Mohabbat Ki Kitaab (The Book Of Love)

📚 1. 📚

One common 15 years old girl was sitting in palanquin (Doli/paalki) wearing a simple red suit which was her mother's wedding dress, her palms and feet were covered with plane mehndi and on the name of makeup her eyes were holding a simple line of kohl and lips were painted red lipstick.

That girl wasn't anyone else but me...

Shama..

And its my story...

It all stared when I was only 15 years old...

Hugging my kness I was sitting with bowed head which was hurting my back . After crying for almost half an hour then my tears were already dried up and lifting my vail little bit I was trying to understand how long I had to go in that palanquin.

Thankfully after a long time the palanquin was stopped in other village, and I was taken down to my new home with the help of few ladies. A cot was placed in the courtyard of that semi solid/ pucca house. A middle aged woman was laying on that cot who was paralysed with her left half. The ladies lead me, ie... the bride of that home; towards that handicap lady who gave me some blessings in her half working tongue from which the words were not coming out properly.

Soon I found myself sitting in a room which was decorated with colourful paper ribbons and some 7-8 cheap balloons. The usual wedding room decoration style of village!
I was innocently trying to examine each and every corner of that room, which was my new home but that was difficult as my vail was very uncomfortable. But suddenly I listened footsteps coming towards room so I covered my face with that vail and sit with bowed head.

Soon the cracky voice of opening the old wooden door of the room hit my ears and The 25 years old man 'ABBAS' entered in the room and sat down in front of his bride, who was indeed.me... he lift my vail and his finger slowly touched my chin to lift my face but I didn't met my gaze with him I was feeling shy...

Umm.. Actually not shy... But nervous! I was enough naive that I didn't know the need of being shy on my wedding night, but since I was alone in a room with a man that's why I was nervous.

"Sun (listen)" He.. I mean Ab..Abbas

Umm.. Taking his name was also a crime like deed for me.

Hmm.. So I was saying that He said 'Listen' and I lifted my gaze towards him with great difficulty, he was smiling. I didn't back that smile with same because I was nervous moreover I was indebted in front of him because he marry me without taking any dowry, that's why my mother marry me off in such a small age. Its not like that I'm the only girl who got married in small age, that wasn't anything new in the small village of Punjab, but fifteen years was really small age to get married.

"Men'nu Sirf ik kudi chahindi si, je men'nu roti shoti de de, Aur meri amma nu dawa waqt to dede... Hor to kuch wi nhi chah ni si men'nu"

(I only wanted a girl who could give me food on time and take care of my mother, other than that I never wanted anything)

He said and I again lowered my gaze as I knew that at the time of marriage proposal He cleared in front of my family that he wanted to marry just for his mother, so that his wife could look after his handicap mother.

"Lekin tu ta kafi soni ha"

(but you are beautiful too)

He added and I looked at my husband when he praised my beauty but again bowed my head down

This time I was happy.

"Idhar wekh"
(Look at me!)

He ordered and lifted my chin with his first finger and a smile plating in his lips.