The breeze blowing was chilly, almost freezing the woman who sat there looking at the golden frame.
The frame looked so beautiful, a woman in red, her jewels adorned on her, her smile so bright that it brought the candles to shame that were surrounding her and then stood a man, his black sherwani stood in contrast to her red and golden lehenga. His smile matching his wife's smile, his eyes looking at her, who was already looking at him. She remembered that moment and she would cherish it forever.
Flashback:
They were sitting beside each other an hour before rukhsati, Riswan had decided to wear his uniform on Walima and sherwani on baraat. They looked like a perfect pair.
" Badi pyari smile hai aapki ", he said looking at her. He has seen her smiling at little children who were running around the stage. (You have a beautiful smile. )
" Accha jee? ", she turned to face him with the same smile. (really?)
" Jee. ", he replied mirroring her smile. (Yes.)
The photographer has took the moment to take a beautiful candid.
:end
Oh how beautiful they looked three years ago, there smiles and happiness making the moonlight jealous. They have met a year before making anything got official. Met only two times because of her Degree and his Duty. Their nikaah took place at the mosque with their families around and their loved ones rejoicing for their union. Their shy smiles and twinkling eyes when they saw each other, she remembered it all with watery smile.
The beauty of frame, awoke the memories of their time together, the moments they shared, how he would spend the time with her, however little it was .
Then her gaze moved to her lap where a paper lied lifeless similar to the man who wrote it. The letter laid close to her womb, where there baby resided unknown to the tragedies going on in the outer world .
The baby has lost his father before he could even see him. Her eyes closed as her lips trembled and the tear flowed the way it were flowing continuously since she saw the corpse of the man she loved and will love till her last breath.
He has asked her to remember him and yet move on. But how could she, when she can't forget him and his touch, his embrace and his memories.
She could never forget the man who died saving her, his child and his nation.
Tumhe bhoolne ka matlab khud ko bhula dena hai. (Forgetting you means forgetting myself.)
She gently lifted the letter from her lap and read it again with filled eyes and wobbling lips, her hand gently cradling her swollen stomach .
~
Sairah,
Agar yeh letter tumhe mil raha hai to samajh lena ki tumhare Riswan ko shahadat mil gayi hai .
Tumhe ptaa hai tum hamesha mere khwabon mein reheti ho, aur yahi dua hai khuda se ki mera aakhri khwab tum hi ho .
Tumhari aaj bhot yaad aa rahi hai, tumhari qurbat mehsoos karne ka, tumhare aaghosh mein khone ka bhot dil kr raha hai. Tumse hazaaron baatein karne ka, tumhari baatein sunne ka mann ho raha hai .
Mujhe tum par naaz hai, bhot strong ho tum, tumhari jagah mein hota toh yeh sab nhi seh pata. Meri saari khushiyan tumse hai, mujhe tumne hamesha samjha hai, meri guilt, meri regrets, mera pain sab kuch tumhe samajh aaya hai. Bina puche tumne mujhe sambhala hai, jitna shukr ada karun utna kam hai .
Mujhe pata hai tum mujhe rokna chahati thi, apne kareeb rakhna chahati thi, par tumne ek lafz na kaha. Tumne mujhe hmesha vo krne diya jo me chahata hun, aur is waqt me bhot khush hun ki tumne nahi roka, tumne mujhe mere mulk ke liye qurban hone diya.
Tumhe naraaz hone ka poora haq hai, tumhe hi saara haq hai aur me yaha hoon bhi nahi tumhare nazdeek tumhari narazgi dur karne ke liye, mujhe is ka bhot gham hai .
Tumhare sath ek nishani chodh kar ja raha hun, use sambhal kar rakhna. Usko btana uska baap uspar hmesha garv krega. Use mera pyaar dena aur dono ek doosre ko smbhalna .
Try to move on, tumhare pass bhot Badhi zindagi rakhi hai, mujhe pta hai mushkil hoga par zindagi kafi lambi hai aur ek humsafar hona zaroori hai jo tumhe girte waqt sambhal sake, jo yeh zindagi ka safar tumhare sath teh kr sake .
Ho sake to mujhe maaf kar dena, tumhare sath rehna chahata tha pr tumhe zindagi ki raah mein akela chodh chala .
Tumse bhot mohobbat hai, aur zindagi ki aakhri saans tak rahegi. Khuda se tumhari aur humare bacche ki hifazat ki dua mangi hai, aur yakeen hai yeh dua zaroor qubool hogi .
Apna khyaal rakhna aur meri choti si jaan ko meri taraf se khoob pyaar dena .
Me tumhare sath hun, tum choo nhi sakti pr apni saanson me mehsoos kr skti ho .
Acha chalta hoon,
Duaon mein yaad rakhna,Mere zikar ka,
Zubaan pe sawaad rakhna,
Dil ke sandookon mein,
Mere ache kaam rakhna,
Chithi taaron mein bhi,
Mera tu salaam rakhna,
Andhera tera maine le liya,
Mera ujjla sitaara tere naam kiya,
Mehfil mein teri hum na rahein jo,
Gham toh nahi hai,Gham toh nahi hai,
Kisse hamare nazdeekiyon ke,
Kam toh nahi hain,Kam toh nahi hain,
Kitni dafa subah ko meri tere,
Aangan mein baithe maine shaam kiya,
Channa mereya ,mereya
channa meraya,mereya
oh piya,
Tere rukh se apna raasta,
Modke chala,Chandan hoon main,
Apni khushboo chhod ke chala,
Mann ki maya rakh ke tere.,
Takiye talle bairagi bairagi ka,
Suti chola odh ke chala,
Aaj samajh aaya kyu tum iss gaane ko sunkr roti thi .
Fir mulaqat hogi tumse Sairah .
Only yours,
General Riswan Gaffar
~
And she cried, clutching the letter and his clothes that has his fragrance. She cried for the man who gave his life for his first mother, his nation .
Zindagi ke iss safar mein tumhari yaadein mera sahara banengi . (Your memories will be my support in this journey of life.)
.....
.End.
