Chapter-9
"I entered this world; I shrieked and cried, until my parents held me to their embrace and said- "Aah! Our Second Daughter has arrived..." I was the pampered little kid of them... I grew, played studied and what not did I do, but put my trust into my parents' hands, I walked all the way to my adulthood...
Today, I stand again at a cross road, where the trust in my parents are holding my hand to give in yours. Oh my life partner! I put my trust in you... In the name of Allah, I begin my journey with you...
I promise to respect you and your family with my heart, to take care of them as I did to my family, to consider them as my family. I promise to be by your side, in thick and thin; in sickness and health; I promise to accept you're bad as I would do to your good... I promise to be as you want me to be... I promise to be your Wife in all ways of life...
"Being the first child of my parents, I was a pampered kid. My parents gave me everything I wished for. But, being pampered never meant to disgrace anybody. I with all my heart respect all around me and specially the women in my life, My Grandmother, my mother, my sister.
My parents gave me another gift of life, a partner for life, my wife to be. Changes are bound to happen in both our lives, a new member is entering my house, and a lot of adjustments are a sure.
Yet, the most adjusting has to be the girl, who leaving back her childhood, adulthood, family and belongings is coming to me, putting along her trust in me...
I promise to take care of you even when nobody does, I promise to be attentive to your muffled cries and take care not only to wipe them off but also to know the reason behind them... I promise to respect your family as I do to mine, and most of all respect you as you are. I promise to be your Guardian Angel... I promise to be your Husband in all ways of life..."
**~~*~~**
A promise you make, a promise I do,
One you one me, makes us a two...
A wedding, a commitment life long,
Here is my heart pouring song...
We enter today into each other's life,
Today you become my husband,
And I'm your wife...
**~~**~~**
Zoya was combing her long hair that touched her waist, looking into the mirror... Busy in her self... Wearing a Maroon Salawaar-Kurta, with a little brocade work done on the neck and a Zardozi work done on the Three- fourth sleeves and also broad border on the hem of her kurta... The dark colour of henna on her hands and a dark shade of dress she was wearing gave her the look that made her look a bride already...
It was breakfast time already, after which the close family guests are soon to be gathered at home, for Zoya's nikaah... Zaina, Zoya's elder sister came into the room to help Zoya dressing up, stood behind Zoya, who was sitting on a dressing stool... Braiding Zoya's hair beautifully, and a little make-up, Zaina pinned the dupatta on her shoulders and finally putting the other half of her dupatta on her head, adjusting it properly, fixing it, so it doesn't slips every now and then...
Both the sisters together looked into the mirror... Although Zoya wasn't wearing many ornaments except Bangles, Ear pieces and a delicate necklace, yet the total ambience gave the looks of Zoya as the bride... Some very involuntary tears glistened both the sisters' eyes. Zaina immediately averted her eyes to stop any crying right at the moment, and totally gave a normal mood... Pulling out a little Kohl out of her own eyes on the tip of her finger and put a dot behind Zoya's ear...
Zaina: Kisi ki nazar na lage... Chalo-Chalo Zoya... Jaldi se breakfast kar lo, then phir nikaah ki tayyari karni hai... I'm waiting downstairs...
And Zaina dashed off the room, unable to hold on to the scene inside... Zoya too thought against shedding any tears and blinked her eyes twice and thrice to ward-off any tears that threaten to spill out of her eyes... Giving a final look at herself at the mirror, she too slowly started to move out, giving a final look to the room that held the memories of her few days of her maiden life here... The next time she'd enter in this room, she's no longer hold the Maiden name...
Not giving any other thought that would make her heart sink, Zoya switched off all the switches, closed the door behind her, and graciously stepped down the stairs to a lot of few guests who had already arrived...
Nibbling slowly at the little breakfast that she took, Zoya finished it anyhow, and then sat on a mattress made on the floor, at the corner of the hall, where all the guests and cousins were talking to her and amongst themselves...
It was when all the relatives came around her, and she knew it's time for her Nikaah!
**~~**~~**~~**
The Nikaah
Nikaah is the main ceremony in the Islamic Wedding that concludes the couple as Husband and wife...
There are certain notions to the ceremony that are known between people due to some reasons one being the media covering in a broadcasting friendly way...
One of the most common things shown on Television during a Muslim Wedding is the Bride and Groom sitting in front of each other with a curtain in between, is although not a wrong ritual, but is mostly not performed. The Bride's Nikaah is done at her home, and the Groom's in a mosque or any other place.
Another wrong way the nikaah was shown on the show was, the Male lead was asked his consent first, and later the Bride; that is another thing that is absolutely incorrect, as the Bride is always asked first so that she shall not be pressurised by anyone because the male has already consented. Thus, the first part of the nikaah is always that of the girl.
Next wrong notion is who reads the nikaah of the bride... The Quaazi DOES NOT read Nikaah for the bride for sure, UNLESS, there is no single male present to read a Nikaah for her... The real father and real brother are not supposed to read the nikaah for the bride, but any of her male relative... Who in a common terms is known as "Nikaahi Abbu", ie. A father like for the wedding...
That follows the same for the Groom, although the Quaazi reads for him, but his words are repeated by the same man that read nikaah for the Girl (ie. Any of her male relative) and then the Groom gives his consent.
Zoya sat with her head lowered a bit with her head covered with the dupatta, while the other female relatives that sat around her also covered their heads with their dupattas... Zoya's Jeeju came and sat in front of her, with a few papers in his hand that meant he was her Nikaahi Abbu...
And within seconds the hall went pin drop silent with the indication that the Nikaah is about to begin... Zoya's Jeeju Anwar Qureshi cleared his throat and begun-
"Bismillah-hi-ar-rehmaan-ar-raheem...
Main Anwar Qureshi aapka Nikaahi Abbu hoon...
Zoya Farooqui, Wald (Parents' name) Janab Ghaffur Ahmed Farooqui aur Mohtarma Zareena Farooqui;
Aapka Nikaah, Asad Ahmed Khan, Wald, Janab Rashid Ahmed Khan aur Mohtarma Dilshaad Khan;
Ke saath Sawa Laakh Rupye, Meher, Sikaaye Raaijul waqt Tayy kiya gaya hai...
Kya aapko yeh Nikaah Qubool hai?"
[For those who had been wondering what all they say, here's a little translation of the above...
In the name of Allah I begin,
I Anwar Qureshi, am your Nikaahi Abbu...
Zoya Farooqui; Parents Mr. Ghaffur Ahmed Farooqui and Mrs. Zareena Farooqui;
Your Nikaah is fixed with Asad Ahmed Khan; Parents Mr. Rahid Ahmed Khan and Mrs. Dilshaad Khan,
With a fixed amount of One Lakhs and Twenty Five thousand Rupees as your Meher, do you accept the Nikaah?]
(Meher is an amount given by a husband to his wife post marriage as an amount of maintenance as per the Husband's Financial worth, to use it in case he ever does anything that she runs short of resources... Meher may or may not be in monetory terms. But is absolutely necessary for a husband to give it to her at the earliest)
With Anwar's question for Zoya's consent, every eye was on Zoya for an answer... Zoya bit her lower lip for a moment... It was not so that she did not wanted to finally marry, but it seems like a matter of few seconds and her entire existence would change... She'd no longer be Miss. Farooqui, but Mrs. Khan, the home that she had always boasted to be hers, although she could go there whenever she wanted, but would not be her actual home...She'd leave one and all behind and live in India, while her family is going back to US... Zoya felt a strong tug at her heart, she suddenly felt like bursting out her varied emotions... She further bit her lower lip to control her emotions, when she heard her Jeeju again asking her the question- "Kya aapko yeh Nikaah Qubool hai?" This time Zaina, Zoya's elder sister kept a sympathetic hand over her head asking her to answer...
Zoya clutched her fingers in a tight fist to gather some courage, and then with a quivering voice said- "Qubool hai"... One and all ladies together said Subhanallah!, as in letting out their happy feelings about the nikaah... Anwar put a paper in front of Zoya, that held her, Asad's and their father's as well two more evidences passport size photographs along with spaces for signatures for all of them there... Anwar said- "Zoya, Nikaahnaame par signature kar do" and with Zoya's and the two other evidences signatures the nikaah from Zoya's side stood complete... And then begun hugging each other, as well Zoya, congratulating each other for the same... And soon when Zoya's Aapi came to her to hug her with the-I understand' look, Zoya just could not hold it anymore, and bursts out into the tears that she was bravely trying to hold, and cry on her sister's shoulders... Zaina too was softly shedding tears seeing her baby sister finally grow up to get married so soon... Every other lady standing there were misty eyed seeing both the sisters cry their hearts out...
(Okay! Some of you must be wondering that I didn't put Qubool hai thrice here... Well, the thrice wala concept is because in many a cases it is such an overwhelming feeling to say a single Qubool hai, specially for a Bride, that many of them start crying so much that they are just unable to speak the two words even once... And thus is the concept of asking it Thrice... if the Bride and the groom say a Qubool hai even for once, the nikaah is stood to be valid, and is not necessary to ask thrice)
After the Lunch, when Zoya was normal, it did not take much for her cousins to change back her mood to normal... The elder ladies went busy for some of the things of the wedding while all the male members went to the venue of the baraat to check if things are ok or not...
Zoya's cousins along with her locked in one room, and were on a spree of spoofs enacting all of the members at the house here and there... It was an intentional try to lift Zoya's mood before she finally says good-bye at night... Zoya was literally rofling seeing her cousins going nuts doing all the stupidity around... And finally did her phone pang with an incoming message on Whatsapp... She looked at the clock, it was fine 3 o clock when Asad finally spared some moments out of his extremely hectic schedule managing all the things at the wedding as well being at his home and attending to all the main relatives who had gathered up at the wedding... Zoya soon after her Nikaah, when she had found some semblance had message to Asad- "Nikaah Mubarak ho", and this was his reply finally... Even in his text message she could really read his happiness, as if, If he could, we would have jumped out of the cell phone and hugged her with his happiness... Now it was his turn to say Qubool hai, some 2 hours later, and she knew it was the first thing he wanted to do at this moment... Though, it was an emotional moment for Zoya during her Nikaah, but in total, she was very happy for her nikaah too. And the palpable happiness that Asad had, made Zoya smile from ear to ear... After all, it's THEIR wedding... Their nikaah!
Zoya's moment with the thought of Asad broke when one of her cousins shouted at her- Zoya Baaji... Zoya looked up and saw them disappointed... After all, all the freaky madness they were doing was for her only... And this is the final time to enjoy with them, as it would be him and their new family that would be her main attention... Thus, Zoya kept her phone aside after informing Asad, and resumed enjoying the entertainment that her cousins had prepared for her...
An hour later, Zoya stood up with her pack bag as it was time for her to leave for the Beauty Salon where she had an appointment with the beautician, who would make her ready as the bride for the day... Picking up all the things that she needed, Zoya was just about to step out of the house, when she gave a thorough look at the house; she had been staying in, and to all the people around... This time when she goes, she is not going to come here until tomorrow, because once she gets ready, she'd be directly dropped to the venue... Zoya went upstairs to her room by pretence of forgetting something... She looked around the room one final time, sat on the bed, covered her face with her palms for a moment, and took a few deep breaths calming herself down, and then stood up to finally leave the house... This time, she was a better resolute, and could go through this without breaking down again... She simply did not feel like crying anymore... Surprisingly, she was happy and excited, the bubbly self that she is always one...
**~~**~~**
"Asad, Beta tayyar hue ki nahi?", it was Rashid at 4 o clock at Asad's room's door asking if he was ready for the nikaah... And just then the knob of the door clicked open, and out came Asad in an Off-White Sherwani and Cream coloured Chudidaar Pyjaama, with his silver watch on his wrist... Rashid smiled and along did Dilshaad who was standing by Rashid and she leaned a bit on to her husband's shoulder as if the scene in front of her eyes took her heart away... She moved forward smilingly, and moved her palms over Asad's head in act of taking "Balaayein", an act done in order to ward-off any bad eyes off her son, and letting those over themselves if that is what is meant to be... Dilshaad did so and clicked her finger on her forehead completing her act and then said- "Mashallah! Mera beta kitna handsome lag raha hai..." and that earned a soft smile from Asad; his mother has always been that sweet kind of whenever any of her three children including Ayaan dressed up... And then is when Ayaan came to Dilshaad and gave her an arm hug, and then said-"Ammi, Kabhi apne iss bete ko bhi dekh lijiye... Hum bhi tayyar hue hain..." And Dilshaad turned towards him, and ran a soft hand over his Spotless Lucknowi and Patch worked White Kurta, that he wore over a white chudidaar pyjama, and then said- "Lag toh pyaara mera yeh beta bhi hai... But Ayaan, beta, aap dulha thodi na hain..." and Najma butted in and said- "Ayaan Bhaijaan always needs footage..." and Asad chuckled on it... It was sure Ayaan and Najma are soon for another Cat-Mouse fight, that they always did, when Rashid hushed both of them... "Bas... Abhi koi jhagda nahi... Asad, baitho beta, aapka Saafa' baandhein..." And Asad sat on the chair for the same...
(Ok! Saafa is a turban that is bound around the Groom's head that is done in Indian weddings... It is always tied and are not the ones that are usually ready-made in the market)
Asad, Rashid, Ayaan and the other male relatives gathered together in the cars to go to the mosque, Taj-ul-Masjid, one of the most famous as well biggest mosques of Bhopal... Zoya's father, Jeeju and other male relatives too were over there... They greeted each other and all gathered in a huge hall of the mosque to offer their namaz for Asar...
After the Namaz, Asad was made to sit on the beddings made on the floor of the hall, where on his front facing him sat Anwar, the Nikaahi Abbu for the Wedding and the Quaazi, while the other males who intended to attend the nikaah sat all around the three of them... The Quaazi began reciting various verses and then begun the same words that Anwar had said to Zoya during her nikaah, that Anwar repeated them again for Asad too...
"Bismillah-hi-ar-rehmaan-ar-raheem...
Main Anwar Qureshi aapka Nikaahi Abbu hoon...
Asad Ahmed Khan, Wald Janab Rashid Ahmed Khan aur Mohtarma Dilshaad Ahmed Khan,
Aapka nikaah, Zoya Farooqui, Wald Janab Ghaffur Ahmed Farooqui aur Mohtarma Zareena Farooqui,
Ke saath Sawa Laakh Rupye, Meher, Sikaaye Raaijul waqt Tayy kiya gaya hai...
Kya aapko yeh Nikaah Qubool hai?"
And Asad on the first called gave his consent, "Qubool hai" "Subhanallah!" was said by all and after a few very auspicious prayers for a successful marriage by the Quaazi begun the hugging session among all... Rashid, Ayaan and some more boys of their side begun distributing boxes of sweets among all the males who had attended the nikaah, that is known as- Nikaah ka hissa'... These are the sweets distributed by the Groom's side, soon after the nikaah as their happiness over the auspicious act done just now...
And with that, all begun loading back to their cars to get ready and finally reach to the Venue of the reception of Baraat... As soon as Asad sat, he messaged Zoya the same message that she sent, only with a new addition- "Nikaah mubaarak ho Mrs. Khan"'... And then kept the phone aside...
Zoya, who was getting ready in the beauty salon, got her phone pinged twice...
Seeing Asad's message, she ignored the other one in priority and smiled as well blushed with his message... After looking at his message for what it looked like the 10th time in the minute, Zoya disinteresting, yet looked, and saw Ayaan's message, and her disinterest converted into curiosity, and then is when she smiled profusely... That little brother of her, her new best friend, her Dewar that she called so, arranged to get the video of the nikaah of Asad recorded in his cellphone, and had sent it to her... Zoya couldn't thank enough Ayaan for that, and she said the same to him too, to which he immediately replied- "Anytime Bhabhi :-)", and smilingly Zoya went back to getting dressed up...
**~~**~~**
Asad stood wearing a Golden and black combination Sherwani and a Golden Saafa on his head, with a black pyjama down, making him look, devastatingly handsome in that... They were about to leave, when Najma came running to him, and immediately put a little surma from her box in one of Asad's eye... Asad was left baffled, at what Najma did, and the others began laughing on him...
Asad was about to rub a hand on his eye to remove that when Najma fervently asked him not to rub that, and asked him to give her some Neg' ie. An amount as her prize on his wedding... Asad was just too confused to react, and gave away some money to her... With that Najma started laughing and teasing him... When Asad looked into the mirror, he found nothing in his eye, and Najma again started laughing on fooling her eldest brother... On that his Dadi explained to him, "Beta, pehle ke zamaane mein Behen bhai ki ek aankh mein surma laga ke chod deti thi, taaki uska bhai usko neg de... Par ab ke waqt mein surma achha nahi lagta na, isliye Najma ye nakhli surma leke aayi thi, taaki tumhara chehra aakhri waqt mein kharaab na ho jaaye..."... And Asad was left smiling wistfully at Najma, who in return showed him her tongue to further tease him...
Asad sat in the decorated car, with his Abbu, Najma,and Ayaan, while all the other relatives piled into the other cars including Dilshaad and Dadi... (The baraat in the muslim wedding does not go with Dhoom-Dhadaaka, Band-baja and all), and they all drove off one after the other, all the cars had small pamphlets of Asad Weds Zoya' that indicated that a baraat was going... Well before the gate of the Venue, Ayaan and his cousins started bursting crackers that were loud enough for the Bride's side that the Baraat has come... And sure till the entrance gate their presence was known in minutes and When Asad and his family members and relatives stood at the gate, all the boys and girls at Zoya's side had already blocked the gate with a huge and strong bamboo stick, that has to be warded off by the groom's side to enter... And sure began a healthy banter and tug-off war between both the sides, with finally the boys from Asad's side were able to push away the stick as well ffind space between Zoya's relatives and then all started to enter inside... Asad and his family were welcomed with whole pride and honour, and finally Asad was ushered to the stage, where there were two king and Queen size Wedding chairs were kept, and a Shy, yet really very-very beautiful Zoya was sitting with her head bowed a bit... As soon as Asad and his family came on stage, Zoya, with the help of her sisters stood up and gave her salaam to all of Asad's relatives...
As both the bride and groom had to be made to wear the garlands, two beautiful garlands were handed over to both of them to make the other wear... Although, this is not their tradition, yet, it was a fun filled affair, when Asad put the garland around Zoya's neck, while Zoya did the same against the hooting and encouraging by the cousins and young relatives...
Within a few minutes the relatives started to settle, as well the guests for the reception too started to visit and bless the couple, and when none of them would be on stage, both of them sat on their respective chairs... Asad very subtly leaned towards Zoya and mumbled- "Mashallah! Bohot khoobsurat lag rahi hain aap aaj"... Zoya gave a slight smile so that none of the people see them talking... Zoya with a very slow and deft movement lifted up her lashes to see her man, and if her heart had not already come on him, this is when she could again fall in love with him... He really looked very handsome, and she was sure many of the girls tonight would have envied her for her man... Zoya smiled to herself, and continued greeting the guests who came one after the other on stage to bless them...
Both of them didn't realise, when the hours after hours went by this way, and it was almost 11 at night when both of them were ushered to the dining area to finally have their dinner, as most of the guests have already visited and blessed the couple... Making Asad and Zoya sit together, the videographers too asked them to feed each other with some food, as they clicked pics, while the other cousins at both the sides hooted at their feeding each other...
Zoya had hardly eaten much when she asked one of her cousins that was helping her eat to stop, because she just did not will to eat anymore...
Getting back on the stage, both of them were again seated on their seats, and a sure after few minutes did Dilshaad came to Zareena, Zoya's mother to ask for the Rukhsat ie Bidaai of Zoya, and Zareena nodded immediately... Dilsaad brought a basket near Zoya, which had many, flowers in them... She held two strings and pulled it up, it was a Sehra, a curtain like, made of flowers that is tied around the head of the bride that covers her face with the flower curtains...
Dilshaad touched the sehra on seven other married women's foreheads, before tying it around Zoya's forehead... Some of the elderly women who happened to be Zoya' s maternal and Paternal Grandmothers put a hand over her head and blessed her with all the prosperity of her married life, and prayers of her security and safety did make her move down the stairs of the stage, to finally bid-adieu to her family...
Zoya hugged her family and relatives and friends, almost shaking with the intensity of the cries that must be releasing from her heart finally bidding bye to her family... And at the background the DJ played a very appropriate number...
Banno ri banno meri,
Chali Sasural ko,
Akhiyon mein paani de gayi,
Duaa mein meethi gud-dhaani le gayi...
Gudiya ri gudiya tera,
Gudda pardesiya,
Jodi aasmaani ho gayi,
Shagun pe dekho shaadmaani ho gayi...
_________________________
Phewww!!! This one long chap dearies...!!! Have a happy read...
And one more thing, I think these serial people have literally spoiled the looks of the bride in the eyes of the viewers... This is how a muslim bride looks like in India...
Chalo have a nice time...
Thank u all...
N plz dunn ask when is the next update...😆
Love
Aazeen
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Cricket
CID
126