PART 31:
Javed could not believe what had just happened. His little girl, his innocent and obedient princess had suddenly grown up! "Wo kaise kisi se pyaar kar sakti hai? Mainey usey kitne naazon se paala hai…kabhie zindagi mein koi kami nahi aane di….phir yeh ghar ke saare asool thod kar….wo ek Hindu se…..why is history playing such a dirty game with me once again?……main aisa nahin kar sakta…." Javed hid his face in his hands and sat on his bed.
He felt a hand on his shoulder, "Javed! Kya baat hai? Apni beti ke sawaalon ka jawaab nahin de paa rahe?"
"Ammi! Aap yahan kya kar rahi hain?" he got up and looked at his mother.
"Maine teri aur Tehzeeb ki baatein sun li hain…..kyon kar raha hai aisa? Wo theek kehti hai…..tere Abbu aur main shayad itney samajhdaar nahin the…..yadi hote tho aaj itihaas kuch aur hi hota……meri aankein tho pehle hi khul gayi thi….tu ab der nahin kar….apni bacchi ke dil ki baat maan le….." Aapi tried to reason with him.
"Nahin! Hargis nahin Ammi….mainey apni zubaan de rakhi hai……main peeche nahin hath sakta…..yeh Tehzeeb ki naadaani hai…..wo samajh jaayegi dheere dheere….aap jaanti hain main kisi Hindu ka yakeen nahin karta…..main Tehzeeb ki zindagi kharaab nahin kar sakta…" Javed was adamant
"Wo hi tho tu karne ja raha hai…..main uss ladke se mil chuki hoon….bahut accha ladka hai….yadi wo nahin hota tho aaj shayad Tehzeeb bhi nahin hoti….cruise par Angad ne hi Tehzeeb ko sahi raasta dikhaaya tha…apni jaan par khelkar uski jaan bacchaayi thi…..Tehzeeb tho shayad tere paas wapas bhi nahin jaati yadi Angad ne nahin kaha hota…." Aapi raised her voice.
"Ammi…behtar yahi hoga ki aap is maamle mein kuch na bolein…..Tehzeeb sirf meri zimmedaari hai…..aap kya jaane uske liye kya sahi hai aur kya nahin…." Javed left the room in anger.
EID CELEBRATIONS:
Eid was celebrated with a lot of festivity at the Ali's residence. The celebrations started early in the morning. There were special halwais from all over the city; they cooked special meals for the day. The aroma of delicious food woke Tehzeeb early in the morning. Ramzan was over and now it was time to feast, meet friends, dress up, put mehndi…..
Tehzeeb wished Angad were here to share her favorite festival with her, just as she was there with him on Diwali.
Tehzeeb almost forgot her conversation with her father and she ran to his room , 'Eid mubarak Abbu!"
Javed was surprised to see a chirpy Tehzeeb-just like she always was on Eid. He thought, "lagta hai raat ki baat shayad samajh aa gayi usey….chalo accha hai samajhdaar ladki hai…"
Little did he know that Tehzeeb was more convinced about her love for Angad than she ever was-she had no fear now! She had expressed her desire in front of her dad, the person she was most fearful of-now there was no going back…
Ali chachi and some other women from the neighborhood were all getting mehndi applied on their palms. Tehzeeb joined them gleefully and looked at the beautiful decoration on her hands.
"bibi…rang tho bahut gehra chadhaa hai aapki mehndi ka…zaroor aapko bahut pyaar karne waale shauhar milenge…" one of the ladies teased her.
Tehzeeb blushed and covered her face with her hands. Aamir was watching her from a distance and blushed himself.
"Beta….aaj shaam ko hamare yahan bahut badhi eid ki party hai….maine kayi politicians aur important businessmen ko bulaya hai….I want you to be my strength…OK" Hussain said to Aamir, "aur haan…ek raaz ki baat…aaj shaam ko main aur javed mian tumhari aur Tehzeeb ki sagaai announce karengey….tayyar rehna…."
Aamir just blushed at the last comment; he had started liking Tehzeeb a lot. He did not interact with her much in the US, but in Mumbai he had come to know that she was a very kind and warm person, she was very religious and followed muslim traditions well. Even though he had dated a lot of girls in the US, he wanted to marry a traditional muslim girl. Tehzeeb looked so pure and innocent-"I bet she is still a virgin," he thought, "fresh and tender just for me!"
Tehzeeb, Aapi , Daijaan and Ali Chachi all went to the masjid in the morning to offer their prayers. They went around to distribute sweets and wish their friends and neighbors "Eid mubarak"
Tehzeeb really wanted to go and meet Mishti and Naina. She asked aapi about her dilemma.
Aapi as usual was very supportive, "beti..tera mann kar raha hai tho zaroor ja…..yeh mithai bhi le jaa…"
Tehzeeb was dressed in a beautiful magenta lehnga (imagine mahi on her engagement day) with her hair slightly curled, but open.
"Namastey mama…aap kaisi hain?" she greeted Naina at the door
"Arre Kripa…aaj bahut pyaari lag rahi hai….koi khaas baat hai kya….?" Naina asked
"Haan mama…wo…wo aaj meri ek saheli ki shaadi hai…bas iss liye tayyar huyi thi…aapki bahut yaad aa rahi thi…" she hugged her and closed her eyes as she softly wished her "Eid mubarak"
"Yeh mithai khaaiye….yeh hamare ghar ka khaas halwa hai…." Tehzeeb offered the mithai to Naina.
"Arre..yeh tho Karachi halwa hai….yeh..yeh tho khaas eid ke din banta hai na?" Naina's expression became a little serious.
Tehzeeb was worried, 'Oh..wo..mama….hamare yahan ka halwai sab mithai banaata hai….mujhey yeh bahut pasand hai…."
"pasand tho mujhey bhi bahut tha ….par beti maine meetha khaana chhod diya hai…..koi baat nahin tu hi khaa le meri taraf se…" Naina tried to make Kripa feel better.
"Mishti kahan hai? Aaj bhi school gayi hai kya?" Tehzeeb asked
"Aaj tho chutti hai….shayad bazaar gayi hai….aa mere paas baith , kitne din ho gaye tujh se theek se baat bhi nahin huyi……yeh bataa Angad ne tujhe phone kiya ya nahin?" Naina asked her to sit down.
"nahin mama…ek baar bhi phone nahin kiya…main bahut naraaz hoon…." Tehzeeb frowned, but soon broke out into her typical smile, "mama…wo computer par mujhsey baat karta hai…almost daily…par kal se baat nahin huyi…shayad unki ship kahin door sail kar rahi hai…." Tehzeeb hugged Naina.
"Beti teri mehndi ka rang tho bahut gehraa hai…..kyon nahin hoga?…main jaanti hoon Angad tera kitna diwaana hai…" Naina said affectionately.
After spending a few hours with Naina, Tehzeeb went back to the Ali's residence. She was disappointed that she could not meet Mishti.
She was surprised to see a number of guests in the backyard and living room.
"Chachi…yeh sab log?"
"Beti…har saal tere chacha bahut badhi party karte hain Eid par…." Chachi said
Tehzeeb was least interested in the party and decided to go upstairs, hoping to catch Angad online.
"TEHZEEB! Kahan jaa rahi ho?" Javed yelled from behind
"Abbu…main apne kamrey mein jaa rahi hoon…" she hesitated
"Neeche aao…main kuch logon se tumhey milwaana chahta hoon…." Javed dragged her downstairs with him.
SIMULTANEOUSLY AT KHANNA HOUSEHOLD:
Mishti came home huffing and puffing.
"kya hua beti…itni ghabraayi huyi kyon hai?" Naina asked
"Mama…TV on karo…remote kahan hai?" Mishti turned the TV on
"ABHI ABHI KHABAR MILI HAI KI INDIAN NAVY KA EK SHIP JO ANDAMAN SE SUMATRA KI TARAF JAA RAHA THA AAG KA SHIKAAR HO GAYA HAI…..SHIP SE CONTACT TOOT CHUKA HAI….KISI BHI NAVY OFFICER KI BACHNEY KI UMEED KAM HAI…..BUREAU REPORT….."
Mishti and Naina were shocked
"Nahin!…mere bete ko kuch nahin ho sakta….yeh gaket report hai….." Naina started sobbing
Mishti hugged naina, "mama…abhi kuch nahin keh sakte…Angad ko kuch nahin hoga….mujhey Kripa ko phone karna chahiye…"
Mishti tried to call Tehzeeb on her cell, but Tehzeeb's cell was in her purse and she could barely hear anything with the background noise of the party.
Mishti had to reach Kripa, she did not want Kripa to hear the news and panic. Mishti was confident that Angad would be fine and she wanted to reassure Kripa about that.
Mishti called the music academy for Kripa's address.
"sorry ma'am…yahan Kripa sharma naam ki koi student nahin hai…." She was told
Mishti could not believe her ears, "mama…aap yahin thehro…main abhi aayi…"
AT THE ACADEMY
Mishti got the same answer there, 'sorry…kripa Sharma naam ki koi student nahin hai…."
Just as she was about to leave, she saw a group photograph of some students from a recent function, 'yeh kaun hai?" she asked pointing to Tehzeeb's photograph
"Yeh! Oh yeh tho bahut acchi singer hain…inka naam Tehzeeb Khan hai…"
"TEHZEEB KHAN! Yeh kya keh rahe ho tum? Are you sure?" she asked the manager
"Of course Ms Khanna…after all, she is our star student…inhe kaun nahin jaanta…aaj Eid hai iss liye school nahin aayi…"
"Please give me her address…" Mishti was in a shock, but she wanted to confront the truth herself
She arrived at the Ali's mansion. The house was beautifully decorated with lights and candles everywhere.
She managed to sneak in when the darbaan was not looking
She peeked into the living room, where she saw Tehzeeb with a middle aged man, probably her father, and a number of guests. She saw Tehzeeb wishing everyone "Eid mubarak"
Mishti was mortified, "Itna badha dhokha!…..bhai tere saath is ladki ne kitna badha dhokha kiya hai…aur mama…aapke pavitra ghar mein ek muslim…..chi chi…yeh kya ho gaya…." Mishti, although not as religious as her mom, had heard many times over the years that Muslims were not supposed to enter a Hindu household-they were considered inauspicious!
Mishti was about to leave when she heard an announcement, "Ladies and Gentlemen! Eid ke mubarak mauke par main ek badhi announcement karna chahta hoon…main apne ek laute bhatije, Aamir ali ki sagaai, apne aziz dost, Javed Khan ki beti, Tehzeeb se karna chahta hoon…main chahta hoon ki wo dono aaj ek doosre ko anghooti pehnaa de…" Hussain Ali announced
Mishti could not take it anymore; she ran as fast as she could. Her face was covered with tears, "bhai…..yeh tere saath kya hua?…."
Mishti returned home to find Naina glued to the TV, "beti….abhi bhi koi officer zinda nahin mila hai….mera Angad…" she started sobbing loudly in Mishti's arms. Mishti did not have the courage to tell her mom about Tehzeeb and her deception.
AT ALI'S RESIDENCE:
Tehzeeb and Aapi were stunned at the announcement. Tehzeeb gave a dirty look to Javed and then to Hussain chacha.
Javed came forward and whispered softly, "Tehzeeb…main koi tamasha nahin chahta…chup chap sagaai kar lo….."
Tehzeeb looked at her father with burning eyes, "Abbu…aap sab jaante hain…phir bhi….maine aap se kal hi keh diya tha….."
"Arre….Tehzeeb beti ….aage aao…..Aamir intezaar kar raha hai…" ali chachi pulled Tehzeeb by her hand.
Tehzeeb reluctantly came and stood next to Aamir and looked at him. He was standing with a ring in his hand and eyes on the floor. She looked around to see a number of anxious faces in the crowd. They were all awaiting the exchange of rings to happen any moment.
Tehzeeb stood still and did not give her hand to Aamir.
Aamir looked at her and politely nodded his head, as if requesting to hold her hand.
Tehzeeb did not budge and clasped her hands together.
"Tehzeeb! Main intezaar kar raha hoon!" Aamir clenched his teeth and Tehzeeb could tell that Mr Shy-in-public-but really Mr chauvinistic was actually upset at being stood up by a woman. He was expecting Tehzeeb to surrender herself completely and offer her hand to him.
"Beti…haath aage badhao…." Hussain chacha nudged her.
"MERI SHAADI HO CHUKI HAI!" Tehzeeb said loudly and left the podium, leaving everyone shocked and stunned!
Aapi followed Tehzeeb and put her arm around Tehzeeb, "beti…..mujhey naaz hai apni beti par……kaash sab apne pyaar ke liye aisa kar sakte…..jeeti raho beti…."
…to be continued…
Kumkum Bhagya
Debate Mansion
