16-03-2019, 03:28 PM
India is a land of immense diversity. Often cultures, languages, castes, perceptions clash. Human values still rules supreme. This story is about the journey of a '. orphan girl trying bravely to face the life that poses difficulties. But, she braves on.
It's a romantic story because love has the capacity to overcome social deficiencies.
Some names and words may be unfamiliar. I have tried to give some meaning to them in brackets.
Chapter-1: Meherunissa
Only the great ,.'-Taala (the Lord Almighty) could possibly be privy to the information as to under what compelling circumstances my parents named me Meherunissa and swiftly left together for the Jannat (heaven) leaving me under the care and guidance of Chacha and Chachi (father's younger brother and his wife).
To be fair to them, I was not ill-treated. I grew up with rest of the family. But, they never wasted many words on my parents except that they were big blots on the good name of the Anwars (my Chacha).
Fortunately, we all went to colleges and I turned out to be better of the lot in studies. When I finally landed a scholarship for the college education, things got a bit complicated. Chachi demanded to know that why the scholarship could not be transferred to my sister. Thankfully, Chacha persuaded Chachi that I could contribute monetarily if I got a good education. That tilted it in my favour. Incidentally, my other two sister's enthusiasms for college were confined to getting away from home. I completed my graduation and got a teaching position in an important college. The money that I was bringing in kept Chachi in a comparatively good mood.
20 summers had passed and things had started changing. Chachi wanted to get her elder daughter married and streams of eligible bachelors were invited on a daily basis. Somehow, the results were disappointing and to her extreme annoyance, a few made dubious remarks indicating that instead if I could be made available for the alliance, they could be more accommodative. Chachi, at first stopped my appearances in these mehfils and then became increasingly irritated whenever a prospective groom sent in a negative feedback.
The behaviour of the alliance seeking crowd surprised me too. The comparison between me and the great Noorjehan was limited to the illustrious name only. But now, I too started noticing myself and after some critical analysis concluded that "I was passable, maybe a little more than that". I looked at myself and reasoned that for all these 20 years, I was oblivious of myself. I did not know whether to feel good or bad; happy or sad; exhilarated or humbled. But I did notice myself. The woman in me suddenly wanted to bloom.
But there are a lot of hindrances to a good idea. I never had an idea that it would be soon.
One evening I came back from the college, collected the dried clothes from the clothesline and started folding them. Suddenly, my uncle entered, like a thief. I was surprised since he usually returned late but today he was early. With him also entered Chachi and I knew something was brewing.
There was an uncomfortable phase of hemming, hawing, and fidgeting. I waited for them to speak. Slowly, both regained their composure and my Chacha launched into a monologue as to how saddened they were when I was left an orphan by my parents (of course they died due to their own stupidity) and how despite all their financial difficulties my Chachi embraced me wholeheartedly and how my own comforts always took priority over their own children and how today no one would dare raise a finger at them accusing that they haven't looked after an orphan child to their best. Still, there are always some ungrateful shaitans who would say so many things but ultimately, it's ,.' who sees it all and he will judge. This was verbatim Chachi's script, clumsily delivered by my uncle.
I was interested in knowing what was coming next?
Here on, the water turned a bit murkier. Uncle was ill at ease but with sustained nudging from my Chachi, he said, "Meher, we are getting old and your Chachi goes through sleepless nights thinking what will happen to you in our absence." Considering that Chachaji was only 51 and Chachi considerably younger, I wasn't that sure that they would make an early exit from the ethereal world.
It's a romantic story because love has the capacity to overcome social deficiencies.
Some names and words may be unfamiliar. I have tried to give some meaning to them in brackets.
Chapter-1: Meherunissa
Only the great ,.'-Taala (the Lord Almighty) could possibly be privy to the information as to under what compelling circumstances my parents named me Meherunissa and swiftly left together for the Jannat (heaven) leaving me under the care and guidance of Chacha and Chachi (father's younger brother and his wife).
To be fair to them, I was not ill-treated. I grew up with rest of the family. But, they never wasted many words on my parents except that they were big blots on the good name of the Anwars (my Chacha).
Fortunately, we all went to colleges and I turned out to be better of the lot in studies. When I finally landed a scholarship for the college education, things got a bit complicated. Chachi demanded to know that why the scholarship could not be transferred to my sister. Thankfully, Chacha persuaded Chachi that I could contribute monetarily if I got a good education. That tilted it in my favour. Incidentally, my other two sister's enthusiasms for college were confined to getting away from home. I completed my graduation and got a teaching position in an important college. The money that I was bringing in kept Chachi in a comparatively good mood.
20 summers had passed and things had started changing. Chachi wanted to get her elder daughter married and streams of eligible bachelors were invited on a daily basis. Somehow, the results were disappointing and to her extreme annoyance, a few made dubious remarks indicating that instead if I could be made available for the alliance, they could be more accommodative. Chachi, at first stopped my appearances in these mehfils and then became increasingly irritated whenever a prospective groom sent in a negative feedback.
The behaviour of the alliance seeking crowd surprised me too. The comparison between me and the great Noorjehan was limited to the illustrious name only. But now, I too started noticing myself and after some critical analysis concluded that "I was passable, maybe a little more than that". I looked at myself and reasoned that for all these 20 years, I was oblivious of myself. I did not know whether to feel good or bad; happy or sad; exhilarated or humbled. But I did notice myself. The woman in me suddenly wanted to bloom.
But there are a lot of hindrances to a good idea. I never had an idea that it would be soon.
One evening I came back from the college, collected the dried clothes from the clothesline and started folding them. Suddenly, my uncle entered, like a thief. I was surprised since he usually returned late but today he was early. With him also entered Chachi and I knew something was brewing.
There was an uncomfortable phase of hemming, hawing, and fidgeting. I waited for them to speak. Slowly, both regained their composure and my Chacha launched into a monologue as to how saddened they were when I was left an orphan by my parents (of course they died due to their own stupidity) and how despite all their financial difficulties my Chachi embraced me wholeheartedly and how my own comforts always took priority over their own children and how today no one would dare raise a finger at them accusing that they haven't looked after an orphan child to their best. Still, there are always some ungrateful shaitans who would say so many things but ultimately, it's ,.' who sees it all and he will judge. This was verbatim Chachi's script, clumsily delivered by my uncle.
I was interested in knowing what was coming next?
Here on, the water turned a bit murkier. Uncle was ill at ease but with sustained nudging from my Chachi, he said, "Meher, we are getting old and your Chachi goes through sleepless nights thinking what will happen to you in our absence." Considering that Chachaji was only 51 and Chachi considerably younger, I wasn't that sure that they would make an early exit from the ethereal world.
Like, Comment and Give Rating.
![[+]](https://xossipy.com/themes/sharepoint/collapse_collapsed.png)