Editor: Murtaza Shibli

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Short Story: Two Stories

Mehfooza Jan


Envy and covetousness are essential ingredients of womanhood. There is hardly any woman who could tolerate other woman's richness, greatness, beauty and gracefulness. Once there is a mention of any of these qualities of any woman to another woman, she will in­stantly start finding follies and foibles in the character of that woman.

Meeraj-ud Din, a handsome and affluent young man of the town was always busy in earning but at the same time he took great pleasure in doling out some money to the needy. Aarifa, a young girl was his sec­retary who performed the duty of finding the proper persons in need and distributed the allotted money quite fastidiously among them. Besides being exceptionally pretty, Arifa was a God-fearing woman and was very regular in offering prayers and performing other religious duties. She always made it certain that there was no error or deceit in her noble duty. She would go to any extant, even relinquishing her office, if she detected any lapse in whatever she was obliged to do.

She was fully acquainted with all the details of Meeraj-ud Din's busi­ness and maintained his accounts with all her meticulousness. When­ever she found anything wrong in any aspect of his business, she would never hesitate in informing him so that he was not in trouble. Her diligence and honesty further anchored Meer-ud Din's conviction that honesty is the secret of his success in business.

Meeraj-ud Din generally remained out of the country. His central of­fice at New Delhi was maintained by Arifa and his General Manager Ram Nathji. His business in foreign countries was, looked after by his cousin Shahnaz as she was well-versed in all niceties of business. Meeraj-ud Din's business had expanded manifold since Shanaz had assumed its charge. She had discovered new ways and mechanisms of giving boost to his exports. It was she who set the programmes of Meeraj-ud Din'd foreign tours and settled his agreements with foreign companies. She even gave him company when he had to go on a for­eign tour. Being conscious of her beauty and intelligence, she had the aplomb that Meeraj-ud Din would, sooner or later, propose to her. Though she was already engaged to a lecturer in some local college, she enjoyed proximity with Meeraj-ud Din and this made her fiancé have the thorn of jealousy in his mind. "Shahnaz and Meeraj-ud Din together! That too in some hotel in a foreign country! What a freedom to... No, no, no... that is not possible." He most of the time argued with himself.

The truth is that Shahnaz was almost immersed in a sort of adulation for Meeraj-ud Din. In her assessment, that lecturer of a local college was almost a cipher in comparison to Meeraj-ud Din. She was convinced that the person had started doubting her character that is why he hardly ever would like to have a word with her. Many a time Shahnaz decided to call that lecturer of a man that he should consider his relation with her severed and then return those little bangles and the ring back to him. But perhaps she waited for this kind of event to happen from the other side. That lecturer of a man, called Yousuf, had not the guts to break his re­lation with her. He was in fact outdone by Meeraj-ud Din the rich man and Shahnaz the paragon of beauty. He was advised over and over again by his friend Liaqat Ali that he should free himself from Shahnaz as early as possible. But he could not muster the courage. This dif­fidence of his many a time looked like his love for her.

Meeraj-ud Din who had expanded his business was compelled by his parents to get married, but whenever such a pressure increased, he flatly told them that he did not find a girl of his choice. He told them that, no such girl had come in his life as would satisfy all his expectations. And this made Shahnaz wonder what his nearness to him and her spending time with him in foreign countries meant. "What should be the girl of Meearj-ud Din look like?" She often thought. This made her start talking of romance and love with Meeraj-ud Din. She was now bold to the extent of telling him that she could not live without him and if she did not see him, she was almost mad. "Yes, I can understand," said Meeraj-ud Din quite naively, "and I respect your sentiments. This is natural of a sister's true love for her brother." Shahnaz was completely distressed to hear this. She wanted to tell him unambiguously that she loved him and wanted to marry him and become his wife. But she had not the nerve.

One day on the occasion, of the wedding of his friend, Aftab Ahmad, Meeraj-ud Din felt attracted towards a girl among several young girls who attended the wedding. "Who is that girl there sitting on that sofa?” Meeraj-ud Din asked his elder sister Dilshada. "I will let you know in a moment." said Dilshada in amazement as well as joy. Without wasting time, she went to that green coloured sofa and en­gaged the sitting pretty girl in conversation. It was the girl's mother Sitara Begam who gave her daughter's full curriculum vitae in a mo­ment. The name of the pretty girl was Tarannum, she did her M.Com from Delhi, and was now doing her Ph.D there.

"Let me tell you forthrightly, my brother Meeraj-ud Din has for the first time shown some interest in any girl and that is your daughter." said Dilshada to Sitara Begam in a corner of the room. "There is no count of the beautiful girls who want to get married to Meeraj-ud Din, but he does not show any interest in any girl. Your daughter is fortunate that Meeraj-ud Din felt inclined to her."

Strangely, Sitara Begam was unnerved to hear this. She wished to cry in exhilaration and wished that Meeraj-ud took her daughter away there and then. Yet she contained herself and said calmly to Dilshada." Marriage is a serious affair. It is better you come to our house and discuss all possibilities there."

The next day Dilshada and Meeraj-ud Din were at Sitara Begam's house. They received a warm welcome there. All the members of the family gathered around them. Taranum, too, was there dressed in a cream-colour suit, but again seated in a sofa. Dilshad kissed her fore­head and hugged her while she continued sitting in the sofa with her head hung down. Meeraj-ud Din kept his gaze fixed on her. Sharbet was immediately got for the guests, but Dilshad stopped the attendant. "Before taking a sip of water, to be precise," Dilshada said with all sol­emnly, "I have come to your house only to ask for the hand of Taran­num. I propose Meeraj-ud Din's marriage to her."

Tarannum's father Salim-ud Din after assuming a little gruff, said "Let us know on what grounds you have made this proposal. My daughter is not..."
"Cannot do any manner of domestic chore." Dilshada completed his sentence with a funny sarcasm. "Or do any outdoor work?"
"Yes, and she..." her father started again, but was immediately interrupted.
"Orders others while sitting on her sofa. Isn't it like that?"
"Yes, that is true, but you kindly listen to what I say..."
"Salim Sahib, please do not say anything at this solemn occasion. It is after much persuasion that my brother Meeraj-ud Din has ultimately chosen a girl of his choice. I do not want to miss this good fortunate occasion in idle talk. Oh, yes, if you find any kind of blemish in our family or Meeraj-ud Din, that is to be taken into consideration. Otherwise we are ready to accept whatever you say. Now it is the time that you get our darling Tarannum near me, so that my brother, the soul of our whole clan, would make her wear a ring and own her as his spouse for all his life."
“We have no objection, and how could we have any?" said Taran­num's father. "What I was trying to say is this that..."
"Salim Sahib, we have a whole life to have conversation. When God wishes this proposal, we can say to each other whatever we like." Dilshada silenced him again.

Meejaj-ud Din took out a diamond ring from his pocket and put it round the finger of Tarannum's left-hand finger. And with this, Dilshada once again gave her a warm hug. She then shook her hands with her mother and gave her too a hug. "But where is the rue-seed burning? Why don't you make this room fragrant with smoke?" she asked the bride's mother. "Yes, yes, rue-seeds?" Dil­shad's mother said with a tone of embarrassment, "We did not think that this would come to once-said-and-did situation. Wait a moment, we shall arrange for the rue-kangri."

She had hardly said this that a maid servant came in with a kangri in which rue seeds popped and produced fragrant smoke. "Since the kan­gri is an essential item in every Kashmiri house, we could arrange for it so soon, otherwise we did not expect that you would finalize the marriage without making a thorough scrutiny."

"One who has a brilliant face like the sun, must be soothing and bright like the Moon from within as well." Dilshada said. "Now I think we should let the bride and the bridegroom have a chat in their privacy. Let us leave them undisturbed."

The bride's father and mother and Dilshada left the room. Meeraj-ud Din smilingly moved near Tarannum and after looking around said quite softly, "I love you, Tarannum."
"I love you too," said Tarannum almost in a whisper.
"You are the one who among hundreds of girls succeeded in capturing my heart. You are now my life. I shall lull you in my lap. Love never takes gate and form into consideration. It is one's own sincerity in love that is the consideration of a true love. I have come across countless girls with enticing gate and form, but it is the beauty of your face that bewitched my soul and so I approached you."
"I, dear Meeraj Sahib, I am dumb to respond to your love, greatness and stature, otherwise I have many..." Tarannum tried to say more.

Three days after the ring ceremony, Dilshada invited the bride's par­ents over a cup of qahva and the nikah was agreed upon. Taran­num's parents once again insisted that the bridegroom should see Dil­shada minutely, but Dilsaha and Meeraj-ud Din did not heed. And three days after this, Meeraj-ud Din, his brother-in law Naseem Ahmad, his sister, Dilshada and a couple of friends reached the bride's house. There were also a few persons on the bride's side present there. Tarrannum, attired in her homely dress, was again seated in a cushioned sofa. She had not worn any costumes and her face ex­pressed a simplicity and gentleness that was matchless. The Nikah was read with utmost solemnity.

The next day, the bridegroom came to the bride's house with the in­tention that he would take the bride on a stroll. She was as usual there seated in the sofa. On seeing her bridegroom, she insisted on staying at home and have a long chat with him there, but Meeraj-ud Din was adamant. Two young girls entered the room and using all their energy helped the bride stand up.

Seeing this scene, Meeraj-ud Din was taken aback. He felt as if he fell down flat from a height. "What!" this is what he could utter in his flab­bergasted condition. He continued gazing at his crippled wife and was taken into his visible future in which he, too, was crippled, con­demned to live a long life with her. Meeraj-ud Din violently shook his head to come out of this blackout, moved ahead and embraced Taran­num, now his wife. "I love you. It is alright... I love you..." saying this he took her in his arms and made her sit in the front seat of his car. The car moved, but she, lost in trepidation and amazement, remained seated silent like a statue.

Meeraj-ud Din and his wife returned in the evening. He again took her in his arms and made her sit in her sofa. They guffawed loudly and tossed their hands with each other. Other family members were amazed to see the scene and wanted to know the reason of this hilarity. "Get us qahva and we shall tell you everything. Today Tarannym made me savor fatty meat... Tomorrow all of you are invited for a din­ner." Meeraj-ud Din said while being carried away by his laughter. "I would have got my sister along, but she is going to Pahalgam for three days tomorrow. I cannot change their schedule. We shall surely take her to a lunch in a House Boat when she returns from Pahalgam." In a while, qahva was got for them and Tarannum served it herself. They continued laughing boisterously, even though others in the house there requested them to explain the reason of this uncontrollable gaiety.

"Tarannum shall tell you everything when I leave." Meeraj-ud Din said. When Meeraj-ud Din was home again he was serious and lost in thoughts. "All was done in haste. My sister did not let them utter a single word till she finalized the marriage. They tried to tell them that Tarannum's legs were maimed in a car accident some time ago, but Dilshada stopped them from saying anything. ...What could be done now, I have accepted Tarannum as she is. May be there was some good in this. He too could have lost his limbs in an accident. Who knows what happens and when. The accidents are not pro­grammed by anyone. Now Tarannum is a cripple for her whole life. I accept her as my spouse, she is a partner of whatever I have, and I am a partner of her maiming. Now I am her legs and feet, I shall carry her always in my arms. Why should others be concerned about what I did?" Meeraj-ud Din was absorbed in rumination. The next day Taran­num, along with her sister, accompanied Meeraj-ud Din. When they visited a much famous hotel, she was carried in a wheel-chair. Meeraj­ud Din himself pushed the wheeler.

"She is my wife." Meeraj-ud Din introduced her to the on-lookers and acquaintances. They greeted her warmly. Meeraj-ud Din used his own hands to put morsels into Tarannum's mouth. Her sister was moved to this kind of respect and love. Her eyes were shining with tears in them. Meeraj-ud Din allotted a beautiful well-decorated chamber of his office to Tarannum. Her chair could be used as a wheel-chair as well. For her sake he stopped visiting foreign countries and put the whole responsibility on Shahnaz's shoulders.

Every month Meeraj-ud Din gave Tarannum one lakh rupees to be dolled out to the needy and destitute. She got whatever she desired. With all her dreams defeated, Shanaz still wondered what was it that made Meeraj-ud Din opt for a maimed woman instead of her. May be the maimed woman's parents have offered Meeraj-ud Din great for­tune, she tried to reason out. "Who knows Meeraj-ud Din might have once or twice, slept with her and that made him own her as his spouse. But how is it possible? Meeraj-ud Din is such a rich person and is austere in the matters of moral behaviour." Shahnaz tormented herself by arguing with herself, but could not come to any conclusion. This thought made her restless. She felt as if she was laid on hot embers. She could not find out any crevice to enter the recesses of the enigma.

Shahnaz loved Meeraj-ud Din from the core of her heart, but after his marriage with Tarannum, her relation with him was ambivalent. The very sight of Meeraj-ud Din made her burn in envy. She felt as if she was always bitten by flocks of wasps that made her life miserable. One day, when she was overwhelmed by a spate of vengeance, she rushed to Meeraj-ud Din's chamber, slammed the door, bolted it from inside, and, like a monkey, climbed up his office table to look directly into his face. Meeraj-ud Din was amazed to observe her new behaviour which he was not accustomed to. In his utter befuddlement, he gazed into her face. "Tell me, how could you marry without letting me know about your plans?" she said in a bitter voice and with lachrymose eyes. "You fairly knew that I was dying for you and yearned to be your wife ... tell me, I have the right to know."

Meeraj-ud Din was still in his stunned state. He could hardly find proper words, or had nothing to say in response. "But..." he tried to say. "When you started working with me, you were already en­gaged. You never told me that you were not happy with that engage­ment. Did you?" Shahnaz wept bitterly and could not give him a reply. "Had you ever told me about your sentiments, I would have been the happiest person in the world and my sister Dilshada would have been happier than me. But now when everything is over, it is futile to repent." Meeraj-ud Din grew sentimental and tried to put an end to the situation.

"Alright, if you did not marry me, why that maimed woman? She is not able to have a stroll with you, not to speak of give you company when you are abroad. She cannot even... even give you a comfortable posture in the bed." Shanaaz said. Meeraj-ud Din was silent. He could understand his silence whether it was his shame or repentance or both.

"I wish I could kill that wretched woman... I will not care, what hap­pens after that." Now when he heard her say the threatening word, he got flared up by rage and said, "Stop this nonsense! I dismiss you from you job. Never show yourself in this office again, mind it. Whatever has happened to me was according to my own choice. You need not inter­fere in my personal affairs. Tarannum is not only my spouse but my be­loved also. Understand? Now get lost! Yes I say get lost!"

Meeraj-ud Din did not make any mention of this incident to anyone. In the heart of hearts he bore an ache of repentance for Shahnaz got a better job in some other company. But Shahnaz could not remain calm. Her acrid envy one day drew her to Tarannum's office. To her surprise, she was greeted by Tarannum and let her have a seat in front of her. She served her guest coffee and used all her knack to ingra­tiate herself with Shahnaz so that the latter came back to work in her company.

"No, that is not possible now." Shahnaz flatly told her. "This place now belongs to you. You... you are..."
"Yes, what do you mean? What am I?"
Shahnaz in a sudden rage stood up, smashed the cup of coffee on the floor and said, "You are rupees one lakh and a cripple." saying this she left the room.


Translated from Kashmiri by Prof. Shafi Shauq.