It was Friday; laundry day when Meh'r-Bano sat on the banks of the river watching the women wash their cotton linen and spread the coloured sheets across the boulders. The river was alive with laughter, joy and children jumping off bulls that lounged in the cool water. With her feet immersed in the cool water, her mind drifted to the strange encounter with Shah-Nawaz. He was cold, strange and left sharply. Did she say something wrong? Shaking her head from the weight of her thoughts, she grabbed Shafiq's shirt and began scrubbing the collar with a thick green soap.
"Baji Baji!" Approached a young petite girl. "Please could you pattern my new kameez with your magic hands. I have a wedding and your patterns are so beautiful. " The young girl held a black carrier bag handing her kameez to Meh'r-Bano.
"Farida, I can't." Meh'r-Bano wiped the sweat from her forehead with her arm. "You know I have less time now I'm at the haveli. Before it was different-"
"I will give you anything." Pleaded the girl. "You can borrow my special necklace set."
Meh'r-Bano crafted a hobby from embroidery in her free time. Soon, the village girls were in awe of the complex and beautiful designs she created on her plain white kameez.
"Okay. Leave it here." Said Meh'r-Bano. "I make no promises."
The young girl hugged Meh'r-Bano thanking her and returned to her washing. Tasneem approached Meh'r-Bano, her sleeves rolled back, her trousers rolled to her knees.
"I don't know how they get their collars to dirty!" Said Tasneem.
A moments silence passed filled with the chatter of the river, the sound of gushing water when Meh'r-Bano broke the noisy silence.
"I met him." Said Meh'r-Bano scrubbing Shafiq's dirty collar.
"Who?" Tasneem flicked the stray hair which flopped on her forehead.
"Him. Choudhary Shah-Nawaz."
"Yes, you mentioned it. At the rally." Tasneem returned to her washing.
"After that, I met him at the haveli."
Tasneem rinsed her soapy hands turning to Meh'r-Bano. "What do you mean? You saw him again?" She asked with intrigue.
"Yes, I was blindfolded, playing with the children and he came in."
"What was he like? What did he say? What happened?" Tasneem neared her. The noise and laughter around faded.
"It's strange, Tasneem." She replied struggling to manage her thoughts since she met him.
"I couldn't see. Yet I knew- his presence filled the room. His scent-" She sniffed the air like she could the taste the Oud settled on her lips. "-Overwhelming. When I took the blindfold off, he stood in front of me-" Meh'r-Bano stared blindly at the gushing river recalling the moment.
"I mean I'm not sure if it's his reputation that precedes him, his attire like a groom, or the jewels he wears. There's something about him that when he speaks to you-he owns you. He commands your attention. Everything else fades. It's intense, sometimes frightening, I was so nervous I struggled to speak."
"Does he know you went to the rally?"
"Tasneem, why do you always worry?" Meh'r-Bano laughed.
"What was he like? Is he handsome like everyone says?" Tasneem narrowed her eyes.
Meh'r-Bano shrugged her shoulders and returned to the Shafiq's collars.
Tasneem grabbed her hands and stopped her. "You've saw Choudhary Shah-Nawaz from close. What is he like? Did you get to look at his eyes? Are they really wolf-like?"
"I don't know Tasneem." She shrugged her shoulders.
" I lowered my gaze." She lied. " He was okay. In his royal attire, anyone can look handsome dressed like a king. I guess...." She thought. "I guess when he is undressed, that's when he is real." Meh'r-Bano's eyes rounded in surprise. "Did I say that aloud?"
"Undressed? You want to see Choudhary Shah-Nawaz Qureshi undressed?" Tasneem cackled with laughter.
"No!" Meh'r-Bano grabbed her arm in a panic. "Stop twisting my words." Tasneem stood up wiping the sweat from her forehead.
"That's not....you know what I mean....I don't mean undressed as in undressed-"
"Naked?" Tasneem held her hip gasping with laughter.
"Stop it!" Meh'r-Bano smacked her shoulders. "You're putting words in my mouth."
"You said it. You....you want to see Choudhary Shah-Nawaz naked to see if he's truly handsome." Tasneem pointed at her.
"No! I meant disrobed-no-no I meant-." She stuttered in confusion. "Without the ..the stuff."
"You're blushing when I mentioned seeing Shah-Nawaz undressed." Tasneem pointed at her.
"Kasme!" Meh'r-Bano sighed in frustration. "Tasneem. He's a strange man. I'm a married woman. Why would I need to see him -uff!" She shook her head and jumped forward to grab her. "Come here I'll sort you out."
Tasneem shrieked and ran through the shallow waters splashing her salwar. Meh'r-Bano chased her at speed jumping over the women and the large pebbles. The women watched the two friends race along the river in great joy. They reached the gushing depths of the river when Tasneem stopped clutching her hip bending forward gasping for breath. She landed on the landed on the large boulder taking deep breaths to regulate her breaths. Meh'r-Bano joined her with her hands on her hips, her body soaked from the splashes.
"When you do see him undressed, let me know what he's really like." Tasneem had the last laugh.
"I will kill you one of these days." Meh'r-Bano responded waving her finger with no energy to fight back.
Making their way back to the village. The women walked on the right side of the narrow road in a single file carrying their large load of washing on their heads. Meh'r-Bano walked behind Tasneem.
"Tasneem?" Meh'r-Bano called.
"Yes." Tasneem replied.
"He does.....he does have wolf-like eyes."
Tasneem giggled. "I knew it, you sly kamini. I knew you looked into his eyes. Shameless!" She laughed. Meh'r-Bano gently kicked Tasneem's rounded backside as the women returned home.
"Kamini." Meh'r-Bano playfully cursed.
***
It was Sunday, the day of the panchayat. Today the decision of the marriage pact would be voted. The panchayat was the judicial system in the province. The panchayat was made up of sixteen village elders who each represented eight villages each to the Zilla Panchayat, the great panchayat which was presided by Chief of Jahanpur, Choudhary Dilawar-Baksh. Smaller issues were dealt with in local panchayats by the elected village elder. However, if the issue didn't come to a satisfactory decision, or the villager felt they needed to appeal, they bought their case to Zilla Panchayat. The decision of the Zilla Panchayat was final once the Chief of Jahanpur delivers his arbitration.
It was the right of the offender or accused to be given the chance to appear and defend their position. However, the court was only confined to men during the assembly. Women never appeared in front of the panchayat as a witness or even a member of the panchayat.
Set in a field, the panchayat was enclosed with colourful chadors with vivid patterns shading the assembly. The elders sat in their smart checked waist coats, with tall white turbans uniformed in a line at under the shade. In the middle of the elders, seated on a gold painted throne, donning a turban exquisite jewels was the chief of Jahanpur, Dilawar-Baksh. The villagers gathered around under the scorching sun, some climbing on trees to get the best view.
Dilawar-Baksh was fed up with the long sessions. Old age was brutal on his bladder. During one long session, he needed the toilet but there were no comfortable facilities close by. After sitting for four hours, he returned and suffered a serious urinary tract infection leaving him in need for hospital treatment. The painful recovery meant he had to change the location of the panchayat closer to his haveli where he could factor in breaks. Sometimes he'd fall asleep to the amusement of the villagers. Now it was a running joke, and villagers placed bets on how long he would nap without the village elders noticing. Dilawar-Baksh missed vital information on the cases and continued with unjust rulings. Rumours spread he was unfit to head the panchayat. Dilawar-Baksh desired to leave the panchayat, but Shahgul was determined he stay in control and have a presence until their son becomes the chief.
"Abdullah must give the two portions of the field to Sharif as he has showed that he cannot provide a good harvest." Dilawar-Baksh passed the ruling making no provision or thought for drought during the long, hot summers. He shrugged the party away.
Allah Ditta sit at every panchayat and wrote down the verdicts. The villagers were coiled in anticipation today, it wasn't an ordinary panchayat. Today, the panchayat would rule on the marriage of Choudhary Shah-Nawaz and Choudhary Muzamil's granddaughter.
"Where is Shah-Nawaz?" Dilwar-Baksh whispered to Nadeem who stood beside waiting on the old man.
"Choudhary Saab, he went out hunting after fajar." Nadeem informed bending forward to his chair.
"Tell him to get here at once!" He grunted. "Call him!"
****
In the deep, depths of the forest, after a successful hunt with his vicious dogs, Shah-Nawaz froze holding his bow and arrow for his last kill. Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves upon his strong body. He lined his sticky, sweaty body dressed in a cool, crisp white kurtha perpendicular to the elegant gazelle drawing a line from his body to the target. With his dominant right eye, he held the bow in his left hand pointing his left shoulder with the target and held the arrow and string with his right hand. He stood upright, his feet shoulder width apart, his back erect. When he pulled the string his arms and shoulders formed a T shape. He stood comfortable, ready to shoot, firm and alert, and held his breath. With precision he pointed the arrow towards his target.
At the slightest noise the gazelle was up on her hind legs, staring at all directions. Her long, ears erect, eyes wide sensitive to the slight hum in the forest. Unbeknownst she was surrounded by five men and Shah-Nawaz's eyes fixated upon her delicate frame.
"Beautiful." He whispered softly. "You're mine." He swallowed into his dry throat. Every man froze in the forest terrified to make a move that would scare the gazelle. To give him more power, Shah-Nawaz drew the arrow further back, adding pressure and a powerful shot. He held his breath. The gazelle leaned over and grazed on the twigs lulled in a dangerous sense of security.
When Shah-Nawaz pulled his arrow back. he lifted his shoulders. His muscles contracted. Ready to shoot. In that millisecond a mobile trilled. Shah-Nawaz released the arrow at lightening speed. The Gazelle looked up. She darted through the forest escaping death from the edge of the arrow. The arrow pierced the trunk of a tree.
"Haraami!" Cursed Shah-Nawaz turning back to his guard. The guards backed away terrified that he missed the almost perfect shot. Shah-Nawaz grabbed a fresh arrow. He placed it in his bow and pulled back ready to fire at the guard.
"It's your .....baba...." The frail guard held the phone pleading for mercy.
"Please no!" Cried the guard. With adrenaline pumping through his veins, Shah-Nawaz released the arrow with a mighty roar. The guard let out a shrilling scream with a thump to the ground. The terrifying scream echoed through the forest sending chills through the remaining standing guards. Birds squawked in fear, they flapped their wings and left their nests.
****
Back at the panchayat, Razia, Emaan's maid, reached the crowd. She shifted her way through the spectators to get a glimpse of the assembly. Her ten year old male cousin had the best seat up in the tree holding a small mobile phone ready to take a picture of Shah-Nawaz. This was the first time she attended a panchayat and watched with fascination.
A frail middle aged man approached the centre of the court. Dressed in a beige salwar kameez with his head wrapped in his white shawl. He greeted the village elders and Dilawar-Baksh with his hands clasped together.
"Speak-what is your complaint." Asked the head village elder, Malik Jawad, an eighty-year-old man who'd spend his entire life in Jahanpur.
"Choudhary Saab-" The man turned to Dilawar-Baksh. "My name is Mattab Hussain and I am from the village of Kanpuri. My daughter is fifteen years old. Every day she goes to the well to collect water. A neighbouring village boy has been harassing my daughter. It has come to a point where he...." He took a deep breath trying to hold back his anger. "H-he attacked my daughter." The crowd murmured.
"No that's not true." Another voice called out from the right. Dilawar-Baksh raised his palm to silence the straggler's voice.
"Let him speak. You will have your turn."
The man continued. "Kurshid Ahmed's son has made my daughter's life hell. When I went to tell him about this, they said my daughter was lying. They began to harass us, they have poisoned our goats and two have died." The man continued to outline the events of harassment.
"Why hasn't this been dealt with the village councils?" Dilwar-Baksh's grated voice turned to the village elders. He raised his left bushy grey eyebrow with anger.
"We couldn't come to a conclusion." Said Mailk Jawad, the lead elder.
Dilawar-Baksh summoned on the accused party. The father of the household, a butch old man made his way onto the field riled with anger.
"These are all lies against my son." He grumbled glaring at the victim's family. "My son is innocent. It is their shameless girl who has eyes on my son. My son declined so she started slandering my son."
"Lies!" Yelled a voice.
"And the issue of the goats?"
"More lies."
"Where is the boy?" Asked Dilawar-Baksh.
"He is scared-he didn't want to be here."
"He must be here. This is a panchayat." Dilawar-Baksh leaned forward.
"He ran away." Said the head elder. "He didn't attend the village council."
"He is innocent." Said his father.
Dilawar-Baksh rubbed his head and doffed his head at Nadeem who bought a glass of ice cold, rose, sherbet drink. Dilwar-Baksh took a sip to whet his throat before he passed judgment. The court was quite watching his glass drain. Dilawar-Baksh called both head households in the court. The testimony of the head of household was enough for Dilawar-Baksh to pass his judgment.
"This simple matter should have been settled in the village council." He repeated with anger. "Since it hasn't and the decision has been bought here, the issue of a household's honour has been besmirched. To restore the honour of –" Dilawar-Baksh paused waiting for the lead elder to give the name of the victim's family.
"Kurshid Ahmed."
"Kurshief Ahmed as his daughter was subjected to harassment, the guilty party's family-"
"Mahtaab Hussain."
"Mahtaab will give their daughter to Kurshief's family for marriage."
A low hum rumbled through the court.
"But our son is innocent. He has been slandered by this shameless girl." Said Mataab Hussain.
"Your daughter will be wed their son in seven days. Your son has committed an disgusting crime and you must be punished. I will not tolerate it!"
"My daughter is only thirteen!" Cried Mataab Hussain.
"In one year she will be old enough to marry." Dilawar-Baksh decided.
"Their sons are old and married." Said a village elder.
"So?" Yelled Dilwar Baksh at him. "This was a local issue and it should have been settled by your court."
"The village elders couldn't decide. No one believed the girl's testimony."
"The boy-" Dilawar-Baksh returned to the court. "Where is he? Find him!" He ordered his guards.
"I want him flogged thirty two times in front of the villagers so no boy lays his hand an a girl again. He will endure hard labour at the brick quarry for two years; unpaid."
The victim's family were pleased with the decision. After suffering humiliation and their honour tainted, they were offered a young girl as a tool of compensation. They would punish her for her brother's crime with taunts, humiliation. She would not be allowed to participate in any rituals or festivities, living like a slave for the rest of her life. Due to her brother's mistake, she would pay the ultimate price for the rest of her life.
The decision left the panchayat in a unsettled mood. Tension was high as Dilawar-Baksh stamped his thick wooden staff on the ground and stood up to leave.
"Choudhary Muzaamil has arrived." Jawad Malik announced.
Tension increased intensely when Muzaamil arrived with three village elders and Peer Haider. In over twenty years, this was the first time a joint panchayat was held. Dilwar-Baksh turned his face the opposite way when Muzaamil and the three village elders made their way under the shade of the chador and took their seats. Jawad Malik was appointed the mediator between the warring sides. They were sat apart to ensure peace remained between the pair. But these men were old, their bones riddled with pain and arthritis, they didn't have the energy to put up a fight.
Shah-Nawaz's absence was amplified in the assembly. Villagers scurried towards Peer Haider hoping to get blessed by the spiritual leader, but the entourage pushed them away allowing him to safely make his way to the panchayat. Once he sat, angered by the marriage proposal, he glared at Muzaamil after their conversation last night. The words echoed in Muzaamil's mind.
"I want your girl!" He glared.
Peer Haidar closed his eyes and chanted.
"Haq hu! Allah hu!" Running beads through his fingers he rocked forward and back. Muzaamil was in a good place. He'd contacted the rebels and he'd arranged plan to overthrown Dilawar-Baksh and Shah-Nawaz on the day of the inauguration. Today was about keeping up appearances and making it look like he was part of the peace deal.
The panchayat was in session, Shah-Nawaz hadn't arrived. Malik Jawad stood in the centre sharing the worries of the villagers who live under the fear of violence, war and the siren of death.
"For years we have suffered the war of two brothers."
Razia watched in anticipation at the theatre in front of her. Her eyes wide and glued on the performance , she looked around waiting for Shah-Nawaz's entrance.
"The marriage of the two household means the unity of peace. This is the best deal for Jahanpur and the secure future." Said Malik Jawad.
Peer Haider spoke up and stamped his staff.
"Haq hu! Allah hu!" He stood up and made his way into the centre. "Choudhary Muzaamil has promised me his granddaughter. He has given me his word. How can he go back on it?" He declared. "I proposed to his granddaughter, a spiritual and pure woman who would strengthen my lineage. Now he has gone back on his word. If this marriage takes place it will have my curse upon it." He spat on the floor
The audience gasped. To have the curse of Peer Haider, meant doom.
"The panchayat will decide." Said Malik Jawad. "They will decide whether is it in the best intrest of Jahanpur to marry Shah-Nawaz or for Muzaamil to keep his word and for her to marry Peer Saab."
The stage was set. The two families sat at the table of negotiations with Choudhrani Emaan on the deal, yet her name never mentioned. Peer Haider was on one side demanding that he marry the young woman and Choudhary Dilawar-Baksh sat on the other side waiting for his unruly son to arrive.
"We shall vote now."
Like a dot on the horizon, Razia noticed dust collecting and soon a thundering sound. In the distance there was a small group of men riding horses at break neck speed towards the panchayat. Razia stood up high, trying to climb the tree to figure out who it was.
"Choudhary Shah-Nawaz has arrived." Announced a voice.
Six horses raced through the barren fields creating a storm behind their hooves. Their riders tall, broad and riding in a pack stronger together. After returning from an early morning hunt, they carried their kill with them tied to the horses.
As they neared the panchayat, villagers turned away from the assembly of old men towards the horses galloping hooves with strong, young riders.
Razia poked her cousin reminding him to take pictures.
With Uzayr by his side, Shah-Nawaz rode Sikander at frightening speed towards the panchayat. "Which one is Choudhary Shah-Nawaz." Razia asked the villager.
"The middle one who is wearing the sun glasses and the black turban."
"The one next to him? "
"His nephew, Sher of Jahanpur. Choudhary Uzayr."
Uzayr donned a black vest jacket, his arms and chest bare, wearing a baggy black dhoti salwar.
Wide eyed Razia was amazed watching the men climb off their horses and jumped on the ground. They pat their horses leaving them under the shade of the tree. Only Uzayr and Shah-Nawaz made their way towards the assembly. The guards remained with the horses. It was the first time Razia witnessed the meaning of strong sons. It was clear when she laid her eyes on Shah-Nawaz and his nephew that Dilawar-Baksh secured the future of Jahnpur with a strong lineage. They walked with their heads raised, carrying hunting rifles in their hands. Walking with confidence into the panchayat past the line of antiquated old men. Shah-Nawaz made no contact with the elders and took his place beside his father with Uzayr next to him strengthening his father. Peer Haider cursed Shah-Nawaz under his breath and spat his red paan filled spit to his left.
"Where the hell have you been?" Said Dilawar-Baskh.
"You're lucky I came to this circus." Shah-Nawaz replied under his breath, his leg across on his knee. The guards rushed towards them with fresh tumblers of ice cold sherbet.
The session concluded and Malik Jawaad resumed.
"We're here to decide the future of Jahanpur. I am the head villager elder of all the villages in Jahanpur. We want peace. We want to ensure that our young men are not dragged into a meaningless bloody war. One way or another this must be settled."
"This will only be settled once Dilawar-Baksh returns to me what's mine. I demand he gives me my right." Said Muzaamil in a fresh claim.
"Right to what? You don't have any right. Not after you killed my son-" Argued Dilawar-Baksh. "My sons have also died-"
"Please-" Malik raised his hands. He could see the session descend into chaos. "We are not here to unpick the past but to move forward. So, I ask the village elders to decide whether Choudhary Muzammil should stick to his word and allow his granddaughter to marry Peer Haider."
Uzayr snorted with laughter. "That Peer doesn't surprise me." Said Uzayr into Shah-Nawaz's ear. "Dirty old man."
Shah-Nawaz scoffed with malice. His future in the hands of these old men. His leg bounced in agitation. He didn't want to be here but he remained his cool for his father's sake.
"All those in favour of Choudhary Muzamil's granddaughter marrying Choudhary Shah-Nawaz Qureshi, raise your hand."
The village elders looked to one another. Peer Haider blew onto them to influence their decision. The men raised their hand and it was a landslide decision of eleven to two. They all agreed to end the war and bring unity. Peer Haider stamped his thick staff in anger.
"Do you Choudhary Dilwar-Baksh agree to the decision?" Said Jawad Mailk. Dilawar-Baksh shook his head without asking his son.
The decision was finalised that the warring households would unite under the banner of marriage. Joyful conversation filled the crowd. The village elders embraced one another on the landmark decision. However, Shah-Nawaz's body turned rigid with anger.
"Bring the shagun." He whispered to Uzayr. It was tradition for the groom's family to gift the bride's family with presents, sweets and jewellery. Shah-Nawaz had a better idea.
"Splendid." Shah-Nawaz stood up gaining the audience attention. He ran his left hand over his thick moustache and black beard.
"On this special day when the panchayat have decided my future-" He spoke with malice. "I feel obliged to give my future father in law a gift-."
Uzayr carried a heavy carcass of a wild boar over his strong shoulders. A trail of blood dripping from the carcass. He hurled threw it at Muzaamil's feet and laughed watching the old man squirm. The furry, black animal was ravaged by Shah-Nawaz's dogs. It's body oozing with blood. The villagers gasped in horror. Dilawar-Baksh glared at his son. What was he playing at?
"What is this?" Yelled Muzaamil looking at his brother in anger.
Shah-Nawaz peeled off his sunglasses and neared his uncle.
"It's a swine. A wild, ugly boar with it's heart teared out by my dogs." His voice deep with a chill.
Muzamil shot to his feet in fear.
"A swine's heart has the same anatomy as a human heart." His eyes ice cold with no mercy. "My dogs have developed a taste for it." He grinned.
Muzamil wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his sleeve and stepped back in fear.
"Shadi Mubarak." He added in a jaunty tone.
Uzayr smirked and nod his head admiring his uncle's bravery. Shah-Nawaz took out his ten inch buck knife and flicked it at the carcass stabbing the boar's head leaving the carcass to bleed into the soil. The villagers were aghast. What did this mean? Did Shah-Nawaz reject the verdict? Did the ravaged carcass mean an act of war? A threat.
Together, Shah-Nawaz and Uzayr walked shoulder to shoulder abandoning the panchayat, leaving the panchayat's prominence in disarray. His shoulders strong, he mounted Sikander and galloped away. Razia scurried out of the crowd, pocketing the mobile phone, leaving the panchayat running as fast as her legs to carry her to inform Emaan of the shocking events.
Dilawar-Baksh reeled in anger grabbing his staff tight. Shah-Nawaz showed no respect for the panchayat's authority. How dare he dump a ravaged carcass in the centre? Revenge ran through his veins. Shah-Nawaz was selfish and did not work for the greater good of Jahanpur and therefore not fit to lead. Dilawar-Baksh had to think about postponing the inauguration and considering his options.
The peace deal was essential for the future of Jahanpur. It was time to bring back his grandson, Jahanzaib Qureshi, the late son of Shah Jahan.