AN INCIDENT. THIS HAS ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A True Incident.

 

This is a true incident happened at Bhuj.

Kutch and Sind province had interaction for many centuries.

Sumaras of Sind province crossed over and settled in Kutch.

Their progeny is neither Hindu nor Muslim. It is call Miya-na.

They observe Moharram and Ide as also they celebrate Diwali.

 

This is a short story of their jealous love.

They are three of them. There are two males and a girl, in this narration. That means a love triangle. Where there is a girl, there is trouble always.  We know it. Trouble is certain to follow. Sooner or later there is always a trouble and tragedy. We have to be ready for it. It is a question of time.

 

Here we are concerned with Hamir, Hanna and Kasim.  Hamir and Kasim  were friends. Hanna was the daughter of the royal family.

Hamir was a higher Secondary student.  He was the foot ball team

Golley.  Kasim and Hanna were in the same class but few years junior to Hamir.

They all lived in the nearby area. Their happiness centered round  playing with her. She was worth playing with. She was marvelous.

She presented an alluring picture of young feminine beauty, a real heiress, a princess from the wonderland, to both. Hamir at least thought so. Kasim too felt so. Both felt so. She was like that.  She was indeed beautiful. She was beautiful in a way of her own. All agreed.

 

All the three were neighbors. All were long time playmates. All knew each other well.   For years all continued to be playful, jolly, and carefree. There was no trouble. But today was a different day for Hamir. Things changed today. Friends turned into foes. He sat gazing upon her. Today he made a note of her form and features. Today she looked different. He had never done this before.

 

Today was a different day for Kasim. Things changed today. Friends turned into foes today. Kasim too, sat gazing upon her. He made a note of her form and features. Today she looked different. He had never done this before. Beauty lies in the eyes of the viewer. Beauty is in the mind of the beholder. Beauty standard vary from place to place. What catches the eye is beauty. Today both of them made a note of her form and features. They had never done this before. Today she appealed to both of them in a different way. 

 

Hamir scratched his head running his fingers deep into his hair. He was perplexed.  He again scratched his head and sighed. Today he felt his mouth went dry looking at her.

He felt lump in his throat seeing her sitting besides Kasim. He could not speak to her. Today she charmed him in a different way. He felt uneasy looking at her. 

 

Kasim too scratched his head running his fingers deep into his hair. He again scratched his head and sighed.  Today he felt his mouth went dry looking at her.  Today he felt lump in his throat. 

She was dressed in her usual scout’s dress, a white blouse and black skirts.  Other boys played closely, came near, listlessly pushed her, touched her and ran off.  Other boys always moved closely, pushed her, threw her, slugged her. She played with them too.

 

Hamir was not anyway concerned. He had been always disinterested.  Today his brows were contracted. Today his muscles tensed.  Today Hamir was annoyed.  Today he was angry.  

 

He saw Kasim pause besides her.   Kasim had bent close, hugged her, whispered something in her ear.  She cried out loud, reciprocated with equal joy, hugging him intimately.

Today Hamir felt jealous. Today he did not like Kasim see her, least touch and hug. He gave a serious thought to this subject.

He recollected the past incidents. All the boys and girls played hide and seek. Hanna and Kasim invariably used to hide far off behind the bushes. They used to come quite late after it was announced for all to come out of their hiding.

 

Sensing something cooking and something fishy going on, Hamir used his veto power.  He stopped all playing hide and seeks.

 

Today Hamir got up, left the place with pain in his groins. He went away far off and sat on the bench all alone.  He could not bear it.

Hanna saw him. She felt his awkwardness.  She gave it a try to know why he was so funny these days.

Since quite long they had roamed together. She visualized in retrospection.  Side by side they had drenched their feet in water in the  pond.    Together they had played, baited, teased, quarreled and played again. This was their normal life-a routine.

They had climbed the apple tree both together and threw apples for her to catch and collect in a basket, then all used to devour the apples like a group.

 

Today Hamir felt his hair rise at the nape of his neck. Hanna saw it, and was shocked. Merely because Kasim sat close and hugged her.  It is ridiculous. It was natural that she reciprocated and hugged him.  

 

Hanna:  (to herself)  “What is wrong?”  She did not see anything wrong on her part. She felt Hamir was unduly disturbed at such a small incident.  On the other hand, Hamir did not take this incident lightly. He felt rejected.  

 

Hamir reconstructed in his mind the scene of her hugging Kasim   He could not endure this. He got burnt out of jealousy.  His blood boiled to an unimaginable extent.  He felt anger, dejection, and an odd feeling of possessing her.  It was true Kasim who had hugged her was no longer a boy now.    They had never quarreled over her. They had tolerated each other.

But any how, today things seemed different and changed.   He looked at her again. She was no longer the young playmate they used to always play together. All felt so. Today Hamir felt, it was time to establish his right over her. It might be late otherwise. A stitch in time saves nine.

Other boys too had started looking at her these days. She appeared a maiden with distinct features.  His throat felt dry. He felt a lump in his throat.  He felt his mouth dry. An uneasy pain wiped away all his energy and strength.  He felt as if he had lost something. He felt he missed something. He wanted to find it. Today he felt, himself, all of a sudden, excited, agitated and alarmed. He was not his own self.   He wanted to put an end to all playful games.

 

All this had happened because Kasim had sat close to her.  All this happened because Kasim had hugged her.  All this happened because Hanna had reciprocated and hugged Kasim.

 

She was his prized property. He felt she belonged to him and none else. None believed it.  She was a wondrous thing on earth. From a distance Hamir watched them sitting side by side quite close. He felt jealous and he was out of his mind. He felt he would go mad.  He saw Kasim move, press his body closer to her. He saw  Kasim caress her shoulder. He imagined so. She slipped towards him and snuggled him. He could not  bear the sight.  He felt an uneasy feeling, which prompted him to jump.  Hamir jumped and ran to them.

 

Today he felt his blood rise in his head about to burst.   He jumped a few steps and was standing in front, confronting the two.   His lips curled into an ugly sight exposing his fighting mood. . Kasim looked up batting his wide eyes.  Hanna half raised herself and looked at him.   She guessed that Hamir was quite upset and disturbed.

 

She could not find any reason for his being upset and disturbed.  Her feminine instinct made her reach up Kasim and scratch the back of his ear.  In an instant Hamir saw she was no longer the little playing girl. He felt she was a full woman. According to him, she was a full-length woman.

To possess her, he would fight to death.  He would fight Kasim or any one who questioned his right over her.  His muscles rigid, and his shoulder turned towards Kasim, he proceeded and faced them.

 

His face was averted but his eyes were fixed on Kasim.  As he came his threats, abuses, increased in depth and volume. 

Kasim rose up on his two feet bristling, he too growled back.  Both glared at each other. Fire raged in their eyes. She too felt so.

 

Hamir:     “She is mine.”

He gestured at her. She was sitting.

Now she stood up.  Hamir held her by the shoulders and turned her to them so that all could see her.

Kasim also stood up and shouted loudly, louder than him.

Kasim: “She is mine.” 

Kasim roared pointing his fingers at her. Hanna felt she moved a step towards him.

She came forward. She clapped. She hopped. She jumped She shouted with joy. She mediated. All felt so.  She asked both of them not to fight. She belonged to both. All clapped hearing so. She never meant that there should be a quarrel between the two on her account. 

 

Hamir did not accept this mediation award. He cast a vote of dissent.  He cried out.

Hamir:  “She belongs to me only.”

Hamir:  “She does not belong to anyone; except me.”

He added with a thunderous shout, with raised hands.

Hamir:   “If any one tried, if anybody touched her, I will twist his neck.” 

He was furious and he saw that all were dumbfounded.

He roared with the air of being the master of  Hanna.

 

Kasim put his hand on her shoulder and cried out loudly.

 

Kasim:  “She belongs to me only.”  

Kasim was also a party to the contest.  He was not in a mood to let her go.  There was a tie. She can not belong to both. It was to be decided to whom she belonged.  She debated deliberated and made them compromise. Today there was no compromise.  There was no solution. Both craved for her. They argued for about an hour.

 

She was at pains to find a solution to this.  She was very still, almost paralyzed at the turn of events. No emotion registered on her face. After that first moment of shock, she felt only a deep sadness in her. She was concerned for both, genuinely. After long, long deliberation she declared.

 

She:             “Alright, both of you fight.”

Hamir:        “I guess it will be a duel.”

She announced a duel out of disgust.  There was no other way. Fight would decide the Might.

She:      “Fight.” “Who wins gets me.” She declared.

She:      “Tomorrow. This time. This place.”

 Both agreed.

The group of boys and girls were disturbed and shocked.  They stopped playing. All were eager and afraid of the result.   Their growling had distracted other boys and girls playing nearby.  They sensed a fight. It would be interesting.   All gathered and it turned out a sizable group of spectators to know about the combat. It would break the monotony.

 

He, she, Kasim and the crowd got dispersed.

All went their respective houses expecting to return next day morning for the duel.  Hamir went to his room.  He had nothing to worry about.  He was dead sure he could take Kasim in three rounds.  But something from inside was bothering him.  He was surprised to find that Kasim, though at a disadvantage in comparison to him would go to the length of challenging him for the combat.  He knew not what to do.  He sat near the window for a few hours, decided to leave the things as they were and retired for the night.

 

She on her part, was quite shocked to find that both of them risked their life and reputation for her hand.  She should not have created such an intimacy with them.

 

Kasim when he reached home, he was quite nervous.  He did not know how all this happened in a few moments.  How on the spur of the moment he agreed to fight with him.

 

He knew Hamir’s strength and reputation as a hockey and football player.  Kasim gathered special padding to cover his body, for protection.  He referred to some book of boxing and wrestling.  He had witnessed many ring duels but he himself had never participated in any of them.  He was very nervous.

 

Next day, at the ground, there was a big crowd. They had gathered around waiting for the fight to start.  Inwardly  Hanna felt flattered at the attention that was being drawn on her.  In history many battles were fought for their hand.    She had seen some men battling for other women.    In depths of her heart she had dreamt of a fight for her hand.   She imagined the ground would be reddened with blood for her sake. She felt sure.  She was now jumping on her feet. She was excited.  She cheered up them both. She wished them both.   She insulted both contestants with equal abuses. She aroused them both to their best.  She hurled taunts for their cowardice. She made them fight unto end. All felt so.  She called them vile names.  The other boys and girls, who were watching, also cheered, and laughed and clapped. The atmosphere was charged with suspense.  Kasim felt infuriated. He gathered all his strength to meet with the challenge. 

 

Hamir was also equally infuriated. He gathered all his strength to combat. Both were set to fight for her hand.

 

At last the combat was announced.  It started slowly both, it looked were sizing-up each other. He made a sudden lunge for Kasim.  But Kasim leaped to one side eluding him. All clapped and roared.

This time Kasim came like a lightening upon him. He, with quickness of a cat wheeled and leaped back.  He was shocked to find the adversary so capable.

 

Hamir came on him with all his might.  He aimed a vicious blow at his neck.  Kasim wheeled to dodge the blow. It struck him on his jaw going to the shoulder; blood came out from the mouth. Sight of  blood brought a cry of delight from Hanna and other girls. The duel was something worth while. She glanced about to see if other boys had witnessed it. The duel on her account was the evidence of her popularity.

 

                  She was more proud than Helen of Troy was at this moment. 

                 She moved closer to the duelists to watch the outcome. 

                 The duel lasted for a while; he was on a better footing.

                 Hamir was scoring over him. Kasim was melting.

                 Kasim was about to lose. All felt so.

 

                 All of a sudden, Hamir took out a knife from his inner pocket.

                 He stabbed Kasim  before anybody had a chance to stop     

                 him.  Kasim was rushed to the hospital.  He was declared dead.

 

                  Hamir was sentenced to life imprisonment 20 years.

                 

                Scene after 15 years.

                Hanna’s parents had died.  She lived in the palace but engaged her full life

                in service of the poor and the needy.  She erected a musafir khana on her

                spare land where food and shelter was free.  All have forgotten about the duel

                and about Hamir and all that scandal.

 

                 Today, after about fifteen years, Hannah had a life’s biggest surprise.

 

                Hanna’s brother brought news that Hamir was freed from jail and he stayed

                at the Garibsha Pir durgah outside the city limits.  He never entered the city.

                 Hanna  daily,on foot visited him with food for him continuously for 15 years.

                 She would put the food at the door-step and wait till he had finished.

                 Hamir had lost speech.  He knew only two words, he uttered on seeing her.

                  “Tobah”  “Allah”

 

                Hanna has followed this feeding ritual non-stop and Hamir crying out

                 “Tobah”   “Allah”  during all these years.

                Hanna  never uttered a word to him and she hurried home after feeding him.