Her wet hair, and her pale eyes.
She had taken her bath early to avoid standing in the chaos of the common bathroom of the chawl.
She didn't like the way Rawal saheb looked at her. She wasn't used to it.
Her name is Roshni. Only Roshni. She didn't change her name after her 'love marriage' 4 years ago.
At one moment,she looks at herself and at the other moment, on the laminated photo on the wall.
Ahnaf loved editing photos. The photo has Ahnaf's photo superimposed on the moon and Roshni looking at him through the sieve on the festival of Karvachauth.
Ahnaf bought her the lehenga for Rs. 500 from Sindhi Market.
She knew he sacrificed his meals to save money for this.
"Sajna di vari vari jau ji mein", reads the text on the photo.
Photo courtesy: Ravi Kanojia
As she tied her hair in a braid, each pleat reminded her of past.As the chum-chum jingles of her anklets marked the three tall steps to the stage, Ahnaf glanced up from the harmonium and caught the flutter of her bright blue sari, startling against velvet curtains. He was the senior student assistant, in the final year of his BA, appointed by music department to teach to first and second year students. That was the first time they saw each other.
Roshni was daughter of Hitenbhai from his second wife, Kiranben. He ran and expanded the saree business, named 'Mansukhlal ni saree', that he inherited from his father. Roshni as a young care-free child had once asked him, "Pappa, how does this make sense? Mansukhlal ni saree? Mansukhlal is a man! How can he wear a saree?" Hitenbhai laughed and replied, "Earlier it was 'Jyotiben ni saree'. And that created problem! Everyone would buy Jyotiben's saree and take away with them. What would Jyotiben wear then?"
His lame excuse calmed her curiosity for that age.
After Roshni's 12th, Hitenbhai and Kiranben were reluctant to allow her to attend college. What was the point of educating a girl who eventually had to take care of house hold? Roshni remembered how she convinced her elder sister, who was married when she was 14 to a mill owner in Valsad, to ask her parents to send her to college. Their parents received a letter from Dipal explaining them the need for education in modern times and how educating their daughter would bring them better prospects of marriage.
Dear Roshni, Please stay back for a few minutes after music practice to discuss details for the next cultural program. Sincerely, Ahnaf
As Ahnaf wrote her name on the top of the paper, his hand shook a little, so he added a small swirl to the 'R' where the ink had smudged. Ahnaf asked her to accompany her for the jugalbandi at the cultural fest. Roshni had agreed. That is when they started loving each other.
Roshni's braid had reached half way through. Tears filled her eyes.
"You have gone absolutely mad! She is a Hindu. This is India!" exclaimed Nishant, Ahnaf's friend. But Ahnaf had dreams. He had connection in All India Radio. He would earn in thousands as recording artist. This would woo her parents.
Then there were quiet a few proposals for Roshni, daughter of the saree merchant, Hitenbhai, owner of Bombay's best sea-facing house, Moti Nivas.
Kiranben ordered the servants to beat the sofa cushions properly, to polish the carved wood tables with care. She personally washed the never used tea service from Japan, arranging the leaf-patterned cups on a large tray so the cup handles pointed the same way.
Sheelaben and Maheshbhai Shah of Ahmedabad were to visit Moti Nivas today, to see Roshni for their son, Jagmohan. Roshni remembered how her mother told the duo, "Roshni goes to the college. We believe in educating girls, you see. We are modern people. And she is very good in music. She sings, but classical songs. No filmy music and never in public."
Roshni and Ahnaf, predictably, had run away then.
Roshni was almost done plaiting her hair. She looked at the rough split ends of her hair, emotionless.
Ahnaf was now one of the convicts in the Gujarat Godhra riots. Ahnaf has now asked Roshni to stop visiting him.She also didn't have enough money to spend of rickshaw anymore for mulaqats with her Shauhar. She now worked for a handicraft udhyog to survive. She doesn't believe Ahnaf could have raped and killed a pregnant women, as his crime record says. Her brothers call her up and talk. They ask her to leave Ahnaf and come back. Families first didn't accept Ahnaf because she chose him. Now that they feel they are proved right, they are happy. Roshni continues to live and fights for Ahnaf, whom she considers innocent.
Rough split ends of her hair make her uncomfortable. Hitenbhai always brought Dove shampoo in bulk for their daughters to wash hair. She carried long healthy enviable hair, back then. She cannot afford Dove Split End Rescue System. Not even in sachets. One day, the split ends of her life and hair will end.
This morning, she picks her braid and ties it into a bun.
Written as a part of 'Beautiful Ends to your beautiful Braids' for Dove Split End Rescue System.
