Purity

When he went to meet his other friends......................

.................................................................."shela"...........

"I am home!", the door was opened and he shouted with hands spreading out falling his bag down exactly at entrance where 34 year old thin, tanned and black small bearded Bashir uncle, wearing topi or hat and sky blue kurta shalwar of cotton, was standing to open the gate and dawdle forward.

"aaj kiya tareekh hai, Bashir bhai"(What's the date today, Bashir uncle), suddenly eyes opened and head straighten and he asked him.

"Tais beta" (23, son), he replied while putting the bag on one seat sofa placed in front Fajahad after side table.

"tais hai, okay, tais yani, tueskday aur tuesday yani.......Sardar bhai ki beti ki shaadi!!" (It is 23, okay...., and 23 means...Tuesday....and Tuesday means.......Sardar uncle's daughter's wedding!!!), still standing there and trying to connect the dots as he took few words out he jumped his index finger of right hand in air forward horizontally and when he come to conclusion he got excited.

"Aaj kal tere mere pyaar k charchay har zuban par aahan" ( today everyone giggles about love story),and  his cell rang.

And Farah grimaced on ringtne which was very old hindi song.

 "aur yeh raha invitation!!" (And there is the invitation!!), while he skidded towards the chest of drawers at right facing the back of one seat sofa.

"Salam Sardar bhai, kaisay hain aap"(Good Afternoon Sardar uncle, how are you), he said. He was smiling with teeth could be seen and sweat running down from hair on shirt.

"saada khush ne taaza khush" (Always happy and freshly happy), the lively fluffy, white long bearded sardar who loves to wear suitable turban, Punjabi type loose Kurta shalwar, said in his Punjabi tone.

"waah ji waah, kiya kamal de khabar tanu sunaya way" (It is great and great!!! what news you have given me), he enjoyed his reply and responded like him in Punjabi tone using some Punjabi words.

"O Fajad babu, tanu di madad chahiye manu"(Ohh gentleman Fajad, I want your help), he said a bit stubbornly like a child while his leg standing at rock and left hand resting on that lap as if he want to make him to do it at any cost.

"hukum sarkar hukm karan" (Give me order, sir), the right hand raised above and fingers opened and he enjoyed his cute child like stubborness.

"bhai meri dee je shaadi mein tanu aana hai, lazmi!!" (you have to come at my daughter's wedding, it is must!!), he told him in Punjabi and Urdu mixture.

"aap kahaein aur main na aao, aisa kaisay ho sakta hai!!"(how is it possible that I won't come after your order), he said. He was smiling, after all he was waiting for that day.

"yeh hui naa baat" (That's what I want!!), he said. He wanted Fajahad to come. And when Fajahad agreed, he was overwhelmed.

"bus phir main hazir, jab aap bolein"(So, I am here in your honour, I will come whenever you call me), he said, giving him respect and enjoying his company.

"Aur haan Faji babu, khane ka bhi tanu sambhal"(And yes Fajahad, you have to see and look at catering), he said to him.

"Budget bata dey manuuuuuuuuu"(Tell me the budget), Fajahad said.

"Budget hazir"(Budget is here), he told him budget and number of people.

"chal theek hai, abhi ek baj rahay hain tanu 4 ta final kar k inform kar da"(okay, it is one now, i will call you at 4 and inform you all about this), he looked at his riat watch first and then at wall clock and said to him.

"lakh shukriya ne lakh mehrbani, Faji babu"(million times thank you and million times blessings to you,, gentleman Faji), he said. He was very much happy and thank him very much.

"kiya shukriya ne kiya babu, sardar bhai, dost hoon aap ka, abhi rakhta hoon phir baat karein ge chalein theek hai"

jee jee"(What thank you and what gentleman, I am your friend, I off the phone now, talk you later, okay), he cut the call.

"yeh sardar bhai kon hai?"(Who is Sardar bro?), Farah who was jumping pistachio one after another in her mouth, asked.

"aray bhool gai tum!!" (Have you forgotten about him!!), he said. He shocked to hear that she didn't remember such a gregarious old man who came into their contact once.

she grimaced and thinking about whom he is talking as if he knew him since childhood.

"abay yahi, jinho ne Faraz ki shaadi mein decoration sambhali thi, khaas kar k phool ka kaam"(he is that one man who manage decoration in Faraz's wedding, especially flowers), he was trying to go in past and find out that man in white beard and thick body having pagri (turban) on head.

"tum un sey bhi contact mein ho, abhi tak"(you are still in contact with him,still),she was shocked when she got it who was Sardar sahab (uncle) on his being excessive social even with those who come and go.

"haan, tou!!"(yes, so!!), he said. He could not understand why she grimaced on his being in contact with him. And he argued.

"you're mad Faji, totally", she commented while pointing her index at her head and moving it round to show him he is mad, took her bag on shoulders and started to walk upstairs.

"aur tum sanki" (and you are wacky), he responded while seeing him walking in the corridor on upper floor towards her room.

                                -

"Asalam  O Alaikum Parveen auntie"(Good afternoon Perveen auntie),he called at one of his known while going in upstairs from right stairs beside the stairs from which Farah went up to his room.

"walikum walikum Asalam Betay kasiay ho"(Good Afternoon son, how are you), a 40+ year old plump and short auntie having tanned and loosed skin and very much used and faded green clothes on which there was print on her physique, greeted heartily.

"Main theek aap sunai" (I am fine what about you), he said while walking upstairs at very last stairs. He felt relieve while talking to her after a great time.

"bus karam hai malik ka aur aap ki duaein saath hain" (I am fine too because of the blessings of Allah and your prayers), she said while moving spoon in rusted saucepan from outside heartily. He was lisening to her while walking in the corridor towards his room.

"Auntie aap se ek kaam tha"(Auntie I need your help), he came to the point, opening the gate of his room.

"haan bolo" (Yes, tell me), the spoon was stopped moving, she came out of the kitchen  after drying her hands from towel and sat on sofa outside in lounge.

"aaj aap free hain" (Are you free today), he asked, throwing bag on bed and loosening his tie.

"haan beta, bol" (ye son, tell me now), she asked.

" sau bandon k liye biryani aur samoson ka order aaya hai, aap bana sakti hain" (there is an order of cooking biryani and samosas for 100 people,canyou prepare it?), he asked her while beseating on bed.

"haan haan kyun nahi,kab tak chaiye hai"(yes yes why not, in how much time you need it ?), she relieved him. And then asked him. She was happy.

"yahi lag bhag saath aath bajay tak" (at the time from 7 to 8PM), he told her time .

"chalo jee theek hai bhai, taiyaar ho jaye ga, lekin ek shart hai"(Okay, so it will get prepared, but there is one thing), she listened him carefully and told himthat she would get prepare on that time which pleased him and made him interrogative soon when she said that there is one problem.

"kiya?"(What??), he asked with back bending more down and fingers opening in interrogation as she said but there is one thing

"tumhein yahan aana hoga, chaar bajay, madad karne"(You have to come here at four to help me), she said. He laughed that his favourite auntie created such suspense in simple conversation that in initiation his heart came out.

"jaisa hukum aap ka"(As you order), he said while his jumped down on bed with legs still on floor at right angle  with floor.

"yeh hui na baat, chalo abmain phone rakhti hoon, ALLAHHafiz"(That is good, now I am declining the call, goodbye), she said. She got happy on hearing such news of his coming. She cut the call and stood to go in kitchen while shouting "Mehru, Jamila, kahan ho sab, ek tou order mila hai aur yeh sub hain k aatay hi nahi hain" (Mehru, Jamila, where are all of you, today we have got an order and no one is coming here to help me), she first shouted and then start murmuring that she had finally got order after a long time and no one is coming to help her.

And he, on the other hand,put the phone on study table placed at right corner beside bed at good distance from it and then he jumped on his bed and very soon the noise of snoozing was wearing and tearing the ears of the walls and everything in the room.

                                    --

"chalo jee main chala"(Okay so I am going), as the clock ticked at four he threw his maths book away from his crossed laps and jumped up and then looked at the wrist watch, he picked up his thick math book and put it in very small pocket that book was squeezing and lines were coming it which were witnessing its suffocation but who cares and he picked the keys and jumped out from the room and ran downstairs and while going out he informed "main 6 tak aaon ga"(I will come back till 6) to bashir chacha(uncle)

 and then the bike ran behind the house.

                                 ---

The bike was running along the narrow streets on Delhi Colony, a slum area in Karachi.

"yeh kon hai"(Who is he?), she, who was sitting on a small wooden chair placed in front of the mirror attached on pink wall and small table of wood on chich lipsticks and face powder was placed along with comb owned beautiful pink and thin lips having perfect V shape of upper lips and V shaped face made her prominent jawline to make olive and golden face which has its own shine more beautiful, was trying to guess whose hands covered her eyes by ticking her smooth thin flat hands and long fingers decorated with fine long nails of bright pink colour by nature on eyes-covering-hands and once she got it, the warm hold was felt and laughed "Fajahad!" and looked up and find a smiling face of a young teenager boy.

and he put his hands away (still being hold by her) and walked beside her and then in front of her very near and sat on his feet and laps working as table on which he put his elbow of right hand and palm of same hand down the chin whose fingers clutched the chin beside 3 gate cupboard placed little far from him and against the blue wall opposite to pink one and she said "Kaisay ho, kahan thay itne dino sey"(How are you? Where were you from so long?), she asked and then complained for not coming at her place for so long pretty nicely.

"theek hoon, aap sunai, sorry aana bhool gaya tha i was busy a bit"(I am fine? What about you?Sorry I forgot to come, actually I got busy a bit)he said. He was trying to give appropriation rightful reason. Each time he was clarifying until her getting wider lips and more narrowing eyes on his each reason stopped getting wide and narrow and until she said "Acha theek hai, it is okay" and smiled again having dimple and loop at right cheek and lip side. "acha aap ko pata hai main college ka HAP....."(Do you know I have become HAP ......)and he began to tell all his college tales while standing and moving backward as he saw Rehman-young 10 year old thin and tall boy having tanned skin but smooth and silky hair and almond shaped brown eyes like his sister but he had short one in green shirt on which BEN TEN was printed along with black pant and boyish watch, coming in from wooden door's border near the dressing table and bringing in chair with him.

and she laughed as usual.

"wow, yeh tou bohat acha shade hai"(Wow, that's a good shade), while they were laughing his eyes glanced at her lipsticks kit.

"acha, achi lag rahi hai tou lay lo"(Really, if you really like take it), she smiled and said. She firstly could not understand that how a guy like him can be interested in lipstick shades. But when she saw him looking very interstingly then she offered him to take it.

"yeh wala lay loon?"(Can I take this one?), he pointed at pink shade.

"haan ley lo"(yestake it), she said, still observing his interest in shades.

"wahan sey utha lo, yahan sasti wali pari hai behan lagaye gi tou beemar par jaiye gi wahan sey utha lou"(take it from there, I keep cheap and lost cost lipsticks here, if your sister apply any of them then she would get allergy, so take it from there) she pointed at right pink wall-opposite to the wall which from which gate border was cut down and between these two wall there were many mattresses lying on the floor, where was the  side table table filled with black and expensive lipstick kit, spread-ed clothes and iron and having line of pouches sewed together hanged on wall and beside them were attached wooden blocks on which box and registers were kept.

He went there, opening and observing the shade to find the correct one while he asked "aap ko kaise pata k behan k liye maang raha hoon"(How do you get to know that I am asking for my sister?)

"saaf saaf chehray par likha hua tha bhai ko behan yaad aagai lipstick ka shade dekh kar"(It is clearly written on your face that brother remembered his sister on seeing lipstick shades), she said while applying mascara and on hearing such he turned around in shock at her.

"hai na??"(Am I right), she said pointing index at him to confirm whether she was right or not.She asked himafer pplyimh mascara o eyes and lipstick while looking at mirror making circle from mouth.

"jee"(yes), he said, looking down in shyness.

she laughed.

"mil gaya?"(have you got the shade?), asked and he put the shade in pocket after looking at it and remembering how Farah will look pretty with it.

                                                       ----

the patties strips were being rolled at one side in triangular shape and biryani was being cooked in the centre of small, tiny and green walled kitchen,which became crowdy in the ppresence of only 3 people, having cupboards beside stove on both sides, large dustbin at right side of the stoves near cupboards and lots of workers sitting opposite yo stove and making samosas and boiling rice on another very small stone at corner of the opposite wall.

                                                       -----

"chalo auntie ab main chalta hoon"(Okay auntie now I am leaving), he said while standing up after drinking water from wooden structure made sofa, placed just few steps outside the kitchen and against the wall from which stairs ran downstairs where the the room of Mehru and his brother was made, to put it on matka(pitcher), placed front of the sofa on stand which was placed against the wall beside gate, and walked out of the house.

"aur haan aap taiyaar rahyein ga, dawat mein aap ko bhi aana hai aur mehru baji ko bhi"(and yes be ready, you have to come in wedding andMehru baji too), he said as he thought about it.

"mehru ko tum khudi keh dou"(You said to Mehru by yourself) Parveen said as she saw her daughter coming at home under the dark sky during Magrib azaan.

"baji lipstick k saath saath ek aur cheez bhi chaiye hai"(Sister I want one more thing from you along the lipstick you have given to me), he asked as he saw her coming towards them with head covered with dupatta loosely(just it was putted on head) and holding files looking with narrow eyes to them that why they were standing there and looking at her like this.

"kiya?"(what),she asked. first she looked at her mother and then him

"dawat mein aap ki hazri"(your attendance in wedding), he said.

"theek hai, wada nahi karti, ho saka tou zaroor aaoun gi"(okay, I will not promise you, but if I can then I will come), she said.

"zaroorat par nahi, aana hi hoga"(Not only in possibility, you have to come)

"acha chalo dekte hain"(Okay we will see)

"aap dono taiyaar rahiyein ga"(please be ready both of you on time)

                                                        ------

"I am home", he cheered.

and came down again after getting ready for shaadi.

"aur bhai aap sunai kaisay hain"(And you bro, what's up?), he opened the door and said while standing at door and holding it.

"theek, tu kahan jaa raha hai"(fine, where are you going), he asked as he saw him from up to down in white kurta shalwar of cotton having broad and boyish wrist watch on head and smell of sexiest perfume from him.

"sardar bhai ki shaadi mein"(Sardar uncle's event)

"phool walay sahab?"(flower one uncle?), Faraz was confirming.

"haan, wahen, aap aayein ge"(yes, that one, will you come), he excited as he saw his brother remembered him

"nahi nahi tu jaa", he said.

"chalo phir theek hai baad mein mulakaat hogi", and the gate was closed behind him and he went off.

                                                       -------

the bike was parked near the hall-the four white big thick clothes were tied from from wooden stand to wooden stand and purple cloth on up making cone like structure because of having 2 stands in the wall to support the the purple cloth acting as roof, on wide road of slum area crowded by brick made houses having no layer of cement and paint and if it were so the building were not in good condition.

-"saalam paaji, key haal hai"(Good evening uncle,how are you), he entered the hall. The enterance was near the area where he parked the bike. As he entered, he found seats on both sides on whose old men of their class were sitting and meeting up and young people meeting them, kissing their hands and far 10 footsteps far from entrance were the seats where fat aunties and all kinds of girls were sitting and waiting for bride. Fajahad hugged his dear Sardar sahab and then greeted them.

"khanay de key khabar?"(what about food?), he asked and started to beyond entrance

-"ready hai je ready hai, kab laoon"(It is ready, it is ready, when should I bring?), he kissed the hand of last person sitting at very entrance and then straightened, turned to him and answered.

"nau war tak"(till 9), he told him."aur haan bawarchi dey lana zaroor,(And yes bring book too with you here to attend),he continued.

-"bol dia tha unhe k taiyaar rahein"(I told them to get ready)

"kab aayein gi"(When will they come)

-"main laata hoon khawateen bhi aur khaana bhi"(I am going to pick them and food too)

                                                    --------

"mummy kehti hain k make up mein namaz nahi hoti"(Mummy says that salah can not be offered with make up), she was offering salah and he was sitting beside her on mattress between side table at right and drressing near entrance with right leg pushing his stomach and waiting for her salah to be finished and as her salah finished he said.

"Namaz mein make up sey ziyada dil ki ahmiyat hoti hai, dil hai tou namaz hai, dil nahi tou namaz nahi"(there is more importance of having focus than make up in salah), she corrected him and smiled.

"aap aarahi hain"(Are you coming), he asked after some silence.

"haan"(Yes),she replied, taking off chadaar (long dupatta of thick cloth)

"yeh hui na baat"(That's great),he laughed.

the three entered the shaadi hall where sardar sahab welcomed the two ladies and Fajahad guided them and took them to their seats.

                                                       -------

"Chalo jee, ab main chalta hoon sardar bhai, wapis aaon ga, pehley in baajion ko chor doon phiir aata hoon"(Okay so now I am going, I will come back after dropping the ladies at home), he said and went with the two ladies out.

                                                           -----------

"humein bhi tou kabhi lift kara, sub ko waqt daiti hai kabhi humein bhi tou............."(Please give time to us too dear sweet heart,you give time to others alwaus so sometime please give time.........), the roads were narrow and home was two streets away from the hall and in the last street they were walking with three together and someone was following them and teasing Mehrunissa which Fajahad could not tolerate. firstly he was stopped by her but when he said more he could not be stopped her and he took her hand away from his wrist turn around and yelled "Bus!! bohat hogaya!! ghar mein maa behanein nahi hai kiya!!!"(Enough is enough!!! Its too much!! Dont you have mothers and ssters at home!!!)

"Maa behanein tou hain par chaar dewarion mein, iski tarah AT................."(We have mothers and sisters but at home not like her an AT.....), and Fajahad knew what he was going to say ATM machine-24 hour open, and he ran to him and trapped his neck tightly and angered "ek aur lafz kiya agar agay kuch bhi bola tou moon tor doon ga"(If you say one more word not only one word even a little more , I will break your face)

"kyun haqiqat bardasht nahi hoti kiya"(Why?? Cant you tolerate reality??), he was panting but Faji could not resist and beat him with fist so hardly that he fell very far near one the bike in queue.

                                                                 -----------

"Chalein aap apna khayal rakhna aur mehru ka bhi"(Okay so you take care of yourself and Mehru too), they reached the home. He dropped them to very small bright blue door whose brightness was lost due to dark brown lines arriving on wood day after day of their home from which Mehru went in straightly looking down, could not face them.

                                                   -------------

Fajahad was at hall, doing chores and helping in cleaning whole hall and packing food for daughter's in laws and his own sardar's house and with mind thinking about Mehru who he knew went in with tears pouring out of eyes and face looking down just to let not anyone know about it.

                                                  ----------

he tried to knock at the door but his hand stopped. He could not

                                               -------------

he reached home, lying on the bed remembering her words that witness her pure heart and what happened to her that witness to his being judgmental.

-"Kaisi hain aap"(How are you now?), 

"theek, kyun??"(Fine, why are you asking)

-"Nahi kuch nahi"(No nothing)

"tumhein laga main ro rahi hoon gee"(you thought I might be crying)

-"jee"(Yes)

"haan roi thi par ab nahi kyun k meray kaam ka taluq meri izzat sey nahi hai, mera insaan honay ka taluq meri izzat sey hai, tou main kuch bhi karloon meri izzat pe koi chont nahi aaye gi kyun k main tab bhi insaan hi rahoon ge"(ye I cried but not now because my work has not any connection with my respect, my being human has connection with my respect so what ever I do there would be no wound on my respect because I will remain human after that too)....................

Author's Note

sahab and babu are urdu words which means gentleman