by Pran Kishore
‘The poor fellow is not to blame. It is the fruit of all that I desired. Nisar was so sharp that I did not want to be an impediment in his career. Whenever I saw the sons of others prospering through education, I longed that my grandchildren should get education, even though my own children could not.’
‘Then you need not be so worried. Look at me. Our world is our children and then this world belongs to their children.’
‘What you say is true, but you know our own brood is drifting away from us. Nisar Ahmed prefers to live on land. He is not married yet. His mother Mukhta has to live with him so that he is not left alone. Then why should we keep her husband tethered here? I am not so selfish.’
The night passed and the morning sprinkled dew on the velvety grass. Zeb carried the samovar of tea to her room; she looked very happy. Qadir had returned early in the evening after staying away for a week. After a long time, he had showered his love on her as he used to earlier. She went into the room and sat before Qadir. He glanced at her and said, ‘How do you show so much kindness towards a useless person like me?’
Zeb smiled and replied, ‘Our boat is empty nowadays. I thought I should not forget my habit of getting bed tea for our guests. Now have your tea.’ She handed him the cup and then squatted and said, ‘The boats of Ghulam Ahmed and Noor Mohammad are occupied. Our boat alone stands empty. This is the season to earn some money. How long will we rely on Abba?’
Qadir thrust his hand into the pocket of his jacket, took out a bundle of notes and placed it before Zeb.
‘No more, we shall henceforth have our own food, and that too with a variety of dishes. Just watch how this worthless fellow of yours turns into a millionaire. Here, keep this money.’
Zeb gazed at the money with amazement. ‘Where did you get so much money from?’
‘I robbed a bank! I looted someone! This money is of my own hard work, take it. It is the share I got in the export business which I have started in collaboration with Gul Beg.’
‘I don’t know why my heart starts sinking when I hear Gul Beg’s name,’ Zeb said.
‘You don’t know what a wonderful man Gul Beg is. Have you ever seen him? He doesn’t pay any attention to Ghulam Ahmed or Noor Mohammad. That is why they are jealous of him. He is my bosom friend and also my well-wisher. But please do not mention his name to anyone yet. Now take this money and keep it safely.’
‘You better give this money to Abba; it is your first earning after all. He will be really very happy to know that you have started a business of your own. They have started making preparations for Parveen’s wedding. Abba must be in dire need.’
‘Yes, I will give it all to Abba, but not yet. I will invest this money in expanding my business. And then I know if I give this money to Abba, he will give it to Ghulam Ahmed who will fritter it away in his futile apple business. Now take it before somebody comes in.’
Noor Mohammad cast a distressed look at his father as if he had committed some crime. Malla Khaliq asked him, ‘Why do you look so wretched? I have been dreaming of this auspicious day for the last six years. Today is the happiest day of my life. My Nisar Ahmed is coming here as a doctor. Do you remember what he said when he came for vacations? He used to tell me, “Abba, once I am a doctor, I’ll get you and my grandmother such a tonic that will give you a fresh lease of youth.” First you tell me if you have furnished the house well. Did you change the sofa set and the dining table?’
Noor Mohammad held his father’s hand, his eyes surging with tears; yet he could not utter a word. Malla Khaliq held Noor Mohammad close and said, ‘Today is a day of celebration. You have to confront the ordeals of life with full vigour. We will make Nisar Ahmed stay here for a couple of weeks and then you will take Mukhta and live in Nisar Ahmed’s new house.’
‘Abba, we won’t go there.’
‘Why? Is he to live all alone there? Should he have his meals at hotels? What childish talk!’
‘But Abba, how can we leave you and Amma alone here?’
‘But you are not going to England. You will continue coming here to work.’
‘Abba, you tell all this to Mukhta yourself. I am sure she will never agree with this arrangement.’
‘What? It is still my order that works here. You go and tell her.’
Wiping his tears, Noor Mohammad left the room.
Malla Khaliq said to Zeb, ‘My daughter, you go and tell Ghulam Qadir to accompany Noor Mohammad to the airport.’
Malla Khaliq took out his coat and qaraquli cap from the almirah.
‘Where are you going now? You have already asked Noor Mohammad to go to the airport. What are you stepping out for?’ Aziz Dyad asked him.
‘I am going to Narayan Joo’s house. Ghulam Ahmed is in need of some money. And then I will see how much I owe him. After all, we have to marry our daughter off. I will be back soon.’
In the afternoon, Mrs Mundra returned with her husband Gautam Mundra and they were escorted to their houseboat by Ghulam Qadir.
Mr Mundra stood on the porch of Gulfam and exclaimed, ‘What a peaceful place! It was so hectic in the States this time.’ Holding Mrs Mundra by the waist, he entered the houseboat. Ghulam Qadir arranged to send the belongings to their bedroom, and while leaving, he said to Mr Mundra, ‘Kindly ring the bell if you need anything.’
As soon as Ghulam Qadir bowed out and went into his room, the phone rang. He lifted the receiver. ‘Hello! So you are there. I had gone to the airport, just got back home. At this hour? Where? At Zakoor farm? No, please, no meeting today. Nisar Ahmed is coming home. I will be there early in the morning. What? You have received some new consignment? All right. I’ll be there at eleven o’clock sharp. Don’t worry. I am Qadir, after all. How can he dodge me? I must hang up now. Abba is home.’
It was Gul Beg on the phone. He had completely ensnared Qadir. Gul Beg’s lust for money was insatiable. It was hashish trafficking that helped him prosper. But he kept himself away from this business for he had engaged many others like Ghulam Qadir in this trade. Qadir was a literate fellow and as such Gul Beg had made him a partner to the extent of a quarter in the profit. He had acquired the tricks of the trade from Jane. He had resolved to pursue it for a couple of years, until he had gathered sufficient money to start his own hotel business.
Qadir looked out of the window. Malla Khaliq’s boat had touched the ghat. He went out to help him come up the isle. Seeing this warm behaviour, Malla Khaliq felt affectionate towards Qadir. He said, ‘Has Mr Mundra reached here? Was his plane on time?’
‘The flight landed fifteen minutes ahead of schedule.’
‘What is he like?’
‘He seems to be a good person. Of course, a little reserved.’
‘I will go and greet him. Come with me – no, you better stay here. Noor Mohammad might be coming shortly with Nisar Ahmed.’
He went into Gulfam. Razaq, too, was there with coffee for the guests. Mrs Mundra introduced Malla Khaliq to her husband. He stood up and shook hands with Malla Khaliq. ‘You have an excellent houseboat.’
Mrs Mundra, casting a smile at Malla Khaliq, said, ‘He is such an excellent person himself – a great patriarch.’
Bowing forward with humility, Malla Khaliq said, ‘All your kindness, madam.’
Aziz Dyad was impatiently waiting for her husband. As soon as he entered the room, she said, ‘Where have you been so long? Ramzan Sahib was on the phone for you. When I told him that you were out, he gave the phone to his wife. In fact, it was she who wished to have a talk. They are coming here the day after tomorrow to meet Parveen.’
‘And what did you tell them?’
‘I told them, it is all right.’
‘But so early?’
‘The sooner the engagement is done, the better it is. You need not worry. I have already made preparations.’
In the meantime, Qadir came in running. ‘Abba, Noor Mohammad is coming.’
Malla Khaliq sprang up. ‘Please call everyone – Mukhta, Zoon, Zeb, and Parveen, all
.’
‘They might already be there at the ghat.’
They went out. Aziz Dyad hurried after them. She was about to fall, and Parveen came running to hold her.
Nisar jumped out of the boat to the isle and hugged each of his family members. His grandfather watched this beautiful scene from a little distance, his eyes brimming with tears. Nisar caught sight of him and capered to give him a tight hug. Malla Khaliq kissed him on the forehead and held him close.
Nisar Ahmed muttered, ‘It was, in fact, your dream, wasn’t it?’
‘Of course, it was. Now, it is time that you dedicate yourself to serving the poor and the helpless,’ Malla Khaliq said, wiping his tears.
Mrs Mundra, who was watching the scene unfurl from her houseboat, lost no time in congratulating Malla Khaliq. She called out, ‘Haji Sahib, I wish you many happy returns! Your scion is home as a doctor. There has to be a feast on this occasion.’
‘Surely. A grand feast.’
Ghulam Qadir carried Nisar Ahmed’s luggage to his houseboat. ‘Abba, let the doctor stay in my houseboat.’
‘Yes, I too think so,’ said Malla Khaliq.
Nisar Ahmed did not approve of this plan. He said, ‘Do you intend on separating me from my family. I will stay with you. I am no lord to stay in the houseboat.’
Placing his hand on Nisar’s shoulder, Malla Khaliq said, ‘There is little room inside the house.’
Noor Mohammad was also of the opinion that Nisar should stay in the houseboat. He said to his father, ‘Let’s sit together for a while and then decide.’
When all of them thronged into the kitchen to have their dinner, Malla Khaliq looked fondly over his brood. Ghulam Ahmed’s in-laws had come over in the afternoon and had brought along seven-year-old Mukhtar Ahmed, Ghulam Ahmed’s son.
Everyone looked happy, except Noor Mohammad. Ghulam Ahmed asked him, ‘Are you well, dear brother? Why are you so silent?’
‘It is a little fatigue, nothing else. I had to keep waiting for a long time at the airport.’
Malla Khaliq moved the bowl of mutton closer to Nisar Ahmed and picked up his choicest breast-piece and placed it on his plate. Nisar Ahmed noticed this and said in an angry tone, ‘Are you still having fatty meat? You should know fats are very harmful to health, bad for the heart, and especially at your age.’
Everyone laughed out boisterously.
‘You see, my Doctor Sahib, I will never touch fatty meat again. I henceforth dedicate the rest of my life to you,’ Malla Khaliq said, while putting the mutton away.
Aziz Dyad, however, did not appreciate this prescription from Nisar. ‘You may practise all your medical knowledge on your Abba, but not on us. If you prescribe stewed vegetables to us, I will surely lie crestfallen.’
Parveen too jeered at him. ‘And if you have a doctor as your bride, all of us will be at a loss. If she ever invites us to your house, we will have to savour stewed vegetables, and that too without salt and pepper.’
Nisar Ahmed looked upwards and said, ‘Oh God, help me now! I have been singled out by all my kin.’
Zeb said, ‘That is why we advise you to get married. Then you will not be alone in your combats with Parveen.’
‘Let me arrange life here first. It is my dear aunt’s turn to be married off to a good guy. Then you can think of me.’
The mention of marriage jarred Parveen and she said to her mother, ‘You see how he taunts me by calling me “dear aunt”? And you watch all this without scolding him.’
‘What can they say? Tell me, are you not my aunt?’ Nisar continued to tease her.
‘But I am younger than you by two years!’
‘How does that matter? I am serious, you are still technically my aunt. We have to think of marrying you off. You gave up your studies after the eighth standard. What are you still idling here for then?’
Parveen was not one to accept defeat so easily. She said with aplomb, ‘What was there for me to do after studying further? The same cooking and scrubbing—’
Emboldened by this comment from Parveen, Zeb said, ‘Yes, there she is right. I also did my matriculation, but what was my gain?’
Malla Khaliq put an end to the argument. He told Nisar Ahmed that Parveen’s marriage had been fixed and that Ramzan Haji’s wife was to come after two days to confirm the date.
Nisar was happy to know that, for Parvez had been his classmate. He extended his hand to Parveen for a handshake, saying, ‘Congratulations, dear aunty!’
Parveen suddenly stood up and left the room without washing her hands.
Feigning anger, Aziz Dyad said, ‘See, you made her run away!’
Malla Khaliq supported Nisar. ‘He did not say anything wrong. If they are not to cajole each other, who else will?’ Then he diverted from the issue and talked about establishing a clinic for Nisar Ahmed. Noor Mohammad felt calmer now. It was decided that Nisar would stay on with the family until Parveen’s marriage.
Finally the day came when Parveen’s future mother-in-law was to visit to meet her future daughter-in-law formally. Hectic preparations were carried out since morning. Razaq, who felt weary, was busy running kinds of errands. He had already straightened up the drawing room of Gulshan. Meanwhile, Malla Khaliq suddenly realized Nisar Ahmed was missing from the scene. He asked Noor Mohammad, but he didn’t know either. Razaq had seen him passing Gul, but he did not dare tell this to Malla Khaliq. He felt restless and utterly disinterested in his work today. He wanted to meet Parveen. He felt like every second was as heavy as a mountain upon his back. Without saying a word to anyone, he went about finishing the tasks allotted to him. Ghulam Qadir mocked him at some point, saying, ‘Razaq, who will change the stinking flowers in this flower vase? Is your father going to do this?’ But he did not feel any sting and just quietly took the flower vase, cleaned it and decked it with fresh flowers.
When he went outdoors, he glanced at Nisar Ahmed’s boat, which was gliding towards the isle. He did not even feel like running to inform Malla Khaliq that the Doctor Sahib had returned. With his head hung low, he went back into the houseboat and placed the flower vase on the table. He peeped through the window and saw Nisar talking to his father while drying his wet hair with a towel. Malla Khaliq soon joined them and asked Nisar, ‘Where were you, Doctor Sahib?’
Casting a warm glance at his grandfather, he said, ‘Who can resist the temptation of seeing the crystal clear waters of the Dal Lake, particularly someone who has lived in scorching deserts for six years? I just went to Gagribal to soothe my burning body in the waters.’
‘That is all right, but you should have informed us before you left. We searched for you everywhere here.’
‘I am sorry, Abba.’
While they were engaged in this chat, Razaq came out from Gulfam with a breakfast tray in his hand. Nisar glanced at him and Razaq greeted him with his salaam. When he moved towards the kitchen, Nisar asked his grandfather, ‘How long has this Razaq been here?’
‘Eight months, more or less. Why?’
‘I think he is an honest and hard-working person. He also seems to be educated.’
‘It is very difficult to find such boys nowadays. He has no mother and his father has remarried. His stepmother tormented him so much that he had no option but to run away from home. He was in tenth standard then, but had to drop out of school. He had been loitering for two years when I brought him here. But how did you guess he is educated?’
‘I was woken up by the sound of a door creaking,’ Nisar replied. ‘I felt that someone was walking behind the room. I went out and saw him going into his shed. The light was on there. When the light was not put out for a long time, I went near his shed and peeped through a rent. I saw him engrossed in his studies, with books and notebooks in front of him.’
‘He yearns to pass his matriculation examination. That is why he studies till late night when he is free from running all the errands in the house.’ Malla Khaliq then praised Razaq’s work. ‘To be honest, he has shouldered the burden of
all my work here.’
Everyone engaged themselves in finalizing the arrangements for catering to the guests. Cakes and pastries were beautifully placed in trays, a huge platter of almond kernels and other dry fruits were also kept ready. Ghulam Ahmed got crisp bread baked with fresh ghee from the market. Then he left for Ahdoo’s hotel to fetch the best of kebabs and cooked lamb shanks.
When he returned with all these items from the market and reached the wharf at Nehru Park, he caught sight of Raja Rathinder Singh who was assisting his wife in climbing down the stairs; his children were already seated in the shikaarah. Ghulam Ahmed stopped the taxi and hurried to the boatman. ‘Ramzana, I too have to go across, wait a minute.’ He then unloaded the tiffins from the taxi and carried his entire load into the boat. He first greeted Raja Rathinder Singh and then said to Ramzana, ‘Come and help me, please. Keep all these things in the hind prow, and I will sit there.’ Then he said to Rathinder Singh, ‘You will excuse me for this annoyance. I am in a hurry to get all these goods home and that is why I stopped your boat. You know, some guests are expected today to meet Parveen. It is her mother-in-law-to-be who is coming.’
The rani looked curious. She said, ‘But why? She must have seen Parveen on some occasion and then sent the proposal.’
‘Yes, that is true. But it is our custom here.’ Then turning to the boatman, he said, ‘Now, Ramzana, please be a little faster.’
Malla Khaliq sighted his boat from a distance and recognized Rathinder Singh and his family. Noor Mohammad, who was sitting beside his father in the veranda, said to him, ‘I wonder they have returned so soon!’
‘Why should they stay there longer? Rathinder Singh had no interest in going to Pahalgam. He had, in fact, come here to get some rest.’
Parveen sat petrified in Zeb’s room while Zeb, like a trained costume designer, was busy adorning her. In her bridal attire which was intricately embroidered with silver thread, Parveen looked very beautiful. When Zeb put the headcloth with crystals on her head, it seemed as if the constellations had come along with all their starry legions to bless her beauty. Zeb whispered, ‘Look into the mirror. Oh God! Save her from the evil eye!’ Parveen raised her eyes towards the mirror. She heaved a deep sigh and her eyes watered. Laying an affectionate hand on her shoulder, Zeb said, ‘What one desires is not always fulfilled. So I advise that you forget all that has happened. Have courage and go ahead. Therein lies the honour of this family.’ Parveen cast a piteous glance towards her. Before Zeb could say anything more, the door opened and Aziz Dyad hurried in. ‘Have you finished, Zeb? Haji Sahib’s car has already reached the wharf. Now stand up, my darling. It will not take them much time to row across. Come with me.’