Masoom Mohabbat Chapter 3

Not to over burden Behroz with hosting his family, Waleed decided to meet in the evening for Rasm e sagai (engagement) and introduce the rest of his family and guests to Behroz’s family.

On the other hand, Jassi ji hasn’t given a moments worth of rest to her restless mind and neither to anyone around the house. All were running on the click of her fingertips with errands ranging from bringing the grocery to even the smallest tasks of arranging flower garlands for the guests. Everyone was busy following strict instructions from their one and only mother matron.

‘Jaldi jaldi  haath batao, aaj bohot kuch karna hain humein Preeti aur zara ladkiyon ko khana de aao aur tum sab bhi pehle khana khalo.. kaam toh chalte rahenge aaj’(lets work fast, we have many errands to run today Preeti andcan you send a tray of food for the girls upstairs and you all eat first too)  said Jassi ji, who came in the rasoi area to check on the progress. She had asked Preeti and all the rest of her household helps to be at Behroz’s house for the next few days. Some were busy with arranging dishes & cutlery, others were helping in chopping veggies whilst some were working under the khansaba and Daijaan.

Daijaan was given the task of overlooking the khansaaba (cook) in the rasoi and guide him in the traditional cooking methods of all the nawabi dishes on the menu tonight. Of course, Daijaan needed assistance so claimed Roop as she officially took on the responsibility of tasting everything that khansaba had cooking in the pots and literally her finger were dipping in every handi on the stove.

‘Iss main aur doodh dalo na Khan Baba, this kheer is too thick’ (add some more milk in here Khan Baba, this pudding is too thick) said Roop who managed to sneak a spoon from the large pot resting on the worktop. Jassi ji tapped Roop’s shoulder and lifted her eyebrows as if to ask what’s going on?! And Roop instead showed her spoon and said ‘I’m the taster Amma, Daijaan can’t taste all the sweets so many times her sugar level will go up. Hain na Daijaan?!’

Daijaan who was busy guiding khansaba for the ‘dum biryani’ just said ‘haan haan jassi, use chak lene de warna sham tak uske pait main dard uthe ga aur woh Rabdi hai Kheer nahi Roop rani’ (yes yes Jassi, let her taste it otherwise by evening she will ache with the wait!! And princess that’s a Rabdi not kheer)

Jassi ji, smacked Roop on the shoulder lightly whilst laughing away and said ‘Jhalli tu bas khaa thi rahe! (Silly! You just forever eat!)

She then asked Daijaan if the dishes were almost ready and on hearing the affirmative, Jassi ji walked out towards the front courtyard of the house and found Mohinder and Behroz who were watching the men put up the shamiyana for the week’s functions ahead as well as welcoming Behroz’s close family members who heard the news and were hoping to attend the functions.

 She overheard Behroz say ‘Aaj somwaar hai toh shukrwaar ko shaadi ka hum kahenge kyunki ravivar ko Waleed ullah ke mehman wapis jaana chahte hai, Tumhari kya raye hai Mohinder?’ (Today is a Monday so we will say that we think Friday is best for the wedding day since by Sunday Waleed Ullah’s guests want to return to the city, what do you think of this proposition Mohinder?)

Jassi ji said ‘Itni jaldi praaji’ ek hafte main bitiya parayi!’ (Woah! So soon Brother, in just a week our daughter will be gone!)

The men turned back to find Jassi ji wiping her wet eyes with her Chunni They looked at her with similar empathy and Behroz said ‘haan Bhabhi ji, woh bas unhe jaldi hai shehar lauth ne ki, unka wahaan ka sab kaam hai aur Haider bete ka college shuru hojaye ga thode din baad’ (Yes Bhabhi, its just that they are in a rush to return to the city because of their business and Haider’s college will soon be starting again)

Mohinder added ‘haan ji, ladkiyan toh aise hi parayi hojati hai.Humari Geet aur Roop ko bhi aisey hi jaana hai koi din’. (Yes you are right, Geet and Roop will have to one day leave their homes as well girls just leave so soon)

Jassi then sighed and said ‘Haan ji, Geet ka metric agle saal hone ko hai phir uske haath peeley karne hai mainu’ (Yes you are right, Geet will be done with her final exams for high school and I just want her married off soon after)

Mohinder looked at his wife with a resigned look and exasperatedly said ‘ kitne baar main samjhoun aap ko mainu use padhana hai abhi bohot’ (we have discussed this many times, I am going to make her study much much more)

Jassi ji hesitated and not to sour her husband’s mood she changed the topic by saying ‘Geet se mainu yaad aya…woh ladki hai kahan?’ Subah se mujhe mili hi nahi kuch ghar ke kaam main haat bata de toh kuch seekh hi legi’ (Talking of Geet, I just realized where is that girl! I haven’t seen her all day, it’d be for her own good if she helps out and learns a thing or two!)

Mohinder smirked and said ‘Meri beti ke kayi hunar hai bas dekh ne waaloun ki nazar kamzor hai…subah se weranda ko saja rahi thi aur thodi der pehle Meer beti ke saath thi’ (my daughter has many talents, its just a matter of looking with the right eye! She has been busy decorating the front Veranda all morning and later she was seen with Meer)

‘Haan haan saari kharabi mujh main hi hai, chaddo mainu aap se baat hi nahi karni. Main Meer ko dekh aayi Praaji aap log bhi jaldi tayyar ho jayiye ladke waale thodi hi der main aate honge’ Jassi ji turned away taking hasty steps towards the staircase. (Yes yes all the wrongs in the world is all in me! Im’ just not good enough, anyway I am done here with you. Brother Behroz I am going to check up on Meer, and you all should get ready soon as well the groom’s side should be arriving soon anyway)

Mohinder followed her close behind and held Jassi’s hand. He said ‘Kitpit baad main kar lena pehle aap aur bachiyoun kuch rasoi se khalo, mehman aane ko abhi der hai aur aap sham main khud ko bhool jayengi sab ka khayal karne main’. (You can bicker later but for now you and girls should eat something, there is still a while for the guests to arrive and once they will, you will emerse in everyone else and forget yourself)

Despite being from a traditional chauvinist male household Mohinder always kept to his manners especially to the women of his family. He was the favourite brother in law to all his bhabhis.  Jassi looked around to see if Behroz could see them and when she realized he couldn’t, she looked up at Mohinder and found him smiling down at her. She suddenly felt shy but grudgingly added in a low voice ‘maine Preeti ko kaha hai ke khana lekar upar ladkiyon ko de aaye aur aap ko chai’ (Woh, I have already asked Preeti to send food upstairs to the girls and tea for you) Mohinder let go of her hand and she walked up the stairs with a faint smile on her lips.

 She shook her head with the thought that she needs to count her blessings for having a husband who not only cares for her but also shows affection through his words and actions. She quickly held her hands in prayers and whispered ‘Rabb meri kudiyon ko bhi aisa chah ne waala preet mile’ (Lord, give my girls such a doting lover)

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Geet was haunched over a table in Meer’s bedroom fiddling with a needle and thread in her hands over a dupatta that Jassi noticed was part of Meer’s Sagai joda (engagement outfit) that was sent over from Waleed Ullah’s family in the morning by a servant saying it’s their request that the bride wears this traditional attire when introduced to the guests tonight.

Jassi alarmed at what new thing her daughter is sprucing up over something so valuable so she literally ran over and grabbed it off the table in a panic. Suddenly the look of panic turned into surprise she looked at Geet who stood across her with scared eyes and mumbled ‘woh woh Ma, woh dupatta hone waali dulhan ke liye bohot saada hai toh usko chamki aur taar taaka maine’ (Umm umm Ma, that scarf was too plain for a bride so I stitched some sequins and beads on it)

Jassi ji with surprise in her voice added ‘tujhe yeh sab kisne sikhaya?’ (Who taught you all this stitching?) Meer who was sitting on the bed all this time laughed and said ‘Aur kaun! Daijaan ne humein chuttiyoun main sikhaya aur iss jhalli ko bohot saada laga dupatta toh dekho na ma kitna khoobsurat kaam kiya hai meri Geet ne mere liye’. (Who else but Daijaan, last summer’s project! And this silly girl thought my scarf is too plain so look at it Ma, how pretty she has made it look all for me)

Geet gently took the dupatta back from her mother’s hands and said ‘bas hogaya Ma Meer ke haath ki mehendi abhi sookh hi rahi hai phir woh tayyar ho jayegi’ (Its almost done Ma in the mean time Meer’s henna will dry up so she can get ready soon after)

Jassi ji turned in amazement to look at Meera’s hands which had mehendi on just the fingertips. She added ‘woh shaadi se ek din pehle poora haath ko lagoungi abhi Geet ko maine itna hi lagane ko kaha hai… Aap use kuch na kahiye woh phone par design nikaala humne’. (Umm I know it’s just on tips of my fingers for now, but night before the wedding I will get my hands filled with Mehendi. It’s not Geet’s crazy idea I asked asked her put this much on because we found this design from our phone)

Mohinder’s words of praises for their daughter rung in Jassi ji’s ears as she stood stumped at her daughter’s handiwork of first the dupatta then the mehendi, she wondered what new shades of Geet’s colourful personality will she get to see in Meer’s wedding ahead.

Preeti walked in with a tray of food and brought Jassi out of her own thoughts. She fed both the girls with her hands whilst she ate some too and told them of Roop’s food tasting abilities in the rasoi.

As she was leaving the room she informed Geet that she will send her clothes by a servant from their house and she will be back in an hour to help Meer get ready for the sagai tonight.

An hour later closer to sunset, Jassi ji was back in the room fussing over Meer’s hair and jewellery. As she was setting the tikka on Meer’s forehead she saw Geet’s reflection in the mirror who had just stepped out of the bathroom clad in a baby pink Patiala suit with a dupatta draped around her shoulders. She stared at her young daughter’s and at Meer’s reflection with tears brimming in her eyes noting that both her daughters no longer look like those piggy tailed little angels running around her and have now grown into beautiful young girls.

Meer held Jassi’s hand which was resting on her shoulder and blinked a smiled at her whispering ‘Geet mujhe se bhi pyaari dulhan banegi’ (Geet will look a even prettier bride than me )

Jassi ji smiled and in the background Geet tumbled over the edge of the rug and landed right on her bum. Jassi ji turned around laughing and  said to Meer ‘ Pyaari toh yeh zaroor hai lekin bohot jhalli hai dekha toofan ki tarah tezi phir takra gayi’ (its true that she is pretty but is a crazy fool too look at her coming in lika s storm and crashing in on her self) she bent over to help Geet up and with a chuckle she added ‘ ek din tune apne dulhe par bhi aise hi bijli ki tarha gir jaana hai’ (One day you are going to thunderingly fall just like this on your groom!)

Geet looked at her mother annoyed and said ‘Maaaa.. aap phir mujhe chida rahe ho.. I’m not getting married any time soon.. you have Meer to tease now and take out all your armaan in her shaadi.. I am ready to host this gudda of her’s who has come to take my sister away’ she muttered the last sentence to herself with pranks running through her mind.

Meer and Jassi both started laughing at Geet’s annoyance on her brother in law to be!

To save Geet from further teasing, Preeti rushed from downstairs to announce that the dulhe waale are here.

On hearing the news, Geet jumped in excitement and squealed running to the upstairs weranda looking down at the entrance lobby ‘mainu bhi dekhna hai dulhe waloun ko main bhi aayi Preeti… woh phool mainu bhi phekna hai dulhe par’ (I want to see the groom’s side too and shower the rose petals on the groom with everyone else)

Jassi ji quickly made her way to the stairs and stopped Geet from running downstairs saying ‘Arreee Geettt!! Tu yahin ruk yahaan apni behen ke saath,  Meer ko lekar aana hai tujhe..’ dulhe ko baad main dekh lena..’ (Ohh Geet, not now see the guests and the groom later, you stay with your sister and come with her)

Par Ma, mujhe bhi dekhna hai dulhe ko’ Geet moaned. (But Ma, I too wanted to see him)

‘Haan haan dekh lena baad main aur yeh shaadi ki baraat nahi hai. Kuch hi din baad jab baraat ayegi Meer ki, tu hi swagat karna theek hai’ (Yes, later in the week you can welcome the wedding guests all yourself but for now stay up) Jassi ji touched Geet’s cheeks and coaxed her to go back, not wanting to set a bad impression of their family in front of dulhe waale she only wanted the elders to be present first time.

Geet contemplated her mum’s words and lifted her spirit up with the prospect of welcoming the real baraat in a few days. She went up the stairs and into Meer’s room again to give her company until they are summoned.

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Note: From this chapter onwards I have added English subtext for every dialogue spoken in Hindi/Urdu as it’s not easy for non-Hindi speakers to understand the conversation and in turn miss out on essential points of the story… So hope that helps! I am sorry for posting this chapter after soo much delay but good news is that it’s a very long almost 2500 words chapter!! Anddd I have two more chapters ready to post J Soo happy reading