SS: Assam Bound

"Sardar ji roti da vela ho gaya. Hun ghar vi geda marjo. Tuhade teh darshan ee mehnge ho gaye", her raspy voice beckoned a mesmerized man on the other end of the line.

Sardar ji (sardar= term of respect used for turbaned sikhs. ji= suffix used after names for respect) it's time for dinner. Come home once in a while, I am dying for one look.

"Motiyan wale oye badshaho, bande da cheta vi aa gaya. Aa riyan ji. Sabr karo".

Queen of pearls (punjabi pop-culture reference now used as a term of endearment by couples), you finally remember this petty man! I am coming, have some patience.

"Teh mera paranda?"

And when is my paranda getting here? Paranda= cloth hair extension used as an accessory.

"Kala rang da lehanda"

I bought a black paranda. Note: Sardar ji's words have two meanings. He is also hinting to a popular folk song called "kale rang da paranda".

"Chado ji mazak".

Stop joking/teasing me.

"Oye hoye sohneyon, sharma gaye?"

What happened beautiful? Blushing or something?

"Nahi taan"

No, absolutely not!

"Haaye naare, jaan eee kadd layi"

Gosh girl, you will be the death of me (meant in a teasing manner).

"Ranjha"

"Heere"

These refer to the names of the popular love story of Heer and Ranjha (closest western equivalent is Juliet and Romeo).

"Omaya! Sardar ji meri teh cha rijh challi ya"

Oh my god! Sardar ji, the tea is boiling over.

"Ther ja mutiyare! Cha teh bandi rehni, yaar ni milna"

Hold up girl, the tea can wait, you man can't.

"Saadi akh ne rona sikh leya behde yaar nu taras na aya", she unconsciously twisted a strand of hair around her fingers, eyes twinkling like a school girl at his teasing.

My eyes learned to weep but my lover is cold as ever. Madhu is attempting amateur poetry here.

"Haaye ni sardarni, rabb da shukar eh tu shaayar nahi je bane. Ban jandi taan iss duniya toh shaayari da namo nishan mitt janda".

Thank the heavens you aren't a poet or else you'd put everyone out of business/ destroy the industry.

"Ki gal? Mein inni buri je?"

Am I that bad?

"Lutt sutiya kudiye! Tere gur mithe bolaan cho meinu apne ugde hoye kal di saver nazar aauni eh".

I am dead sugar bloomers (he's being cheesy but not THAT cheesy. There is no English equivalent for the phrase). In your honey sweet voice, I can dream a dream of our bright tomorrow.

"Challa leh aanda ke laare ee aa aje vi?" she tended to the burned milk still boiling on the stovetop. "Oh teri!"

In that case, did you get me the band? (Similar to a ring but the Punjabi language makes a distinction between a band (challa) and a ring (mundi). Challe are usually promise rings between couples whereas mundis are reserved for engagements and weddings). Oh God!

"Theek aen?"

Are you alright?

"Aaho ji"

Yes

"Hain das kamli! Viah wale din challa nahi mundi mildi aa"

Silly girl, you will get a mundi not a challa for the wedding.

"Challa hoya, mundi hoyi, same same eh. Menu teh bass mera sardar chahida".

Same difference. I just need my sardar.

"Tuh ghar aa jattiye, tenu manje surg dikaaoon".

You just come home girl, I will rock your world. (The literal translation here sounds creepy so I did not translate word for word. His words have a sexual meaning. You can imagine the rest).

"Chall jhutha".

You are a big liar.

"Aaye hahe kaalja hi kadh liya".

Gosh, you are killing me/ stole my heart!

She kissed the speaker on her cellphone.
"Raat bahut ho gayi, saun jao ji".

Go to sleep, it's late

"Inni ki jaldi hai sardarni. Do ghadi hor". He kissed her back, virtually of course.

No hurries girl, two more minutes.

"Je do ghadi hor ruk gayi taan teri yaad ne menu jyundiyan nahi chadna sardara"

If I stay a little longer, I will die missing you.

"Ni meri Madhubala, toon bas do din hor intezaar kar, iss vaar di chutti mein tere ghar ton pair bar ni paunda".

My Madhubala (he is comparing her to movie actress of the same name), you just wait two more days. This holiday, I am stepping nowhere outside our bedroom.

"Ji sadke aao ji. Aacha rakhdi aa sardara, hun teh sach much dhuper toh kala nehra chad giya gallan kardi da".

You are always welcome home. I am going to hang up now. The sun gave way to darkness talking to you (meaning time flew by).

"Changa, sada cheta na bhulaanyin".

Alright, don't you forget about me.

"Jo hukum".

As you wish.

"Eh chidi jo kade baaj da hukam na manni aaj sada kithon mannegi".

This sparrow is tough enjoy to defy an eagle. Then, I am no match for her. (He is vaguely using a religious reference of a Sikh warrior woman who fought and won against Mughal generals during the time of Guru Gobind Singh Ji).

"Ji chaar lavaan leh ke vahuti banayenga teh tera paani doh ki piyaangi".

If you marry me, I will respect you for the rest of my life. (Note 1 : chaar lavaan refers to the Sikh wedding aka Anand Karaj where the bride/groom take 4 rounds around Guru Granth Sahib Ji as a raagi reads from the holy book. Note 2: paani doh ke pina is term of extreme respect or gratitude but is used here jokingly and not as an expression of servitude).

"Saachi?"

Really?

"Mucchi"

Yes

"Chall jhoothi!"

You're a big liar! (He is teasing her by giving her words back to her).

Two cities were filled with the sounds of their trickling laughter- one far east, another far north of India.

Two days later, the laughter stopped. Captain Jorabar Singh Cheema did not return in the crisp ironed uniform his fiancee sent him off in.

"Kattan sohneyaan ve tere naa diyaan pooniyan..." she hummed practicing tying his turban against the window sill.

She is singing a folk song about a girl knitting cotton thread in remembrance of her love.

"Aao ji, ji aayaan noo. Kaumi nahra jai hind", she saluted at the sound of footsteps at the door.

Welcome home, the national cheer is "Jai Hind". (This is was a formal greeting in army style schools in the 20th century- early 2000s. Here it is used as a form of teasing).

"Sardar ji teri naar teri pag di pooni noo vi taras gayi".

Sardar ji, your girl is even missing tying your turban for you.

No sound.

She was startled.

"Sardar ji?"

"..."

"Sardara?"

"..."

"Captain Jorabar Singh, dekh mere na majak na kar. Meri jaan teri jaan che vasdi. Hun bol vi sardara!"

Captain Jorabar Singh, don't mess with me. You are my life, don't scare me. Say something.

She could hear heavy breathing on the other side of the closed door.

"Meri donali kol eh. Kaun eh? Ragaan che damm hai taan samne aa!" she roared half hoping it was him playing pranks like he always did.

I have my 12 round rifle with me. Whoever it is, come out if you have the guts

It was him.

But in a body bag.

"Captain Jorabar Singh Cheema line of duty mein shaahid ho gaye", a young leautinent Rishabh Kundra announced in a callus voice. Madhubala Singh Malik saluted back before collapsing to the ground as her feet gave in and the floor sank low, pulling her in too deep into the throes of his loss.

"Mera sardar" was all she said for the next two days as the army arranged for Captain Jorabar's funeral. She stood still without a tear when she sent his body into the incinerator, watching him burn into ashes and bones.

One by one, everyone took their leave. Jora had no known family and madhu was not eligible for benefits because their love was never proven on paper. Even so, nepotism and the squadron's love for their lost leader resulted in her getting a permanent lodging at the army's Assam base.

"You can stay here as long as you like miss. The furnishings, the team and I will take care of that", Rishabh hesitated presenting his help.

"Je mera sardar nahi teh mera ethe ki rakheya?"

If my sardar is not, then what am I to do staying here?

"I heard you paint miss?" he tried changing the topic. Clearly, he wasn't very good at expressing emotion.

"Oh, Captain told me. Although I only met him once but he was a good man, a great leader. I will be taking over the squad along with another major". Shit, he was rambling.

"Assam is a beautiful place miss, you should stay".

He rubbed his head in confusion before heading out. He really could not handle seeing beautiful women cry.

Author's note 2: I just finished translating and boy is it a lot of work! Especially the detailed pop-culture and Punjabi-specific references are really difficult to convey in English. The beauty of Punjabi, ah! This story made me happy. Here's to hoping it did the same for you!