by Pran Kishore
‘Yes, I think so as well. We must send him back otherwise his share of the property will be usurped by others. This is something your precious princess and your stupid son-in-law don’t understand. I will take Mukhtar Ahmed and make them write over his share of the property to him.’
Naba Kantroo’s wife looked at him, utterly horrified. He in fact grudged Malla Khaliq because he was the only person who didn’t attach any importance to his wealth. This was the reason he used many a ruse to upset Malla Khaliq. Today, when his own wife was becoming bold enough to talk back to him, he silenced her with his intentions.
The next day was Sunday. Naba Kantroo took Mukhtar Ahmed along and reached the ghat of Gul, Gulshan and Gulfam. Malla Khaliq and his family were sitting in the open enjoying the pleasant autumnal sunshine. All three houseboats were lying vacant. The tourist season in which Bengali tourists thronged Kashmir was yet to set in. Mukhtar Ahmed went running to the isle. Malla Khaliq hugged him. He was looking for his grandmother. Aziz Dyad was resting in bed; she had been unwell for some days. Mukhtar’s mother took him to her. Malla Khaliq stood up to shake hands with Naba Kantroo and said, ‘Today all my ill feelings have been washed away. Come here and take a seat, please. Noor Mohammad, go and arrange for tea.’
‘The autumnal sun does not suit me, let’s sit indoors,’ Naba Kantroo said.
‘Yes, why not. Noor Mohammad, send the tea there,’ Malla Khaliq said and led Naba Kantroo to the drawing room of houseboat Gul. There was silence for some time. Malla Khaliq knew that Naba Kantroo’s visit was not devoid of purpose. How could he come there with Mukhtar Ahmed without some hidden motive?’ He looked at Naba Kantroo. ‘Is everything well at home? Do you get letters from your son in Dubai? Is he coming this year?’
‘We are not as lucky as you are. But you know, people do not abandon their business to come home. You might have been relieved from your anxiety because of Ghulam Ahmed’s return—’
‘But we were hardly anxious about him. He would have told you the real reason for his return when he visited you yesterday.’
‘Now all is well. But you know Mukhtar Ahmed is now an adult and he must also get settled in life. He could start some business of his own, but you know that needs a lot of money. I wish he could know his position in the house, so that we might plan for his future.’
A deep furrow appeared on Malla Khaliq’s forehead. Then he said, ‘Who are you talking about, Ghulam Ahmed or Mukhtar Ahmed?’
‘I don’t need to worry about Ghulam Ahmed. I want you to settle something for Mukhtar Ahmed.’
‘But what is there to settle for him? Let him come and start business in collaboration with his brother. God has been gracious to us. There is so much to do in the family that we never have an idle moment,’ Malla Khaliq said while taking care to control his anger.
‘Yes, yes, I can totally see it with my own eyes.’
‘Why are you not being frank?’
‘The thing I am concerned about is that Mukhtar Ahmed should not have to suffer or serve anyone here after being so well educated.’
‘Please don’t talk in riddles and tell me straight what you want to say. But first of all, may I know in what capacity you are pleading for Mukhtar Ahmed? He is after all our scion and we are the ones to take care of his well-being.’
‘You can ask him this. I have spent my sweat and blood bringing him up, and educating him.’
‘So you are here to ask for the honorarium for your labour?’
‘Not my honorarium, but the share that is due to him. Ghulam Ahmed is so dim he has no courage to talk to you directly. I am the only one looking out for Mukhtar Ahmed.’
Malla Khaliq reflected for a while and then called out to Ghulam Ahmed. ‘Ghulam Ahmed, would you please come here?’
Ghulam Ahmed and his wife had seen Naba Kantroo coming so they were standing nervously in earshot. But when Malla Khaliq called him sounding angry, Ghulam Ahmed had no option but to come running. ‘What, Abba?’
‘If you were so keen to claim your share, why didn’t you tell me directly? Why did you send your father-in-law to plead for you?’
‘What are you talking about, Abba?’
Then he turned to Naba Kantroo. ‘When did I ask you to interfere in our personal affairs?’
Naba Kantroo almost shouted at Malla Khaliq. ‘Why are you asking him? Just talk to me. I want you to give Mukhtar Ahmed his rightful share of the property. This worthless son-in-law hardly knows anything about his share. How will he ask you for this?’
Ghulam Ahmed grew so angry that his tongue started failing him. ‘I still have some regard for you, otherwise—’
Malla Khaliq called Zoon as well.
Hearing the noise, Bilal also came running. Mukhtar Ahmed came in tow. Then Noor Mohammad and Mukhta.
Malla Khaliq called Zoon again, this time in a louder voice, ‘Why don’t you come in, Zooni?’
Aziz Dyad quivered as usual. She almost crawled up to the window to see what was happening.
Zoon came running, and Malla Khaliq said, ‘Your father has come to demand Mukhtar’s share.’
‘Share? Share in what?’
In the meantime, Naba Kantroo had come out into the open on the isle. He came face to face with Malla Khaliq and said, ‘I did not come with the intention to pick a fight. Why are you getting angry with this poor girl?’
Bilal could not hold himself back. He would have attacked Naba Katur, but Noor Mohammad held him back. When the squabble did not show any signs of dying down, Malla Khaliq pulled Naba Kantroo by the hand towards houseboat Gulfam and then to Gulshan. ‘Look here, Kantroo Sahib, these two houseboats are the fruit of my own lifelong toil and I can give them to anyone I like. I inherited Gul from my father. If they mean to divide it among themselves, then you need to hire saw-men to slice it into parts, and take away the splinters of wood in a wheelbarrow. Do you hear me, Ghulam Ahmed?
Ghulam Ahmed got agitated. ‘I swear by my son Mukhtar Ahmed, he will get buried in clay if I or my wife ever talked like that. My father-in-law does not like us being united and living together under one roof. Zooni, why don’t you say something?’
‘What can I say? He has come to smear my face with shame.’
Naba Kantroo shouted louder, ‘Ghulam Ahmed has resolved to make you paupers. But I am here to see that Mukhtar Ahmed is not denied what is rightfully his. I will go right now and hire an advocate. I will show you that I mean business!’
‘We have known what kind of person you are since I married into your family,’ said Ghulam Ahmed. He folded his hands and said, ‘Please go away and have mercy on us.’
Noor Mohammad noticed that people from other houseboats were starting to get curious and he said to Naba Kantroo, ‘Please go. See, the neighbours are coming out to enjoy the spectacle.’
Naba Kantroo held Mukhtar Ahmed’s hand and said while pulling him, ‘Let’s go, Mukhtar Ahmed, I will show them what will happen if they deny you your share.’
With a jerk Mukhtar Ahmed freed himself and said, ‘I am not going back with you. You are driving me mad. My home is here; I don’t need your bungalow.’
Bilal stepped forward and held his hand.
‘Do you see the pull of our blood?’ Malla Khaliq said to Naba Kantroo.
Naba Kantroo left, muttering to himself. He cursed them before leaving. ‘If I don’t make the blood in your veins turn to ice, I am not Naba Kantroo!’
‘We will see about that, you can leave,’ Ghulam Ahmed said to him, following him to the ghat.
Bilal and Mukhtar Ahmed went to their grandfather, who hugged them. Then suddenly Zeb cried out through the window, ‘Abba, Amma has fainted.’
All of them rushed in. Noor Mohammad ran to ring up Doctor Nisar who left his work unfinished and rushed home.
Aziz Dyad was lying unconscious. Mukhta rubbed the soles of her feet. Zoon got some water and poured some drops into her mouth with a spoon. Bilal brought the medicine that Doctor Nisar had prescribed earlier for such emergencies.
He somehow managed to make her swallow it. After a while, Aziz Dyad showed signs of recovery. Ghulam Ahmed began to curse his destiny. Malla Khaliq held her hand. Doctor Nisar gave her an injection.
After giving her the injection, he asked everyone except Bilal Ahmed and Malla Khaliq to leave the room. ‘Abba, she will be all right. But she needs some rest. There is nothing to worry about. Bilal Ahmed, you stay here. Let us go upstairs.’
He led Malla Khaliq out and Malla Khaliq narrated the whole event to him. Nisar Ahmed got furious, but he held his anger in check. They entered his room where they saw Ghulam Ahmed hitting his head repeatedly against the wall and saying, ‘All this is my fault. I alone am to be blamed for this. What a blunder that I went to see that swine!’ Noor Mohammad was trying to calm him down. ‘This had to happen sooner or later. Why are you beating yourself for it?’
Ghulam Ahmed was fuming. He stood up all of a sudden and shouted, ‘Zooni, mind it, I will not let this dirty Naba Kantroo escape unscathed. If, God forbid, something happens to my mother, I will raze his house to the ground. Do you hear me?’
Malla Khaliq slapped him. ‘Stop this buffoonery! Your mother is recovering. She will die if she hears you shouting like this.’
Ghulam Ahmed was completely dumbfounded.
Nisar Ahmed went back to his grandmother’s room again. After a little while, he came back. He saw Mukhtar Ahmed hiding behind the door.
‘What are you doing here, Mukhtar Ahmed?’ Nisar Ahmed said to him. ‘Our grandmother is all right. You go inside and sit there with Bilal Ahmed.’
He was happy to know that Mukhtar Ahmed was home again. He assured all the family members that Aziz Dyad had recovered for the time being.
Next day, Aziz Dyad had another severe stroke and Nisar Ahmed got her admitted to the hospital. It was so severe that everyone had given up hope. But she survived. After a month or so, she was brought back home.
All through this time, Narayan Joo remained by Malla Khaliq’s side. He had suffered the loss of his wife. He knew well what the loss of a spouse meant. Besides, Aziz Dyad was like a sister to him. And Aziz Dyad had looked after his wife during her ailment; even her own mother would not have done so much.
Even after bringing Aziz Dyad back home, Narayan Joo spent most of his time at his friend’s house. Malla Khaliq knew for certain that Aziz Dyad could fly away any time, leaving him behind. He, therefore, hardly left her bedside. Aziz Dyad would say to him, ‘Are you going to give up working for me? I won’t die without letting you know. You go, take out your rowboat and ride through the watercourses. Autumn is about to end. All the watercourses will soon freeze.’
Malla Khaliq would smile and keep sitting there. The days continued slipping by.
Narayan Joo coaxed Malla Khaliq into paying a visit to the shrine of Mata Sharika on Hari Parbat. Each of them prayed at their respective sites of faith for Aziz Dyad’s health; Malla Khaliq at Makhdoom Sahib’s and Narayan Joo at the temple of Sharika.
When they went home, Aziz Dyad seemed to look better. She sat waiting for them, propped up against a pillow. Noor Mohammad, Ghulam Ahmed, Bilal and Mukhtar were standing around. Doctor Nisar had tea with the family after examining his grandmother. He did not want to tell them that she was not completely out of danger. Then Parveen walked in as well.
Feeling relaxed after a long time, everyone went to bed early. But Malla Khaliq and Aziz Dyad kept awake. He tried to persuade her to sleep, but she insisted on talking to him. ‘Yes, I will sleep; but I have been sleeping for all these days. I keep remembering our happy old days. How long we struggled to reach this stage of our lives. I wish God helps us lead our boat safely into the life after.’
‘Yes, He has to, for we have never wished anyone ill ever. You just close your eyes and sleep. ’
‘As soon as I close my eyes, all the days of our past flash in my mind in quick succession, just like a talkie film. I distinctly remember how your father constructed Gul after many ordeals. But do you remember bringing me as a bride to that old barge of a boat with all its planks rattling like a toy rattle. Yet I was on cloud nine for I had found my amazing life companion.’ Having said this, she broke into laughter.
‘What makes you laugh at our penury?’
‘I just remembered an event. Do you recall, we were newly married, and your father had gone to his in-laws’ house and we were completely lost in each other. A thief sneaked in through the rear door and started picking up the utensils in the kitchen. While I cowered in fright, you shouted at him, “Hey, my dear, I am a little busy now, otherwise I would come over to the kitchen to help you rummage through these earthen pots.” The rascal ran away, but broke one pot with a bang at the prow of the boat, and then jumped into the lake. You were such a jolly guy!’
‘What about you? You were so aloof.’
‘True. But I always lost my poise when I looked at you. I used to swoon and feel listless.’
‘Yes, those were the days. But when my father passed away and I had to shoulder the family responsibilities, it was then we realized that life is not all fun and frolic; those were trying times.’
‘Yet we sailed through, although we were quite young. One night you stared at me in the light of a lamp, and then all of a sudden you blew the flame out. I asked you if you had taken edible oil from the kitchen to put in the lamp; otherwise why would you blow it out? And you told me—’
‘Yes, I remember, and I remember that night every time I look at you. I told you that we should spare some oil for the next evening, because I could not do without seeing your beautiful face in the dark.’
‘Do you remember that flood in the fifties when the embankment of Sonawar was washed away and Club Nala got submerged? A houseboat had overturned near the racing track and broken into pieces. But we saved our own houseboat, spending the whole night changing the knots of the ropes.’
‘I remember everything. Our boat was at Chinar Bagh then. A party of European tourists had come. You had as much energy as I had. If you had not worked alongside me, what would I have done? I would have drifted about aimlessly all my life.’
‘That’s not true. There is no one in this world as sharp and wise as you. You just lifted me from the dust and made me worthy. Don’t I know how hard you worked to build this house inch by inch? You never went to anyone asking for help.’
‘That is not entirely true. I went penniless many times. How many times I had to seek help from Narayan Joo. Do you remember?’
‘Somehow, with the help of God, we managed to live our days quite happily. Drop this topic now and talk about something else.’
‘Now you try to sleep. Nisar Ahmed has said you need rest more than the medicines. Sleep now.’
‘I will. Nothing will happen to me, don’t worry. It is such a relief to be able to talk this way with your soulmate. Now all is well. I have only one request to make of you: please give up anger and grudges.’
Malla Khaliq interrupted her. ‘Now please stop there. I know what you want to say.’
‘If you really know, just forgive him.’
‘It is not possible to lick one’s own spit. Do you hear me? Now sleep. Don’t mention him again.’
Having said this, he switched the lamp off and stretched himself out.
The night passed, but in the morning, when they were having tea, Aziz Dyad had another stroke. The teacup in her hand dropped. She became breathless and got drenched in sweat. Everyone panicked and Malla Khaliq said to Bilal, ‘Bilal, phone the doctor and tell him!’
Nisar Ahmed soon appeared in a motorboat. He rushed to the room and asked everyone to leave. He called up the hospital for the ambulance, and kept consoling the family until the ambulance arrived. ‘There is nothing to worry about.’
‘Where has your Abba gone? My last hour is here, call him in. Noora—’ With these words she lost consciousness again.
Malla Khaliq stood trembling in a corner; he did not have the courage to come near her. When she fainted, he was about to exclaim ‘Inna lilaa
ha’, just as one would say on someone’s passing. But Doctor Nisar covered his mouth with his hand and said, ‘Abba, I have injected a sedative. She will be all right, you need not worry.’
Aziz Dyad was carried to the ghat where she was placed in the motorboat. On the other side of the lake she was carried on a stretcher and into the ambulance.
Four days had passed since Aziz Dyad had been brought to the hospital. She was still struggling for her life in the ICU. She regained consciousness on the fifth day. However, Doctor Nisar told his father it was merely her will to live that had revived her. ‘I must keep you informed that her heart is not functioning well. She needs an operation, but she is too weak to survive it.’
Noor Mohammad warily asked Nisar Ahmed, ‘So there is no hope…’
‘Let us wait for a week or so. If she shows signs of recovery, we can consult the heart specialist.’
No one was allowed to enter the ICU, but Aziz Dyad’s obstinacy made them allow Malla Khaliq to sit near her for a while. She held his quivering hand and stared piteously at his face.
‘Why do you look at me like this?’ Malla Khaliq asked her.
‘You have stared at my face for your whole life, now if I stare at you just for a little while, is it a sin?’
‘But you want to tell me something. I can see it in your eyes. Say it, please.’
‘I know if I ask for something, you will not agree to do it. So what is the point of saying it out loud? I had a dream last night; I found myself all alone, walking over the frozen Dal Lake. There was snow all around, heaped on the ice crest. Zabarwan hill was shrouded in shining white clouds, and I was wearing a white phiran. Then I felt my legs and feet slowly turn into icicles. I looked around but no one was there. Then I saw many people emerge from the white clouds, all wearing white clothes, and signalling me to go with them, but my legs felt weak. The frost under my soles cracked and I tried to cry out, but was unable make any sound. I might have woken up screaming, because I felt someone touching my shoulder. I opened my eyes and saw the nurse. What does this dream mean?’
‘What can I say? They say that in dreams we see what we keep thinking about in the deepest corners of our mind.’