PART 30:
"Salaam-waalequm Aapi! Main Tehzeeb…" Tehzeeb called Aapi after her chat session with Angad.
"Waalequm-salaam beti….bahut dino baad phone aaya hai tera….sab theek hai na?" Aapi said on the other line
"Aapi….aap sab logon ki bahut yaad aa rahi hai…dai jaan kaisi hain? Abbu kaise hain? Pehli baar ghar se bahar Ramzan kar rahi hoon…..bahut miss kar rahi hoon aap sab ko…" Tehzeeb sounded tearful
"Angad wapas chala gaya kya?" Aapi guessed the real reason for Tehzeeb's grief.
"Aapko kaise pata Aapi?" Tehzeeb sobbed
"Aakhir tujhey bachpan se jaanti hoon……jab itney din tera phone nahin aaya tha tho main samajh gayi thi ki zaroor Angad se mulaqat ho gayi hogi…..yeh bataa usney apney pyaar ka izhaar kiya ya nahin?" Aapi asked affectionately.
Tehzeeb nodded her head and started laughing tearfully, "Aapi….hum ek doosrey ko bahut chahte hain…..shaadi bhi karna chahte hain, lekin sabki manzoori se….aap sab kab aa rahe hain?"
"Bas Eid se 1-2 din pehle pahunchengey…..tu apne Abbu se baat kar lena tab….wo tujhey bahut miss karta hai aaj kal…..pehle se Javed bahut naram ho gaya hai…..shayad tujhey kho dene ka darr uske andar baith gaya hai….." Aapi reassured her.
"Aapi…ek baat batao…."
"Bolo…"
"Kya Ammi, Abbu ke saath khush thi?"
There was a dead silence on the line. "Aapi….mere sawaal ka jawab do Aapi…..kya Ammi khush thi?"
"Beta…bas itna jaanti hoon ki wo tere Abbu ke saath dukhi nahin thi…." Aapi said solemnly.
"Tho khush nahin thi! Aapi…lekin kyon? Kya Abbu kisi aur se pyaar karte the?" Tehzeeb persisted
"Tehzeeb…yeh sab kya keh rahi hai tu? Meri samajh mein kuch nahin aa raha…ab Mumbai mein bahut raat ho rahi hogi…jaa so jaa….shabba khair…" Aapi wished her goodnight and hung up.
Tehzeeb was trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together; she remembered that few months before her mother passed away, she hardly interacted with anyone. Tehzeeb did not recall spending much time with her mother; it was Aapi in India and then Daijaan in the US, who had always been her main caretaker. Over the years, Tehzeeb had held a grudge against her mother for not being there for her, but now the picture was clear- her mother was unhappy in a love-less marriage- main apni zindagi ka yeh haal nahin hone doongi…..I will not marry without love…Abbu aap yeh theek tarah se samajh lein…..Aamir se main pyaar nahin karti….Angad ke bina main apni zindagi apni Ammi ki tarah nahin jee sakti…..
TWO DAYS BEFORE EID:
Javed, Aapi and Daijaan all arrived in Mumbai. Tehzeeb and Aamir received them at the airport. Javed was happy to see Tahzeeb and Aamir together. He thought, "kya haseen jodi banaayee hai khuda ne….."
Over the last few days, Tehzeeb and Aamir had become good friends. Tehzeeb realized that Aamir was not that shy and boring when he was not around grown-ups. He liked to portray an image of a shy, courteous and respectful boy when he was around elders. When Tehzeeb and he were alone, he was more outgoing and forthcoming. He was well read and could converse on any topic. She was pleasantly surprised to see that he was quite mature and open minded in his thinking. He had dated several girls in the US, but was clear that he would marry a muslim girl from a decent family. Thankfully, he never mentioned that he was interested in Tehzeeb, never made a pass or even tried to touch her, although Tehzeeb could tell by the way he checked her out that he was attracted to her. Somehow, she was not flattered by that-sirf Angad ko haq hai mujhey aise dekhney ka…..
Tehzeeb would often go out to the mosque with Aamir for evening prayers when Hussain chachu and chachi could not accompany them. She felt comfortable with him, like one would with a friend, but not secure and carefree like she did when she was with Angad.
Angad always made her feel special; she felt like a princess when he was around…he was her prince charming….her lover….her protector…..her friend……he made her laugh….he made her cry……he was everything to her….. and no one could ever take his place in her life……
Tehzeeb was thrilled to see her family; even though Angad's family and Hussain chacha had all been very hospitable so far, she realized that her own family would always hold a special place in her life.
After settling down at the Ali's, Javed came to Tehzeeb's room, "kaisi hai meri beti?" he hugged her as she was desperately waiting for Angad to get online.
"OH..Abbu….main salaamat hoon….aap kaise hain?" Tehzeeb returned his hug.
Javed sat down next to her, "beti…main chahta hoon tu jaldi wapas ghar aa ja…tere bina ghar bahut suna lagta hai…."
"Abbu…abhi meri music training poori nahin huyi hai…aur…aur…" she hesitated.
"Aur kya beti?"
"Main…mujhey Mumbai bahut pasand hai….main yahin settle hona chahti hoon….yahan music academy mein mujhey kayi recording companies ke offers bhi aaye hain …." She continued, revealing half the truth.
"Tehzeeb! Yeh kya keh rahi ho tum? Main chahta hoon tum Aamir se shaadi kar lo aur wahin New York mein mere paas hi kahin raho….aakhir tum wahin ki ho…Mumbai mein tumhara kaun hai?"
Tehzeeb was almost about to tell him the truth, when she saw a pop-up on her screen "Angad is now online" She desperately wanted to chat with him. Javed got up and said firmly, "TEHZEEB! Main tumhey wapas New York le jaana chahta hoon…yeh Mumbai ki hawa tumhare liye theek nahin hai….Eid ke din tumhari Aamir se sagaai hogi..BAS…end of discussion!" he walked off a little upset.
Tehzeeb was stunned; she wanted to talk to Javed, but first had to chat with Angad
"Hi princess…kaisi ho?"
"Abbu yahan aa gaye hain…." She typed
"GOOD! Kuch baat huyi?" Angad typed
"Nahin…wo Eid par meri sagaai karna chahte hain…"
"Main itni jaldi tho nahi aa sakta…only my muslim colleagues get Eid holiday…"
"Angad! Wo Aamir se meri sagaai karna chahte hain…."
"Main……" Angad 's message was still incomplete.
Tehzeeb waited for his reply, but looked like he was no longer online now, 'uffo…yeh computers bhi na…."
A dejected Tehzeeb went to her father's room, "Abbu…I need to talk to you…"
Javed was checking the stock quotes on wall street, "Hmm…bolo.."
"Abbu…yeh bahut zaroori baat hai …please pay attention…" Tehzeeb sat down next to him
"Ok..OK..bolo"
"Abbu….I love someone else….Main Aamir se sagaai nahin kar sakti…"
Javed was stunned; he could never imagine that his little girl would be bold enough to say something like this to him, "WHAT NONSENSE TEHZEEB?"
Tehzeeb got up, trying to muster some courage, "Yes Abbu…We both love each other a lot…..I cannot marry anyone else…"
Javed took a deep breath, "so that is why you want to stay back in Mumbai.."
"Jee Abbu….aap ek baar us se mil lee jiye…you will really like him…"
"Kya karta hai wo?" Javed kept grilling her
"Wo Indian Navy mein officer hai…"
"Navy mein? Tum usey kaise mili?"
"Abbu…jab mein ghar se bhaagi thi tab wo mujhey cruise par mila tha…" she spoke softly
"OH! Tho yeh silsila puraana hai…Mumbai issi liye aai thi tum?" Javed raised his voice and glared at her.
Tehzeeb lowered her eyes, as she saw her father's eyes were burning with anger.
Tehzeeb closed her eyes and said, "Haan….main issi liye aayi thi yahan…"
"Kya naam hai uska…kaisi family ka hai…kitna kamaata hai?" Javed showered her with his concerns
Tehzeeb turned away, unable to meet her father's rage, "Angad…Captain Angad Khanna….uski ek bahen aur maa hai….mujhey nahin pataa wo kitna kamaata hai….maine Angad se pyaar kiya hai uske paycheck se nahin"
"Besharam ladki…apne Abbu ko pagal samajh thi hai…kya main jaanta nahin ki Indian defence forces kya pay karti hain? Uski ek mahine ki salary mein tho tere kapde bhi nahin aayenge….aur kya naam bataaya…Angad Khanna? HINDU! Jaanti ho Tehzeeb, iss se badha gunah koi nahin hoga ki ek acchae ghar ki muslim ladki ek non-muslim se shaadi kare…tum ne tho quran padhi hai na…..namaaz bhi kehti ho roz….ramzaan mein rozae bhi rakhti ho…phir yeh khayal bhi kaise aaya tumhey? Main aisa hargis nahin hone doonga!" Javed was trembling in anger now.
Tehzeeb turned around to face him, she was surprised at herself-she somehow managed to muster courage to talk back to her father, "Abbu…aap kuch nahin kar sakte…..humney shaadi kar lee hai…"
"Shaadi? Kaisi shaadi? Ek hindu ki muslim se shaadi kaise ho sakti hai?" Javed asked
"Humney court marriage kar lee hai Abbu.." she said
"Court? Pagal ho tum Tehzeeb…tum tho Indian citizen bhi nahin ho….this court marriage means nothing…tumhara paagalpan hai….just wake up and remind yourself who you are….you are tehzeeb Khan, daughter of Javed Khan…..kisi hindu se shaadi nahin hone doonga…haan yadi tumhara Angad Islam mein convert hona chahta hai, tab main soch sakta hoon…"
"Hargis nahin Abbu…main Angad ko aisa karne ke liye kabhie nahin keh sakti…." Tehzeeb was firm
"THEN FORGET ANGAD KHANNA…YOU MUST MARRY AAMIR ALI….THAT'S IT!"
Tehzeeb looked at her dad, 'Abbu…aapne kaha forget Angad Khanna!….aap jaante hain ki bhoolna itna aasaan nahin hota….kya aap apney pyaar ko kabhie bhool paaye hain?"
Javed was stunned, "Kya keh rahi ho tum? Tum….tumhari Ammi ko guzrey kitne saal ho gaye…m…main usey kaise bhool sakta hoon?"he stuttered.
"main Ammi ki baat nahin kar rahi Abbu….main us pyaar ki baat kar rahi hoon jo aapka kabhie ho na sakaa…..kya aap kabhie usey bhula paaye hain? Kya aap nahin jaante ki ek baar pyaar karke, aap kisi aur ko waisa pyaar nahin de sakey…..aap bhi jaante hain ki Ammi aakhir taq us pyaar ke liye taras thi rahi……kya aap chahte hain ki aapki eklauti ladki bhi apni Ammi ki tarah ghut ghut kar mar jaaye? Boliye Abbu!" Tehzeeb raised her voice.
Javed could feel his eyes getting moist, "Tehzeeb…tum hadh se zyaada bole jaa rahi ho…..aisa kuch bhi nahin hai….main tumsey aur argue nahin karna chahta….tum jao yahan se….Ramzan mein mujhey gussa mat dilao…..go to bed now……but remember you will get engaged on Eid….main Hussain se vaada kar chukka hoon…."
"Main bhi Angad se vaada kar chuki hoon Abbu….dekhtey hain kiska vaada zyaada mazboot hai….GOOD NIGHT ABBU!"
Tehzeeb walked out. Tehzeeb knew she had not exactly been respectful to her dad, but she had no regrets-she had spoken the truth and suddenly she felt as if a weight had been lifted off her….she did not feel any turmoil inside her…she was at peace….she had spoken her mind and there was no going back…
..to be continued…..
CID
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin
