Kuch baat toh hai teri baaton mein,

Jo baat yahan tak aa pahuchi,

Hum dil se gaye, dil tum par gaya,

Aur baat khuda tak jaa pahunchi.

Day of partition [14 August 1947]

NOOR

" Chal, chal Noori jaldi kar, agar bhaiya ko pata lag gaya na toh hum dono gaye aaj"

[ Do it fast Noori, if brother got know about this, he will not leave us for sure]

I heard my friend Roshni saying to me while I was still busy, sorry confused between which pair of bangles I should pick. This is so confusing and why both of them are so beautiful. I want them both. 

I closed my eyes for once and taking a long breath, I opened them and said to the stall vendor 

"Bhaiyya, yeh vali churi bandh dein mere liye"

[Brother, pack this one bangles for me]

I gave him the multicolor bangles that I chose for myself and now my heart was saying that I should have gone for the red ones.

I gave him the money and took the bangles from him, and we both started moving and Roshni said

"Thank God, you finally selected which pair you wanted. Now we have to reach home before brother reach there from college" she said to me, and I frowned.

" Your brother is a total Hitler, and I don't like him even a single bit" I said to her while both sat down in rickshaw to reach home.

She glared at me and said " He is not a Hitler"

" Then tell me why he always scolds everyone and especially me" I scoffed and continued " Kal college mein bhi kitna daanta mujhe aur ghar par bhi koi mauka nahi chodte vo"

[ He scolded me yesterday also in college and then at home also]

"Because you were not studying that's why he scolded you" she said defending her brother.

" Nothing you can say that will convince me to think of him less than Hitler" I said while looking at my bangles and thinking how beautiful I will look in them.

" Live with him for one day and then you will get to know that he is not Hitler, he is just strict towards our studies"

I instantly glared at her and shouted " Allah kare aisa din kabhi na aaye ki mujhe unke saath rehna pade, bilkul nahi pasand mujhe tumhare bhai"

[ Please God, such kind of day never comes in my life that I have to live with him]

She just rolled her eyes and asked rickshaw driver to go a little faster.

Meanwhile an image came in my mind where me and him would be living together and I immediately got scared. No one can live with him for even a minute, then just forget about whole life.

But all things aside I am scared from him because we both didn't go to college as today is my wedding and I wanted to come for shopping, but he will never understand the excitement of marriage.

I am so happy I am getting married.

To Sohail Khan, he is my maternal uncle's son, basically my cousin. And our families decided this during my birth that we will get marry once I will be of twenty-one.

Although I don't love him, but my Ammi says that after marriage love develops automatically between husband and wife. And she also says that love isn't necessary for marriage and honestly, I am not excited for love and all.

I am excited because I will get so many beautiful dresses and Jewlery and I will look so pretty in that. But I have to leave my family and go to Lahore as my to-be husband lives there with his family.

"Noori, ghar aa gaya utaro" I came out of my thoughts when I saw Roshni shaking me and I step out of Rickshaw, and she gave money to him.

[Noori, we are home, get off the rickshaw]

"Bas Allah ye ek baar bacha lein mujhe tumhare bhai se, phir toh maine chale jaana hai yahan se humesha ke liye" I said while entering into her house with my gaze still locked on my bangles which I will wear with my lehenga and suddenly my head got hit on the wall.

[God just save me this last time from her brother, then I will go from here forever]

Closing my eyes, I palmed my forehead and muttered " Ab ye deewar kahan se aa gayi saamne"

[From where this wall comes]

Someone nudged my shoulder from side and opening my eyes I looked there, and Noor was showing me her eyes and whispered " Look in front. It's not a wall, it's my brother."

And all my bravery left my body as soon as I heard this and so slowly, very slowly I looked at my front and saw him standing there.

He stood there like an idol of a God, in front of whom you are supposed to bow down. His aura makes you do that. 

I don't know why my heart always skip few beats whenever I look at him. I think its because his fear I have in me.

If he wasn't a Hitler and I didn't dislike him this much I would say that he is the most handsome and beautiful man, I have ever laid my eyes upon. He loves discipline and you cannot even see a wrinkle on his clothes but still his hair always rests upon his forehead in a lazy manner. He has dark lashes and eyebrows along with pink lips and finely carved jawline.

He is tall and have a well-built body which usually men of our village don't have. This is because he daily practice yoga and lift weights in morning.

" Where were you both" he said in his usually heavy voice which gave me goosebumps all over my body because I am scared, I think.

"Actually bhai, we had some important"...............

Roshini started giving him excuse, but I know that there is no use of that. I am seeing this since my childhood. He always knows how to get truth out of us.

His gaze moves towards my hands, and he saw the bangles and I immediately hid them behind me in my dupatta.

" To bring bangles was your important work, hnn" he asked looking at me.

I never understood one thing that whenever we both get caught doing something wrong why he always scolds while looking at me. I mean we both did wrong, we both should get scolding but no, he shows that he is scolding both of us by keeping his gaze fixed on me.

And that makes me hate him more.

" Roshni, if you are home, come here, help me in the kitchen" Roshni's mother shouted from inside and she looked at her brother and he said " Go, Bebe is calling you, I will talk to you later"

She nodded and went away, and I also prayed to God to save me from him.

So, slowly I turned and started going behind my friend, but he stopped me.

"Noor"

He is the only one who calls me Noor otherwise everyone calls me Noori because they love me and he just hates me, I think.

I turned and said " Y... yes Sir."

I call him Sir because unfortunately in our girl's college he is the professor, but he teaches really well.

"College kyu nahi aayi aaj" he asked 

[Why didn't you come to the college]

I gulped and said " Aaj Nikah hai humara, toh hum kuch saaman lane gaye the"

[ Its my wedding today. So, I went to bring something for me]

He come closer to me, and I took a step back and he said " Do you even know the condition of outside, hmm" 

He paused and then continued " Kabhi bhi dange ho sakte hai. Announcement nahi suni tumne kya kya chalra hai desh mein"

[ Riots can happen any time, haven't you heard what they all are announcing.]

"Par hua toh nahi na. Aur jis taraf hum gaye the vahan dange kyun ho honge" I said back with confidence, but his one glare was enough to crumble that, and I looked down.

[But nothing happened, right. And the side where we went riots will not happen there]

"And what if they happened, kuch ho jata tum dono ko toh"

[What if something happened to you both.]

"Then you have been the happiest man" I mumbled under my breath.

"What" he asked, and then continued and said " Zinda vapas nahi aati bach ke agar ho jate toh aur tum dono ko jane ki permission di kisne,hnn"

[ Then you wouldn't have come home alive and who gave you the permission to go]

I immediately said

" Hum chupke gaye the, bina kisi ko bataye. Aap please Ammi ko na batayein"

[ We didn't tell this to anyone, please don't tell mother about this]

He tighten his jaw and said " Tumhara dimag kharab hai, tumhe pta bhi hai desh mein batwara hone vala hai aur kitne logo ko maara jara hai"

[ Are you out if your mind, do you even know that our country is on the verge of getting divided, how many people are getting killed]

" I...I am sorry, please aap Ammi ko na batayein" and looked down realising our mistake.

[ Don't tell this to Ammi]

He glared at me and then sighed and said " Idhar dekho"

[Look here]

I looked at him and he asked

" Shaadi hai aaj tumhari"

I nodded and he asked the most unexpected thing which I never thought he would.

" Khush ho tum iss shaadi se"

[Are you happy from this marriage]

I frowned but nodded and said " Jee, khush hoon"

[Yes, I am happy]

"Dhyan rakhta hai vo tumhara"

[Does he take care of you]

Why he is asking all these weird questions but still I said 

" Hum unse sirf ek dafa hi mile hain lekin Ammi ne kaha hai vo ache insaan hai"

[I have only met him once but my mother says he is a good person]

He nodded and said " Just remember one thing, always raise your voice against the wrong thing"

He told me and it felt like we were talking for the last time, and basically it is because I will leave for Lahore tonight with my husband.

And then without waiting for my reply he went towards his room and I sighed heavily and murmured

"Shukr hai Allah ka bacha liya"

[Thank God, he saved me]

And then I went into the kitchen where Roshni is, as I want to show my bangles to her mother.

"Chachi, see my bangles, they are so pretty and I will wear them tonight" I said while entering into the kitchen and they both were busy in preparing for lunch.

"You will look beautiful in your wedding dress and now go to your home, Washma came and told me to send you as soon as you come from studying together".

She said referring to my mother and I nodded awkwardly realising how we told them that we are just studying at our friends house who just lives near our house.

I ignored that thought and said " Ek baat toh batayein chachi"

[Tell me something, aunt]

She nodded while doing her work and I continued " Aap ye hitler ki shadi kyu nahi kar deti, thoda inki zindagi mein bhi sukoon aayega aur hum sab ko bhi jeene denge"

[Why don't you get Hitler marry someone. He will get some peace and let us also live in peace]

She laughed listening to me, and Roshni just shook her head while doing her work.

"I have asked him many times to marry but he always says 'Jab sahi ladki milegi tab kar lunga'"

[I will marry whenever I will get the right girl]

I huffed and said " Phir toh ho gyi unki Shaddi kyunki apni razamandi se toh koi ladki shaddi nahi karegi unse. Har ladki ka khwab hota hai ki uska shouhar romantic ho, but he doesn't have a single bone of romance in his body"

[ Then he will never get to marry because no girl will marry him willingly. Every girl dreams of a man who is romantic but he doesn't have single bone of romance in his body]

I giggled and someone shouted from behind

"Noori" and I immediately knew who it was.

And she came and twisted my ear and said " Is the way to talk in front of your elders and have you forgot that you are a girl"

"Aaaaa Ammi"

[Mother]

Chachi came forward and said " Leave her Washma, she is a still a child"

My mother left my ear and said " Nikah hai aaj iska, bachchi nahi hai ab. Aur kitni baar isko samjhaya hai ijjat se baat kara kare, Arjun itna bada hai isse"

[Its her wedding today, she is not a child now. And I have told her many times, that she should talk to him with respect, he is so much elder than her]

I stood shyly but scoffed inwardly and thought 'Unko toh kabhi nahi bolte mujhse pyaar se bolne ko'.

[ She never tell him to talk to me nicely]

Then my mother started discussing something about my wedding to chachi and meanwhile I realized that it's my last day in this as well as my home. I spend my entire life playing in these both houses and I will miss everyone, even Arjun Sir and his scoldings.

"I will miss you Roshni" I said standing near her and she looked at me and gave me a sad smile and said "I will miss you too, Noori. You are my best friend"

I hugged her and said " I will ask my husband to bring me here frequently, to meet you all"

She nodded and Ammi said " Chalo Noori, enough now. Let's go home, you have to get ready for Nikah also. And Roshni you also come and get her ready"

She nodded and I left for my home with Ammi and Roshni.

*******

I was sitting in my room all ready for my Nikah and Roshni was sitting beside me holding my hand and said 

" You are looking very beautiful, Noori"

All ladies were gathered in my room when Maulvi started reciting Nikah ceremony and asked me whether I accept this Nikah or not.

I said " Qubool hai"

[I accept]

Then he asked again and I was about to say "Qub"...............

When I heard a gunshot, a very loud one.

And everyone gasped and then started shouting and suddenly the door of our room opened and I saw Abbu coming inside the room in tension and he said loudly.

"Desh ke batware ka ailan ho gaya hai, hume abhi ye mulk chodna hoga"

[ It has been announced that the country will be divided into two parts, we have to leave this country]

Ammi stood and went near Abbu and said " Lekin hum kahan jaaenge apna ghar chod kar"

[Where we will go by leaving our house]

"Abhi ke liye hum Lahore jaaenge phir uske baad dekhte hai kya karna hai"

[We will go to Lahore for now, then we will see where we have to go]

"Par Noori ka Nikah chal raha hai" she argued.

[Noori's marriage is going on]

"Tum samjh kyu nahi rahi yahan logo ke upar khoon sawar hai, hum ko abhi ye mulk chodna hoga. Ab ye humara mulk nahi hai, hume Pakistan jana hoga"

[ Why are you not understanding, they all want to kill us, We have to leave right now from here to Pakistan]

"Pakistan" I murmured under my breath getting restless and suddenly we heard more gunshots and the sound of people screaming and running here and there.

Abbu held Ammi's hand and said " Come Noori, we are leaving"

I stood from my place but didn't leave Roshni's hand and went near Abbu and asked " Abbu, v...vo bandook kis...kisne"

[Father who fired the gun]

Instant grief took place on his face, and he said " They killed your maamu"

[Uncle]

"Nooooooooo" shouted Ammi and immediately started crying but Abbu held her and said we have to leave quickly otherwise they will kill us too.

He held both of our hands and started dragging us and Roshni was still with me and she said 

"Noori, I am so scared, what is happening"

"Me too but"........................

And suddenly Roshni's father came towards us and pulled her towards him and said "Tum in logo ke saath kya karri ho, ghar chalo abhi ke abhi"

[What are you doing with these people, come home with me, right now]

I frowned listening to his tone towards us and how he referred us and before she could say anything he dragged her away from me and left our house.

"Ammi, Abbu, ye sab kya hora hai. Aur chacha ne aise kyu baat ki"

[What all this is happening and why uncle was talking like that]

And then I saw many people entering our house and with weapons in their hand and they shouted 

"Jo bhi yahan apne dharam ka na dikhe use goli maar do bina soche"

[Shoot everyone who is not of our religion]

I and Ammi gasped, and Abbu took us towards the back door of the house and we left our house and I saw the unexpectable condition of our village.

People were crying and shouting everywhere and killing each other without thinking and shouting

"Sabko khatam kar do, ye humare apne log nahi hai"

[Finish everyone, they are not our people]

And then two cars came in front of us and stopped and Abbu made me sit in the car of my husband and mammi and closed the door and he said " Hum doosri gadi mein aate hai Aslam bhaijaan ke saath"

[We are coming in other car with brother Aslam]

"Lekin Abbu"................

[But father]

But till he closed the door of the car and went to sit in the second car with Ammi.

Both the car accelerated along with the speed of my heart and my hands were shivering because of fear. I don't know why everyone is killing each other.

I looked outside from the window and saw vehicles are burning along with houses. People were running taking their children with them and crying for leaving their loved ones, but no one was giving any heed to their pleads and just by seeing all of this my heartbeats increased and I worried about leaving my loved ones or getting separated from them.

Just then I looked in front for my Ammi and Abbu's car and saw that their car was not in front and I got panicked and asked " Mammi, Abbu ki gadi kahan chali gayi"

[Aunt, where is father's car]

"Because of the rush we left behind, Sohail, drive faster" she asked to Sohail.

I closed my eyes and started praying from the God to help everyone who is innocent and don't kill anyone's loved ones"

Suddenly, car stooped, and I come forward because of the sudden breaks and I saw many people were standing in front of our car with sword in their hand.

And then one out of them came towards the side where Mammi was sitting and broke the glass of the window and opened the car.

And all this happened so fastly that no one gets to know what happened.

They pulled Mammi outside and she shouted " Leave me, please leave me"

But they didn't listen and inserted a knife into her stomach and I shouted

"Mammiiiiiiiiiiiiii"

And then they looked at me and I was sitting in the back of the car and Sohail opened the door of the car and said " Noor, run. Save yourself"

And he didn't wait for me and left me in the car and ran away.

I too opened the door of my side and started running but it was too hard for me to run as I was wearing my wedding dress.

Still, I ran but they started chasing me 

"Dekho vo rahi ladki, pakdo use"

[There she is, get her]

No, Allah, please save me. I don't want to die.

Ammi, Abbu, where are you.

While running I looked back and four to five men were chasing me with swords in their hands and because I was looking back, my leg suddenly got entangled in my lehenga and I losing my balance, I fell down and my lower lip got busted.

And before I could stood again and ran for saving my life, someone picked me up by holding my hair and I started shouting.

"Chod dein mujhe bhai, mera kya kasoor hai, mujhe jaane dein mere Ammi, Abbu ke pass"

[Leave me, What wrong I have done, please let me go to my parents]

I said but he didn't listen and slapped me on my face very hardly that I again fell on the ground. 

Tears started blurring my vision and I cleared my eyes and looked at my hand and saw blood there. I again touched my lip and realised that the blood was coming from there.

He sat down to my level and looked at me and my jewelry and touched it with his hand and I was feeling so, so scared because of his presence near me. And then he suddenly pulled at my jewelry and snatched it from my neck, and I instantly winced because I extreme itching behind my neck.

"Aaaaahhhhh" I winced and joined my hands and said 

"Aa...aapko Alla......Allahh ka vaasta, mujhe jaane dein"

[ Please leave me in the name of God]

"Allah ka vaasta, hnn. Hahahahahahhah" and he started laughing like a mad man and then suddenly looked at me and stopped laughing and started touching my hand with the back of his hand and I pulled back.

[ In name of Allah, hahahahahh]

"Ab tujhe humse koi nahi bacha sakta, samjhiiii tu, koi nahi" he said and pulled my dupatta from my body and threw it away. And because of pulling, the shoulders of my dress also got teared from my shoulders.

[No one can save you from us, No one]

I stay quiet but my heartbeats were racing, and he mumbled near my mouth

"Bada khoobsurat maal haath laga hai" and as a reflex action I pushed him back so that he fell on the ground and meanwhile I stood and started running without thinking anything.

[ What a beautiful item we have caught]

I kept on running as everywhere people were killing each other and I had no place to hide. I wiped my eyes as my tears blurred my vision and without knowing where I was going, I kept on running. I just knew one thing that I have to save myself.

"Bachao, koi bachao please" I was muttering the same thing again and again but people didn't even bother to look at me.

[Save me, someone please save me]

And suddenly that same man came in my front and said " Where will you run now, no one can save you"

"Please, chod dein mujhe, mujhe jaane dein, aap ch....chahien toh ye.....jevar rakh le, par chod dein mujhe"

[ Please, leave me, if you want, you can take all these jwelery]

But that was just laughing monstrously and held my kurta from the front and I closed my eyes and said

Ya Allah kisi ko toh bhej dein meri madad ke liye.

[God, please send someone for my help]

And then I heard the tearing of the cloth and close my eyes tightly as I thought that now, no one can save me and its better that I die now.

But then I felt someone's arms around me, and it felt like someone hugged me and although I flinched, but my body relaxed a little bit.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw the most unexpected person standing there, hugging me.

Arjun Sir.

His gaze was locked at me, and he roamed his eyes on my face and clenched his jaw tightly but then he took the shawl he was wearing off of his body and covered me with it.

And feeling the presence of someone I knew near me, I felt hope and started saying

"Hume, hume bacha lijiye, please. Hamara koi kasoor nahi hai, hume bacha lijiye inse" I said while joining my hands in front of him and he held my shoulders and said

[Please, please save me. I am innocent, please save me from these people] 

" Noor, tumhari iss halat mein"

[Noor, you, in this condition]

And before I could say anything, the men who were standing behind him said 

" He is the son of Sarpanch ji"

He turned and pushed me behind him and looked at them and they said 

"Leave her, she is our enemy. We will first enjoy with her and then kill her"

And the man was about to touch my hand but he instantly stopped him and pushed him back and said

"No one will touch her" he shouted and tighten his hold on me.

"She is mine for today and then you can have her" saying this that man held my hand but Arjun Sir pushed him back and said 

"Kaha na maine, koi haath nahi lagaega isko, varna"

[ I said no one will touch her]

"Varna kya, hnn" that man asked

[ Otherwise what, hnn]

"Haath laga ke dekho, tab pata chalega, ek, ek ka haath todd dunga" he said, and I was just standing there holding his hand tightly in mine. I am not going to leave his hand.

[ First touch her and then you will know. I will break everyone's hand who will touch her]

One of his other men came to him and said " We should not get involve with the son of Sarpanch jee, we should talk to him with peace"

That man nodded and said " Look, she is a Muslim, and she can't stay here. Let her come with us, we will leave her to her place and will not do anything to her"

I instantly started crying thinking what if Sir left me and believed him so, I looked at him and shook my head fastly and said " Mujhe apne se dur mat karein, mujhe nahi jaana inke saath" and he again looked at my face and then his gaze went to my mouth and he said 

[Don't send me away from you, I don't want to go with them]

" Ye kisne kiya tumhare saath" my lower lip wobbled and I slowly pointed my finger towards the man who slapped me.

[Who did this to you]

Arjun Sir moved forward a bit and I instantly tighten my hold and shook my head to not leave me. 

He removed my hand from his bicep and intertwined our fingers and then moved forward and looked in the eyes of that man and slapped him so hard that he fell on the ground, and I am sure it was so hard that he might have dislocate his jaw.

"This is for touching her" he said while looking at the man who fell on the ground and was looking almost unconscious.

Then he bend down a little and I clinged to him and he held that man's collar and punched him again and said

" This is for slapping her"

And again slapped him very hard that his face started bleeding and said

" Aur ye uska khoon bahane ke liye"

Seeing the way he slapped him, all other man went away and one of them said

"This is not good; you are entangling yourself in a very big problem. Our village's people will not leave her and if you are with her, then we will not leave you too"

And then went away.

Arjun Sir looked at me and wiped my tears and said " Daro mat Noor, jab tak main tumhare saath hoon, koi haath nahi laga sakta tumhe"

[ Don't be afraid Noor. No one can touch you as long as I am with you]

My tears were coming very fiercely and I said " Ab hum kahan jaenge, humare".................

[Where would I go, my]................

He didn't let me complete and said

" Tum mere saath mere ghar chalogi"

[You will come with me to my house]

~*******~

I have tried my best to portray the condition and their feelings but if there is some mistake, do let me know.

I am super excited for this book and I have so much for this book, you just show your enthusiasm by voting and leaving comments.

That's all my lovelies.

I hope you have enjoyed it.