MM - Chapter 7

Haider was sat in the centre of the canopy decorated with fresh flowers and frills. Maan came and stood next to his DadiMa with the rest of the family.

All guests had arrived from both Waleed Ullah and Behroz’s side and just as everyone were waiting to see the bride to be, Meer appeared at the top of the stairs with her godmother Jassi on one side and her best friend Geet on the other side.

With a net dupatta covering her head, Meer’s eyes were glued to the ground and Geet guided her down the stairs holding her by one side. Meer was made to sit on another chaise facing Haider.

Asma, Haider’s mother came and sat on one side of Meer and on the other was Jassi ji. She held Meer’s face from her chin and said ‘Masha’Allah iss Chand jaisi beti ko aaj se humare ghar ka noor banayge hum’ (God has willed it, that this moonlike beautiful daughter will become the light of our home). Jassi ji held out Meer’s hand forward and Asma slipped the engagement ring on her left hand finger.

Across them next to Haider sat Behroz Khan who hugged Haider and gifted him a band as a token of the engagement.

Maan whispered to his Dadima ‘yeh kya dadima (what’s this Dadima) why aren’t the bride and groom exchanging the rings and instead the elders are slipping rings on them?!’ Dadima replied ‘In muslim tradition, the girl and boy should not have any physical contact until the Nikah (marriage ceremony) is done so out of respect to this rule the elders have performed the engagements rites’.

Maan listened intently and said to his Dadima, ‘Itne saare rules lekin bohot cute hai, shaadi ke baad pehli baar woh milna aur baatein karna its super cute Dadi ma!’ Dadima was pleasantly surprised at Maan who didn’t think it to be backwards but respected the differences. She was proud of her grandson’s genuineness. She patted his cheek lovingly and moved forward to meet Haider’s now fiancée.

Asma moved out of the way for Dadima to sit down next to Meer and she introduced her. Meer shyly spoke to Dadima. Then to make small talks with Meer and put her at ease she commented on her beautiful star stringed dupatta. Meer looked appreciatively and with ease said ‘Geet sewed the beads and made the dupatta so pretty for me’ Dadima asked ‘who is Geet beta?

Meer pointed Geet out to Dadima, who was with Jassi ji arranging the platter of sweets and drinks for the guests. She then told her that she is Mohinder Chachu’s eldest daughter and like a sister to her.

Dadima chuckled as she noticed Geet hiding a laddu in her dupatta and turned towards a younger girl who was also hiding under the table and handed the laddu over to her.

Meer noticed and informed Dadima ‘Woh Roop hai! Geet’s younger sister. Her only interest in life is to eat and they both play and love each other as much as they fight’. Dadima and Meer both looked at each other and started laughing as they noticed that just moments ago Geet who gave Roop the laddu now both were being reprimanded by Jassi ji who caught their blatant attempt of cleverly!

Haider and Maan who were now sat together were watching Dadima and Meer interact and Maan then told his friend ‘Bhabhi looks friendly yaar, she comes from this small town but seems like she might be alright to talk to and let her understand your situation’.

Haider who was also thinking the same said ‘ Yeh I was thinking the same that maybe your idea of talking to her might work… but bro you manage a meeting for us… over here all girls and women are just staring at my every move! I can’t even attempt to talk to her here!’

Maan was thinking how to make it happen when all of a sudden Geet walked towards them with a tray of sweets and drinks.

She held the tray forward to Haider and as he smiled and raised his hand to pick up a glass of juice she turned the tray around and said quietly ‘Di ne kaha aap ke liye thandai banana ke liye (Di, asked me to make a drink for you) you have an upset stomach so this will help’.

Haider looked embarrassed but Geet didn’t laugh at him just smiled warmly and moved onto serve Maan who was watching her closely. He said to her ‘and what’s there for me?’ Geet looked at him and wryly replied ‘Ji, the dulhe bhaiya got a special drink for his special problem… Do you have a problem too?!’

'Ji I have a problem with my toe, its hurting ever since a wild cat decided to attack me!’

‘Main jungli billi nahi mere bauji mujhe sherni kehte hai! Geet said proudly!’

‘Aur main koi dusht nahi apne papa ka Maan hoon!’

Meer sensed something going on when she saw Maan stand up to Geet and to avoid her toofan express like sister doing some embarassing herself in front of guests… she called her out ‘ Geet!! Yahaan aana!Come here)'.

Geet who heard Meer call her name said to Maan ‘aap ko drink chahiye ya nahin! Aur bhi khaas mehmaan hai yahaan!’(Do you want a drink or not! there are other special guests out here too).

Maan annoyed at her rebuttal yet again, just said ignored her and sat back down.

Geet walked away towards Meer and placed the drinks tray on a table closeby said ‘dekhno na Di, dulhe bhaiya ka dost bohot hi akdoo hai! Maine toh sirf chunni mangi thi waapis aur woh de nahi raha tha toh maine bhi usko ek de di!’(Look at him Di, dulhe bhaiya’s friend is such a snob! I had only asked for my chunni..when he wasn’t giving it back I gave him one good one!)

Meer looked at her surprised ‘ Ya Allah kya Di tuney usko!(Oh God! What did you give in return!!?)  

‘One good kick to his foot’! said Geet proud of herself.

Dadima who was sitting next to Meer still, and totally ignored by the two girls burst out laughing!

Meer tried covering up for Geet.. ‘Aisa nahi hai Dadima, yeh na bas toofan ki tarah hai..bina kuch samjhe keh jaati aur karjati hai!’ (It's not as it seems Dadima, She is just a motor mouth! Does't think before she speaks or does something!)

Dadima placed a hand on Meer to calm her down and looked at Geet and ushered her close. Geet walked towards the old lady and touched her feet then said ‘Satriyakal Dadiji aap Dulhe bhai ki dadi ho na?’(you are Haider bhai’s grandma right?)

Dadima smiled at the innocent girl and said ‘Yes and his akdoo friend’s too’. 

Geet caught offgaurd went red in the face and started twining her chunni in loops around her finger.

She said ‘woh maafi ji, maine unhe chot nahi pohchani thi woh bas hogaya!’ (I’m sorry I didn’t mean to hurt him kicking it just so happened!)

Dadima touched her face softly and said ‘acha kiya use thodi akal toh aye, (good he learnt a lesson) on how he should behave with such pretty and nice girls’.

Geet giggled and looked at the kind old woman who sat with so much elegance. She looked fun and yet respected by all. Geet then offered her the drinks and sweets tray...and sat with dadima who asked Geet how she knows to stitch so well.

Haider turned to Maan and pointed towards Geet who was now leading dadima towards the dinner hall and  said ‘Bro that girl is the key to arranging a meeting for me!you approaching the bride would be too suspicious as well… this is a small town and people talk very easily’

‘No way! Am I approaching that chalta phirta toofan and request her to arrange a few mins for you with her friend! She is too dumb to understand why and this time she might just really hurt me!’

‘Maan Singh Khurana and scared!!! Wah aaj yeh din bhi dekhne milgaya!(today I got to witness this too)

‘Main kissi se nahi darta! You know’… Haider interrupted his warning and said ‘Toh bhai mere please help me out!’

Theek hai Theek hai I will think of something! Maan exhasperatedly said.

MM- Chapter 6

Maan had his hand with the dupatta behind his back as he walked down the corridors following his dulha friend into the main hall. As he turned one corner suddenly out of nowhere a little girl barged into him with her one hand extended forward. Maan first looked at Haider who walked ahead without knowing that he got stumped behind.

He then raised his eyebrows questionably at the little plump cheeked girl. She in turn raised her eyebrows and pointed at his hand behind his back with her eyes and said "main Roop hoon Aur aapke paas meri Di ki chunni hai, aap mujhe dedo"(My name is Roop and you have my sister’s scarf, please return it to me). Maan raised his eyes at her and added "mujhe kya milega badle main?" (What will I get in return?) Roop looked back annoyingly at him and said "Ma kehti hai ke kisi ki cheez wapis karna humara farz banta hai"(Ma says that to give someone’s belonging back to the person is our duty and not a favour).

Maan chuckled and was surprised at the little girl with her witty response. He held his hand out with the dupatta saying "theek hai insaaf ki Dadi maine apna farz pura kiya" (Alright, you wise old grandma, here! I have fulfilled my duty) he pulled at her one pigtail braid with his other hand.

She felt doubtful of his intention but reached out to grab the dupatta anyway. Maan suddenly raised his hand up and added ‘waise meri Dadi kehti hai ke jiski cheez hai usi ko waapis karte hai! Aur yeh toh tumhari ‘Di ki chunni’ hai toh wapis bhi usi ko hogi’. (By the way my Grandma says that one should return someone’s belonging only to its rightful owner and anyway this is your “Di’s scarf so it will be given only to her).

Roop now looked very annoyed and pointed her finger at him saying ‘Dekho Dulhe bhaiya ke veerji Give the Chunni back to me now otherwise it won’t be good!’ She looked perplexed and murmured under her breath ‘over there she has taken my bowl of sweets due to this stupid chunni and here you are holding me away from my sweets’.

Maan pretended to scowl and said ‘acha?!’ toh phir dekh hi lenge’ (really?! Okay so then let’s see) and he turned away on his heels. Then just as he turned so, he heard a:

‘Suniye’

Maan turned around to look at the face of the caller and there she stood again besides her little sister…in her pink suit as she stood anxiously fidgeting with the ends of her braid’s long tassle (Paraanda). The sight of her now up close felt even more magnetizing than the first time when his eyes fell on her standing in the window from the veranda. She slowly raised her eyes to meet his and just as quickly looked down again. ‘Woh sagai ka waqt hone ko hai aur meri chunni yahaan aapke paas… matlab …wahaan bageeche main gir gayi… aur abhi sab humara intezaar kar rahein hai, mainu Meer ko lekar aana hai sagai ke liye’ (umm, the engagement ceremony is meant to begin any time now and my scarf is with you… I mean … fell in the courtyard behind…everyone is waiting for us, I need to bring Meer downstairs for the engagement) and she whispered to herself ‘bina chunni ke Ma toh mujhe maar hi dale gi’ (and if I go without my scarf, Mother will murder me!).

Maan was walking towards her as she was giving her stuttering little speech to get her scarf back. Roop in the mean time ran off probably to find her bowl of sweets again and Geet looked up at him, seeing him slowly walking towards her made her flutter and her feet unknowingly backed away. She didn’t know if she should look away or stop walking backwards his unwavering stare made her nervous.

As she almost stumbled backwards into a pillar in the corridor he held her shoulders to balance her feet. The Dupatta now hanging off his hand down on her shoulder.

He whispered ‘sambhal ke’ (be careful)

She suddenly looked at him shocked at his touch and moved away grabbing the dupatta from his hand on her shoulder.

He quickly held the end of her dupatta and said ‘Aisey kyun ghabra rahi ho??…main tumhe khaa nahi jaounga, daro matt! Main ek ladka hoon koi Dusht Danav nahi… (Why are you getting scared? I'm not going to eat you alive, don’t be scared! I'm a guy not an evil demon to eat you up like that! )

Geet suddenly burst out laughing and turned to look at him mimicking ‘Dusht Danav’.

Maan stood mesmerized at her laughter yet again, He didn’t know what it was but seeing her this way made him short fall for words. However in between her laughter Geet blurtered ‘waise dusht ka patta nahi haan par danav zaroor honge aap! Apne dost par kaise hass rahe the) and she continued laughing. (By the way, you may not be evil but you sure are a demon.. why else would you laugh at your friend’s plight that way!!)

Maan came out of his trance like state when he heard her statement and exclaimed ‘Kya!! I look like a danav to you!?’ (What!!??I seem like a Demon to you)

Main Maan sign khurana hoon! Mere Papa jaisa banunga! Dev hoon Danav nahi!! samjhi tum! And he held her tightly laughing form again by the shoulder! (I am Maan Singh Khurana! I am going to be like my dad, Divine (Lord)! You better understand!)

She stopped laughing and tried struggling from his steel grip saying ‘chodiye mujhe! Honge aap ke bauji Dev jaise, mere Bauji aur bhi ache hain! Aur main darti nahi aapse! (Let go off me! Your father may be like a lord for you but my father is better and I’m not scared of you!)  And she stamped his foot with her one foot and said ‘darre meri jutti!!’ (Scared! Huh? My foot! ).

Maan yelped and let go off Geet’s shoulders. She instantly jumped and ran back down the corridors towards the stairs… before she turned the corner she said ‘suniye!’

Maan looked at her angrily.

 She said ‘chunni ke liye shukriya aur jutti ke liye maafi she held her one ear with her hand then added ‘Dusht Danav ji’ and ran off.

Maan was visibly annoyed and was just about to go and give her a piece of his mind when he heard some other people coming into the corridor.

Jassi ji spotted Maan and called him out ‘Maan puttar aap sab ka isteqbal karne hum yahaan hai ajayiye (we are waiting here to welcome you, please come over here)

He turned and straightened himself and said ‘ji, main aya’ and added under his breath ‘I have begun to taste this very warm welcome already! Aap ki betiyon ne udghatan kardiya hai mera yahaan (your daughters have inaugurated my coming already)  One threatens with her pointy fingers and another stomps my foot