turned to watch the "disaster" — as his sister
called her — walking away.
"What a disaster my mother has created!
She’s brought a storm into her brother’s life," Durab muttered through
clenched teeth.
"Well, say what you will... your sister
is a perfect match for you," Hadid said, placing a hand on Durab’s
shoulder and winking.
"Not just a match, she’s two steps
ahead," Zuraiz smiled as he looked at Durab.
"Come on, guys, let's get ready. We’ve
only got half an hour left before the guests start arriving," Durab said,
moving forward. Zuraiz and Hadid shrugged their shoulders and headed to their
respective rooms.
****************urdunovelnests
Noor was sitting in front of the mirror. She
wore a bottle green long kurta with matching capris underneath. A
matching dupatta draped over her shoulder. On her face, the only
makeup was a soft baby pink lip gloss, making her look like an innocent
princess. Today, she looked particularly beautiful with her hair down.
Amna was dressed in an olive-colored frock
with a matching dupatta over her shoulder. After applying kohl to her
eyes, she looked at her final look in the mirror. The color suited her
perfectly, and her brown eyes, lined with kohl, looked even more mischievous.
She had left her black hair loose.
Sawera, on the other hand, had been
struggling for a while to tie the string at the back of her zinc-colored frock.
After several failed attempts, she finally called out for Jaza.
"Jaza, I’m stuck with this string..."
Sawera said, exhausted, as she had been trying to tie it for the last twenty
minutes.
"When I told you earlier to let me tie
it, what was the problem? I prepare your clothes, and now I have to deal with
your tantrums too? I need to get ready myself!" Jaza, who had been helping
Sawera with all her little things, snapped in frustration.
"I'm your younger sister. Older sisters
are like mothers," Sawera said, trying to sound wise.
"Oh, how sweet! Should I adopt you?
Where’s my baby’s bottle?" Jaza replied with a sarcastic smile.
"I'm not saying anything anymore! If
Mama were here, I wouldn't even talk to you. Just a little help, and you're
acting like I'm torturing you," Sawera complained, pretending to be
dramatic. Jaza put her hand on her head in exasperation while Amna and Noor
smiled, watching their bickering. They both knew well how Sawera always made a
fuss about getting ready and was never satisfied with anything.
“Dear, if Mama were here, her slipper would
already be in her hand with how much you’ve been bothering me. Now stand still
like a human, or else go downstairs with the string untied for the dholki,”
Jaza said as she stepped forward and began tying the string on Sawera's frock.
After tying the string, Noor spoke up,
"Jaza, once you're done, freshen up and get ready. Amna and I will take
care of the rest of her preparations." Noor was looking at Jaza, who was
still in her morning outfit.
"Here, take my little monkey. She's all
yours now," Jaza said, pushing Sawera towards Amna and Noor. Then, she
picked up her clothes and went into the bathroom. Just as she entered, she
heard Sawera’s voice.
"You're the monkey, not me!" Sawera
retorted angrily, while Noor facepalmed, and Amna grabbed Sawera by the arms,
positioning her in front of the mirror.
In no time, Sawera was ready. She wore a
zinc-colored frock with light makeup. Kohl delicately lined her brown eyes, her
naturally red lips glistened with gloss, and her black hair was braided. She
looked very innocent.
Jaza, meanwhile, stood in front of the mirror,
putting on silver stone studs in her ears. She was wearing a long navy blue
frock with wide sleeves. A matching dupatta was draped over one
shoulder. Her honey-brown eyes were lined with kohl, her long curled lashes
touched lightly with mascara. Her lips, painted with baby pink gloss, completed
her look. When she turned, her honey-colored hair, which she had slightly
curled at the ends, fell elegantly to one side. She looked incredibly
beautiful. There was no doubt that Amna, Noor, and Sawera were all beautiful,
but Jaza was even more so, and the three of them proudly admitted it. Despite
this, there was never any jealousy among them—they always celebrated each
other's happiness and shared each other's sorrows. They were friends who deeply
cared for one another.
"Look, Noor, if you want to take
pictures, do it now. Once we're downstairs, you'll have a veil covering your
face," Amna said casually.
"A veil again today?" Noor asked,
looking at them pitifully.
"Stop talking so much. You’ll only get
your face revealed after the nikah," Jaza glared at Noor.
"You guys are so cruel! At least let me
enjoy my own dholki," Noor exclaimed, giving them all a dramatic
look.
"Be grateful that we're even taking you
downstairs. Otherwise, we had no intention of doing so," Amna glared at
Noor.
"By the way, what if they hold a
competition at the dholki?" Sawera suddenly remembered another
problem.
"Sawera, let me first deal with this
veil issue, then we can talk about the competition," Noor shot her a look.
"Look, Noor, in today's event, Durab
bhai won’t even get to see your face, so just sit quietly, Madam, and let me
sort out my own problems," Sawera said, waving off Noor's concern like it
was nothing. Noor's mouth fell open at the audacity of her younger sister, who
was a year younger than her but always full of mischief. Noor was left
speechless, knowing that Sawera and the others were determined to have her wear
the veil.
"Now, can you answer me?" Sawera
glared at Jaza and Amna.
"Yes, we’ll manage. It’s not like we’re any
less talented," Amna said, tossing her black hair over her shoulder with a
flair.
"We're fully prepared. We know how to
sing too," Jaza added, putting her hands on her hips with a confident
pose.
"Not just any songs, but the best
ones," Amna chimed in, backing up Jaza.
"MashaAllah, MashaAllah... I always knew
you two had part-time singing careers as well," Sawera said, looking them
up and down with a satisfied smile. She was as smug as her comment, while Noor
burst into laughter. Amna and Jaza, meanwhile, stared at Sawera with open
mouths.
"Dear, why don’t you go join the other
team? That way, you can sit with them and sing backup," Amna said
sarcastically, tapping Sawera on the head.
"No, no, sister. You talk as if you
can’t sing yourself," Jaza teased, glaring at Sawera, while Sawera, caught
off guard, began to stammer and make excuses.
************
The five of them were standing in the lounge,
fully ready.
Durab was dressed in a bottle-green shalwar
kameez, his hair neatly styled. His brown eyes reflected impatience, as if he
were eagerly waiting for someone. To his side stood Zuraiz, wearing a navy blue
shalwar kameez with the sleeves folded up to his elbows. Next to him was Hadid,
dressed in black, his sleeves similarly rolled up to his elbows, standing with
his hands clasped behind his back.
In front of the three of them, Ayan and Rehan
approached. Their hair was casually tousled over their foreheads. Ayan was
wearing an olive-colored shalwar kameez, while Rehan sported a dark
zinc-colored one. Both looked effortlessly regal, as if they were carefree princes,
walking toward them with their sleeves rolled up to their elbows.
"Alright, any updates on what’s going on
with the girls?" Durab asked as soon as Ayan and Rehan got close.
"First, tell me which secret agency
these girls work for," Ayan grumbled in frustration.
"Why? What happened?" Durab, Hadid,
and Zuraiz all asked in unison.
"Bro, only God knows what they’re
cooking up. It’s impossible to figure out. We've been standing by the door, ear
pressed against it for ages, and all we've heard is a single laugh. That’s
it!" Ayan said, his face showing his frustration.
"Man, you have to admit, these girls are
seriously going to give us a run for our money," Rehan added, sharing his
opinion.
"Tell me one thing. You guys do know how
to sing, right?" Durab asked, now clearly concerned.
"Do we look like singers to you?"
Hadid snapped, irritated by the question.
"Come on, just for a little while,"
Durab looked at Hadid with a pleading expression.
"We’ve already played the roles of
washermen, cooks, and God knows what else for you. Now this is what’s
left?" Zuraiz responded, clearly annoyed.
"And where exactly do you think you're
going with such beautiful voices?" Durab shot back, his temper flaring as
well.
"Well, you're part of this too, Durab.
You'll be singing with us," Ayan said, looking Durab up and down.
Just then, Mahir and Hoor appeared. Both were
dressed in matching outfits—Mahir in a rust-colored shalwar kameez and Hoor in
a rust-colored long frock.
"What’s going on here?" Mahir asked
as he approached.
"Man, greet us properly first, you
educated fool," Ayan rolled his eyes.
"As-salaam-alaikum, everyone... except
for this cursed man," Mahir shot back with a grin, his sarcasm directed at
Ayan. His comment made everyone burst into laughter.
"You all carry on with your jokes, I'm
going to meet Aunty and then head over to Noor and the others," Hoor said,
turning to head inside.
*******************
A little while, all the guests had arrived.
Durab and Noor's cousins, Ahsan Sahib's and Kamran Sahib's business friends,
and their children filled the vast green lawn. The space was bustling with
guests.
Hoor, Jaza, Amna, and Sawera brought Noor out
with a dark pink dupatta draped over her face like a veil.
Poor Durab looked helplessly at his mother,
who barely suppressed a smile as if to say, "These are your
sisters-in-law; what can I do?"
Meanwhile, on the other side, Jaza, Amna, and
Sawera had completely floored Noor’s three brothers-in-law with their beauty.
"MashaAllah, it’s full-on couple goals
over here," Hadid commented, casting a glance at Ayan, Zuraiz, and Rehan,
and then at the approaching trio of Jaza, Amna, and Sawera.
Despite themselves, Durab and Mahir followed
Hadid’s gaze and then looked questioningly at Zuraiz, Ayan, and Rehan.
"How were we supposed to know they were
wearing the same colors?" Zuraiz defended himself, and Ayan and Rehan
eagerly nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, yeah, of course," Hadid
replied sarcastically, giving them a knowing look.
"By the way, don’t you think what
happened to poor Durab is a bit unfair?" Mahir remarked, seeing Durab’s
pitiful expression.
"You have no idea what we 'innocent
ones' have been through because of him," Ayan added, pulling a similar
pitiful face to win Mahir’s sympathy.
“Well, none of you seem innocent to me, but
since you're speaking with such despair, I’ll take pity on you,” Mahir said,
trying to stifle his laughter.
"Come on, boys, it's time for the dholki,"
Amal Begum called out to them before they could continue their conversation.
On one side, all the girls were seated, with
Noor sitting at the front. To her right sat Jaza and Sawera, and on her left
were Amna and Hoor.
In this manner, in the front row of the boys,
Durab was at the very front with Zuraiz, Hadid, and Rehan beside him. On the
other side were Mahir and Ayan.
“It seems like Durab's sisters-in-law are
really putting him to the test,” Ayesha Begum, who was seated on a sofa with
Roha, Amal, Annam, and Abiha, said mischievously while glancing at Durab.
“Well, Auntie, what can you say? When your
own sisters become your sisters-in-law, you know that every step will be used
to exploit your weaknesses,” Durab sighed deeply as he looked at the ‘nagins’
sitting before him, still vigilantly guarding his affection.
“Alright, children, let’s start the dholki,”
Amal Begum addressed everyone.
“We’re ready to start, but will the girls be
able to match us?” Durab commented, looking at his sisters-in-law seated in
front of him.
“You start, we’ve come prepared,” Amna
retorted, avoiding Durab’s gaze. Unaware of how her actions were striking a
chord with someone’s heart, she continued.
“Let’s get the dholki going then,”
Durab, Hadid, Zuraiz, Ayan, Rehan, and Mahir all said together.
And with that, the rhythm of the dholki
began to beat
Zara dholki bajao goriyon
Meraye sang sang gao goriyon
Zuraiz’s beautiful voice resonated with the
beat of the dholki. For a moment, all the girls fell silent, lost in
the melody of his voice.
Zara dholki bajao goriyon
Meraye sang sang gao goriyon
Sharmaon na laga k mehndi
Zara taliyan bajao goriyon..
In a trance-like state, all the girls started
clapping along. Now, with the beat of the dholki, the clapping of both
the boys and girls echoed through the loan.
Yeh ghari hai milan ki
Ak sajan sy sajan ki
Yeh ghari hai milan ki
Ak sajan sy sajan ki
As Zuraiz finished his verse, he looked
towards the girls, as it was now their turn. For a few moments, there was
silence on the girls' side until suddenly, Jaza's voice rang out.
Geet asa koi gao goriyon
Asi dholi bajao goriyon
Jaza's voice was a perfect counter, and for a
moment, Zuraiz was taken aback before lowering his head and smiling.
On the other hand, Ayesha Begum's gaze fixed
on Jaza, as she recalled the girl with the pendant.
Geet asa koi gao goriyon
Asi dholki bajao goriyon
Zara in ki bhi tal dekh lo
Aj in ko bhi nachao goriyon
Jaza cast a glance at all the boys before
turning her attention back to the girls.
Yeh ghari hai milan ki
Ak sajan sy sajan ki
Yeh ghari hai milan ki
Ak sajan sy sajan ki
Jaza passed the turn back to the boys.
Asa ho ga nach gana
Jhoom uthaye yeh zaman
Aj tum bhi azamana
Yeh adayen dil barana
Zuraiz glanced at Jaza and continued singing.
Asa ho ga nach gana
Jhoom uthaye yeh zaman
Aj tum bhi azamana
Yeh adayen dil barana
Ayan repeated the lyrics of the song. For a
moment, his gaze lingered on Amna, and he forgot to turn back. However, he was
jolted back to reality by Amna's voice.
Zara jaldi sy jao goriyon
Amna cast a glance at Ayan. For some reason,
she felt the weight of someone’s gaze on herself.
Zara jaldi sy jao goriyon
Koi aina tu lao goriyon
Inhain naz hai buhat khud par
Inhain aina dekhao goriyon
Amna stifled a laugh as she looked at her
brother.
Yeh ghari hai milan ki
Ak sajan sy sajan ki
Yeh ghari hai milan ki
Ak sajan sy sajan ki
The turn had now gone back to the boys.
Kisi wad ko bolao goriyon
In ki nabaz ko dekhao goriyon
In ko husan pa garor hai buhat
In k para neachaye lao goriyon
Durab continued the song, glancing at Noor
and Rehan at the same time.
Yeh ghari hai milan ki
Ak sajan sy sajan ki
Durab's singing added more life to the gathering.
Now it was the girls' turn.
Hum ghalat thay hum na manna
Tum bhi wapis la lo tanna
Sawera continued the song while Noor hummed
along in the middle.
Larnaye k yeh ka bhai moka
Kaya kahaye ga yeh zamana
Noor continued the song from behind her veil.
At the sound of her voice, Durab felt his
heartbeat skip. After so many days, he was finally hearing her voice again.
Kisi qazi ko bolao goriyon..
Durab cast a mischievous glance at all his
sisters-in-law and then looked towards Noor, hidden behind the veil. He
continued with the song.
Kisi qazi ko bolao goriyon..
Aj fasla karao goriyon
Kahan milayue ga koi hum sa dulha
In ko Dulhan banao goriyon..
He looked at Noor with admiring eyes, while
Noor, even behind the veil, blushed at Durab’s voice and the lyrics of the
song.
Yeh ghari hai milan ki
Ak sajan sy sajan ki
This time, the lyrics were sung together by
Zuraiz, Ayan, Rehan, Hadid, Mahir, and Durab.
Ap kartaye hain kasi batayen
Noor, Amna, Jaza, Hoor, and Sawera sang these
lines together.
Ap karti hain jasi batayen
On the other side, Durab, Zuraiz, Ayan,
Hadid, Rehan, and Mahir sang together, with all their eyes focused on their
respective adversaries.
Aray in ko samjhao goriyon…. The five of them
sang together.
Ab solhai tu karwao goriyon…
On the other side, the six of them sang
together.
Yeh ghari hai milan ki
Ak sajan sy sajan ki
Throughout the venue, the voices of the boys
and girls echoed. The rhythm of the dholki continued to play all night long.
They spent the entire night enjoying the festivities and celebrating.
*************
This morning, there was a lot of activity at
the Sikandar house. Roha Begum and Amal Begum were overjoyed; their hearts'
desires were about to be fulfilled. Their children were about to be united in a
blessed marriage.
"Roha, you handle all these
arrangements. I'll go wake everyone up. They've been drumming all night and
must have fallen asleep after the festivities," Amal Begum said as she
started climbing the stairs. Roha Begum stopped her with a call.
"Zuraiz, Hadid, Mahir, and Durab have
been up since morning, working with Ahsan Sahib and Kamran Sahib. Only Ayan and
Rehan are still sleeping. Wake them up so they can have breakfast and drop Noor
off at the parlor. And make sure to wake Hoor first; it's so late, and she
hasn’t eaten anything," Roha Begum said with concern.
"Don’t worry about the breakfast for these
kids. I’ll wake everyone up. You make breakfast," Amal Begum said as she
climbed the stairs.
When she opened Noor's room door, she was
taken aback. The room was in disarray, and Noor was still in the same clothes
from last night, having slept in them.
Noor was asleep in bed with Sawera and Hoor.
When they learned from Hoor that Noor needed to be woken up, they still left
her on the bed despite her protests.
Amna had spread a mattress on the floor in
front of the bed and was sleeping there, while Jaza was enjoying her nap on the
sofa.
Amal Begum was the first to wake Hoor, who
got up at the second call. Amal Begum then moved on to waking the others, who
stubbornly refused to get up.
"Noor, I’m telling you to wake up before
I start using my shoes," Amal Begum said in frustration as she pulled the
blanket off Noor, who remained asleep without any reaction.
At that moment, Hoor came out of the
bathroom. "Aunty, let me help you wake them up. They’re not getting
up," Hoor said as she turned to Amna.
"Noor, get up, you’re getting married
today," Amal Begum said, splashing a bit of water from a glass onto Noor’s
face, causing her lashes to flutter slightly.
"What’s up, Mom?" Noor's drowsy
voice mumbled as she half-opened her eyes.
"Come on, sweetheart, your wedding is
just a few hours away," Amal Begum said, exasperated.
"Qabool hai, Qabool hai, Qabool hai..
Okay, when the cleric arrives, sign for me, and let me sleep," Noor
replied in her sleepily mumbled voice. Hearing this, Hoor's mouth dropped open,
while Amal Begum took hold of a jug of water.
Before Amal Begum could throw the jug, Hoor
quickly took it from her hand. "Aunty, please go downstairs. I’ll handle
these four," Hoor said, seeing the frustration on Amal Begum’s face.
"Get these four up quickly. I don’t know
what they eat that makes them sleep so soundly," Amal Begum said, glaring
at the four oblivious sleepers in the room, who hadn’t moved an inch despite
the commotion. As soon as Amal Begum left the room, Hoor went straight to
Sawera.
She gently shook Sawera by the shoulder,
causing her to stir and open her eyes slightly.
"Sawera, wake up... Hurry up, we need to
get ready, there’s little time," Hoor said as she pulled the blanket off
Sawera and moved it aside. Sawera, half-awake, sat up groggily.
"Amna, get up!" Hoor shook her
thoroughly, waking her from her sleep.
Sawera had already gotten up and set an alarm
on Jaza’s phone, placing it under her ear.
Amna managed to get up and went to the
bathroom, while Hoor and Sawera continued trying to wake Noor, who stubbornly
refused to get up.
Frustrated, Hoor threw a glass of water on
Noor’s face. Startled, Noor sat up, and her scream also woke Jaza.
Finally, the four of them were up.
"What do you eat that makes you sleep so
deeply?" Hoor glared at them.
"Hoor, it’s just that—" Jaza and
Amna tried to explain.
"Whatever it is, we’ll discuss it later.
First, go downstairs, have breakfast, and get ready. The wedding is after
Friday prayers. We need to be at the mosque on time. Come on, get up,"
Hoor said, leading them out of the room. Meanwhile, Noor went to take a bath.
*****************
"It’s a challenge to wake up these
children," Amal Begum said, having just managed to wake Ayan and Rehan
with a lot of effort.
"What happened, Amal?" Aziza and
Abiha Begum, who had just arrived, asked, having heard Amal Begum's complaints.
"Well, I thought it was only difficult
to wake Noor, Jaza, Amna, and Sawera, but I was wrong. Waking up Ayan and Rehan
was even more challenging," Amal Begum said, putting a hand on her head.
"One should have just kicked them both
awake," Aziza remarked angrily about Rehan.
"Kick them? I wish that would have
worked. They finally woke up only after I poured cold water on them," Amal
Begum replied, setting the glass of cold water aside and asking the maid to get
some refreshments for Aziza and Abiha.
"Are you okay with your blood
pressure?" Roha Begum, who had just come from the kitchen, asked Amal
Begum.
"My blood pressure is fine, it’s just
the stress of the work," Amal Begum replied, holding her head.
"Don’t stress about the work. Ahsan
Sahib, Kamran, Zuraiz, Mahir, Hadid, and Durab will take care of the outside
work and arrangements, and Ayan and Rehan will handle the minor tasks inside the
house," Roha Begum said, trying her best to alleviate Amal Begum’s
worries.
Soon after, Ayesha Begum arrived, and Annam
Begum also came. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Sahib, Shahid Sahib, Afzal Sahib, Ahsan
Sahib, and Kamran Sahib had already gathered.
******************
The scene is at the Badshahi Mosque in
Lahore, where lines were being arranged for Friday prayers. All the women were
in the designated area for women’s prayers. The Imam of the mosque had started
the Friday prayers.
The atmosphere at the Badshahi Mosque during
Friday prayers was quite mesmerizing, drawing the attention of all onlookers.
The Friday prayers had concluded, and
everyone had their hands raised in supplication.
“O Allah, no matter how much I thank You, it
is never enough. You have blessed me with what I desired. My journey with Durab
will be beautifully written by You. O Allah, let me spend every moment in
gratitude,” Noor prayed, while running her hand over her face.
At that moment, Jaza and Amna, who were
sitting nearby, got up and helped Noor to stand.
Noor was wearing an off-white long frock with
intricate embroidery on the hem and neckline, which also adorned the sleeves.
Underneath, she wore an off-white skirt. Her head was draped in a maroon
dupatta, with a beautifully embroidered front border and a matching pattern
throughout the rest of the dupatta. She wore an exquisite set of diamond and
ruby jewelry, including matching earrings and a maang tikka.
With light makeup, her gray eyes were
accentuated with kajal, and her thick lashes added to her bridal beauty. She
looked exceptionally beautiful in her bridal attire. Amal Begum’s eyes would
well up with tears every time she saw her. Roha Begum couldn’t stop praising
her and kept expressing her gratitude for the blessings she had received.
“My Durab’s bride is very lovely,” Roha Begum
said, moving forward to kiss her forehead. Her heartfelt wish was fulfilled
today as her daughter became the bride of her son.
Amal Begum and Annam Begum stepped forward
and placed a red, lacy dupatta over Noor's head, which concealed her face.
“Mama, Taai Ami, you go ahead. We’ll bring
Noor to you. Dad has called; the wedding time has arrived,” Amna said after
attending Kamran Sahib’s call and coming back.
“Amal, Noor’s bidaai isn’t happening right
now. Even if it were, she would have come to you. Don’t cry; the child will end
up crying too,” Ayesha Begum said, placing her hand on Amal Begum’s shoulder as
she hugged Noor and cried. It was natural for a mother to feel emotional seeing
her daughter in such a state.
“Daughters grow up so quickly and become
guests in their own parents' house. Time passes unnoticed. Daughters are like
plants that, when they bloom, are planted in someone else’s courtyard. The
story of their fate is written there. If the people and the partner in that
courtyard are good, their fragrance and beauty extend back to their father's
courtyard. But if those people lack generosity or the partner isn’t good, the
flower withers before it can bloom, and its fragrance is stifled, leaving the
father’s courtyard unaware. The flower’s colors are taken away, its fragrance
suppressed, and its inner spirit crushed. That’s why parents fear not the birth
of daughters but the destiny they face. They fear their daughters growing old
before their time. This is why mothers teach their sons the first lesson of
patience and constantly correct them, so that when corrected later in life,
they can endure and build a home. Our daughters' journey is difficult. We often
don't share our pain with our parents because they have already faced so many
trials. Why add our own troubles to theirs? So, we remain silent, enduring our
sorrows and pain alone. Even when they are our own, daughters always remain
guests.”
**********************
The interior of the Badshahi Mosque was
beautifully decorated with white flowers. Durab stood there in an off-white
shalwar kameez with an off-white waistcoat, his eyes impatiently waiting for
someone to arrive. His eyes lit up when he saw his mother, aunt, and all his
maternal aunts approaching.
"Impatience is getting the best of
you," Ayan said, tapping Durab on the shoulder.
"Are you planning to die before my
wedding?" Durab said through gritted teeth.
“Just look at the groom,” Hadid said, placing
a hand on Durab's shoulder. Durab, along with Ayan, Zuraiz, Rehan, and Mahir,
turned to look ahead.
Durab's heartbeat quickened as he saw Noor's
elegantly adorned figure. Zuraiz, seeing Jaza in an off-white sharara and a
pistachio-colored kurti with light makeup and honey-colored eyes lined with
kohl, felt as if she was dominating his thoughts and emotions.
Ayan's gaze fell on Amna, who was approaching
in an off-white sharara and an elite rose-colored kurti. With her light makeup,
she looked incredibly beautiful. Ayan's hand instinctively went to his chest.
Rehan was mesmerized by Sawera, who was
wearing an off-white sharara and a copper-colored kurti with brown eyes
highlighted with kohl. Her baby makeup made her look like a tiny princess.
Rehan felt as though Sawera, walking with grace, was treading on the empire of
his heart. He was lost in admiration of her innocent appearance.
Mahir couldn't take his eyes off Hoor, whose
new, joyful look was enchanting. Dressed in an off-white and peach combination,
she looked very charming. Mahir felt an intense urge to forget the wedding and
take her away instead. His heart was on the verge of swaying.
On the other hand, Hadid was observing
everyone who seemed to be present but also detached.
"Looks like there’s quite a resemblance
at your wedding," Hadid said, placing a hand on Durab's shoulder. His
comment brought everyone, including Durab, back to reality.
“What resemblance?” Durab asked with a
questioning look.
“Look here and look there,” Hadid said,
glancing at Zuraiz, Ayan, and Rehan standing in front, and then at Jaza, Amna,
and Sawera approaching.
Durab understood the hint in Hadid's gaze and
looked at the three men now, noticing their outfits.
Zuraiz was in an off-white shalwar kameez
with a pistachio-colored waistcoat. Ayan wore an elite rose-colored outfit, and
Rehan was in copper-colored attire. Durab scrutinized the three of them with
suspicion.
“Don’t look so suspicious. It’s just a
coincidence, nothing more,” Zuraiz said, placing a hand on Durab's shoulder.
“Coincidences happen all the time,” Hadid
added.
“I’ll break your teeth!” Zuraiz glared at
Hadid.
“Come on, Durab, go and sit down. Your
patience is running out,” Mahir said, giving Durab a nudge.
Durab moved to one side of the
flower-decorated curtain and sat down, while Noor was seated on the other side.
“Maulvi Sahib, please start the nikah,”
Kamran Sahib addressed the Maulvi.
“Son, recite the Kalima,” the Maulvi said,
looking at Durab.
“I already knew he wasn’t Muslim,” Ayan
whispered into Rehan’s ear, though everyone heard it.
“Say just as much as you can endure later,” Mahir
whispered into Ayan’s ear.
“Alhamdulillah, I am a Muslim,” Durab said,
noticing the Maulvi’s concern and casting a challenging glance at Ayan.
The Maulvi began reciting the words of the
nikah. After Durab’s acceptance, the same words were repeated in front of Noor.
Noor’s heartbeat quickened at these words.
“Do you, Noor Ahsan Sikandar, accept this
nikah with Durab Kamran Sikandar?” the Maulvi repeated.
Amna Begum and Ahsan Sahib placed their hands
on Noor’s head.
“Qabul hai,” Noor’s tearful, faint voice was
heard.
Upon her acceptance, Durab closed his eyes
and placed a hand on his heart. It felt as though she was now fully his, having
become Noor Durab Sikandar.
Hands were raised on both sides for the
prayer. Everyone prayed for their good fortune. After the prayer, Durab stood
up, received congratulations from everyone, and stepped through the curtain of
white flowers.
He extended his hand forward. Amna Begum and
Ahsan Sahib placed their only daughter’s hand in Durab’s. Durab kissed Noor’s
hands and held them to his eyes.
Noor, shy behind her veil, blushed.
Durab helped her stand.
The moment for revealing the beloved had
arrived, and Durab had to be patient with the "kafir" (the one who is
not understanding). He removed the veil from Noor's face, and she, with a face
full of modesty and shyness, seemed to fall like a bolt of lightning upon him.
Durab took a step closer to Noor and, in the next moment, placed his lips on
her forehead. Amna and Jaza, who were nearby, had to stifle their reactions,
while Noor’s blushing face made Durab want to keep her all to himself. His eyes
were unwilling to leave Noor’s face.
Zuraiz and Hadid, having received permission
from Kamran Sahib and Ahsan Sahib, took Durab and Noor for a photo shoot.
However, Jaza, Amna, Sawera, and Hoor followed closely behind.
The photographer was guiding Durab and Noor
on how to pose when Amna’s voice came from behind.
“Brother, keep a bit of distance between
them. We haven’t yet given the girl away, and the boy is naturally a flirt.”
Amna walked calmly, her tone collected.
“You four can’t handle all of us. Durab,
seeing Amna, Jaza, Sawera, and Hoor approaching, remarked.
“Our wives are our responsibility to handle,”
Zuraiz said, glaring at Durab.
“Mahir, tell Hoor to control them. Please,
let my shoot be done,” Durab pleaded with Mahir with beseeching eyes.
“She’s not even paying attention to me. True,
she looks lovely, but one should at least pay attention to one’s husband,”
Mahir lamented.
“You’ve got your own issues,” Hadid
suppressed a laugh. Durab, annoyed, slapped Zuraiz and Hadid.
“Why did you hit us?” Hadid and Zuraiz asked
simultaneously.
“Nothing, just that you two will be the next
goats for slaughter,” Mahir said, giving them a wink.
“Why didn’t you hit us? We also want to get
married,” Ayan said, glaring at Durab, while Rehan gave a similar look.
“You two aren’t suitable for marriage,”
Durab, Hadid, Zuraiz, and Mahir said in unison.
On one side, Durab and Noor were having their
photo shoot, while on the other side, Jaza, Amna, Sawera, and Hoor repeatedly
commented on the poses of Durab and Noor. Durab was trying to show patience as
the shoot went on, while inside, he wished he could just tape their mouths
shut.
*******************
The arrangements for the dinner were made at
the P-C Hotel.
“Rehan…” Aziza called out to Rehan.
“Yes, yes, Mom…” Rehan quickly turned around
to see Aziza, who was standing with Agha Afridi. Even today, their couple
seemed perfect.
“What are you looking at?” Aziza asked Rehan,
who was staring at Sawera standing in the back.
“I-I wasn’t looking at anything. I was just
putting some food on my plate,” Rehan quickly regained his composure,
controlling the tremor in his voice.
“Son, control your eyes, or her father will
make you the next kebab for everyone to eat,” Aziza said, placing a hand on his
shoulder before moving on.
“Did she say that to warn me or to scare me?”
Rehan muttered while glancing at his father.
“She said it to warn you, but I’d advise you
to fear her father,” Agha Sahib said before leaving, while Rehan was left feeling
distressed.
Shehzad had come to congratulate Durab and
Noor on their marriage when he noticed Jaza standing beside Noor, adjusting
Noor’s jewelry. Feeling the gaze on her, Jaza turned around and saw that
Shehzad was preoccupied with watching her. Not wanting to create a scene, she
excused herself and moved away. However, Shehzad's gaze towards Jaza didn’t go
unnoticed.
After meeting Durab, Shehzad moved towards
Nuraiz, who had been casting lewd looks at Sawera for a while.
“What are you staring at?” Shehzad asked,
noticing Nuraiz's focus.
“Man, that girl is so beautiful. I just want
her for one night,” Nuraiz said with a wicked grin.
“She’s my cousin. But don’t worry, I’ll make
sure you get her for one night. Just be patient,” Shehzad replied with a scheming
smile.
Nuraiz placed a hand on Shehzad’s shoulder.
*************
They had left at noon and arrived home in the
evening. Jaza, Amna, Sawera, and Noor went upstairs to their room, while Hoor
and Mahir had left directly from the hotel with Afzal Sahib and Abiha Begum.
The rest of the group was at Sikandar House.
“Zuraiz, Hadid, Ayan, and Rehan, listen up.
These three are downstairs, and I’m going to see Noor in the room for a while.
Make sure they don’t come up under any circumstances,” Durab said as he went
upstairs. The others wanted to speak but fell silent.
Durab’s luck seemed to be on his side as the
room door was unlocked. He entered the room and forgot to lock the door behind
him. Noor was resting on the bed, and she sat up when she saw Durab.
“Durab, you’re here… Go, someone might come,”
Noor said, glancing at the door.
“No one will come. For now, just come to me,”
Durab said, pulling her closer by her arms. He was memorizing every detail of
her face.
“Durab…” Noor’s breaths were becoming rapid
with his close proximity.
“Shhh…” Durab placed a finger on her red lips
and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer.
“You’ve tested me a lot, my dear. Now it’s
time to pay the debt,” Durab said, caressing her lips with his thumb.
Noor was about to understand his words when
she felt his warm breath on her neck.
“D-Durab…” Noor could barely speak as Durab
poured all his emotions onto her.
He withdrew his face from her neck and leaned
in to kiss her delicate lips, intensifying the kiss with his passion.
Meanwhile, Amna, Jaza, and Sawera were
searching for Durab downstairs. Zuraiz, Ayan, Hadid, and Rehan were downstairs,
but Durab was nowhere to be found.
Just then, Annam Begum had sent Sawera to the
kitchen for some task, where Rehan was standing and drinking water.
Sawera had an idea.
"Excuse me," she addressed Rehan.
Her charming voice reached Rehan's ears, and
when he turned to look, he could hardly believe his hearing or sight.
"Yes... where is Durab bhai? Uncle is
asking," Sawera innocently asked Rehan.
"Durab is upstairs with Noor
bhabhi," Rehan, absentmindedly, spoke the truth.
"Thank you," Sawera said and rushed
out of the kitchen.
Suddenly, Rehan realized his mistake and ran
outside to call Zuraiz.
"Durab bhai is upstairs with Noor,"
Sawera said, panting. They all had locked the door upstairs.
"What happened? What disaster has
occurred?" Zuraiz asked, looking at Rehan's face.
"Man, I made a blunder. Sawera asked me
about Durab, and I told her the truth. I don’t know how it happened,"
Rehan said helplessly.
"Cursed be you! Was it such a difficult
thing that you couldn’t lie?" Hadid snapped.
"I don’t know, I just couldn’t
lie," Rehan said again.
"Stop talking here and head to the
room," Zuraiz said, as he ran inside to get Durab's number, followed by
the three of them.
Before they reached, the three were standing
in front of the door, and Amna opened it with a hand.
Inside, Durab, who had been leaning over
Noor’s lips, immediately pulled away.
Seeing the scene, Amna, Jaza, and Sawera
turned red with embarrassment, while the four of them turned their faces toward
the stairs.
"Brother, go outside. You have to get
Durab out with your own hands," Amna and Jaza said to Noor.
Durab glared at the four of them, while
Zuraiz, Ayan, and Hadid pointed fingers at Rehan, and Durab grabbed him by the
neck.
"What’s going on?" Amna and Jaza
asked Noor simultaneously.
"I don’t know," Noor said, pulling
the blanket up to her face.
Meanwhile, Sawera was laughing with her face
down.
But who knew that her smile and innocence
would fall prey to a predator's gaze? Her innocence was about to become the
target of cunning schemes.
***************
Don’t copy without permission........ Must
share your reviews and also share with your friends.... Thanks alot <3
for reading other episode click on link below
Comments
Post a Comment