Ballad Of Love

『²』

تو انمول تھی
پل پل بولتی تھی
ایسی چُپ کیو لگا کے گئی
ساری خوشیاں خا کے گئی۔

(You were priceless,
and used to speak all the time,
now you have gone creating such a silence,
having ended all the happiness.)

°°°

Fourty years ago,

He was walking like a madman. He opened the gates of the brothel forcefully and entered there like an injured lion.

"When i had already mentioned Mehjaabeen won't take any customer. Then why did you send off her with Malik? Does I'm not paying you for her?"

His eyes were blazing with fire. He was shouting at the head of the brothel.

"Mehjaabeen had gone with Malik on her own free will. I didn't forced her."

The woman said in a sugar coated tone, smiling in his direction showing off her yellow teeths.

"When will she return."

Shahmeer was waiting for her since two hours and she didn't cameback. He was getting agitated now.

The door opened revealing a beautiful Mehjaabeen. She was wearing a red coloured Anarkali. Her eyes were adorned with kohl and her face free of any makeup.

"Why did you go to meet Malik when i had already told you not to take any customer?"

Shahmeer lashed out on her and twisted her arm in his anger he didn't saw he was hurting mehjaabeen.

"Shahmeer leave my hand."

"I won't. First answer me why did you go?"

"Because i can't live without a man's touch."

Shahmeer leave her arm. And looked at her questioningly.

"What did you say?"

Shahmeer took steps backwards and looked at her with pain and agony.

"Yes i can't leave without a man's touch. You're coming here since one month and you haven't touched me. For God's sake I'm a tawaif. What would you expect from me?"

Mehjaabeen tauntingly looked at him.

"Mehjaabeen what happened? You are not like this."

"I'm like this Meer. You're just amusing yourself."

Mehjaabeen walked pass him and started taking her jewellery off.

"Mehjaabeen you can't sleep with anyone. I'm paying for you."

Shahmeer looked at her through the mirrors.

"I didn't asked you to pay for me. Besides Malik is my favourite customer."

Mehjaabeen was smiling shamelessly.

"Mehjaabeen do you not love me?"

Shahmeer sat on the floor beside mehjaabeen's legs.

"I sell love Shahmeer and you're the buyer."

Mehjaabeen patted Shahmeer's cheek.

"Mehjaabeen please don't do this. I will die."

"Nobody dies without anyone shahmeer. People learnt to live on. This is the cycle of life."

Mehjaabeen stood up from the dressing table and opened her almirah taking out her favourite 'ghunghroo.'

"Shahmeer take this."

"Why are you giving me this Mehjaabeen?"

Shahmeer asked her confusedly. He stood up from the ground.

"Because you're going to London. And This is my gift for you."

"Mehjaabeen how do you know......?"

Shahmeer asked getting more confused. He had not told anyone about going to London then how Mehjaabeen got to know about it.

"I know shahmeer you're not going to London for your studies. But please shahmeer go to London study their and comeback as a Barrister."

Mehjaabeen was looking at him with dreamy eyes.

"Mehjaabeen I don't want to go."

"Then what you want to do."

Mehjaabeen asked her irritatingly.

"I want to marry you."

Shahmeer blurted out and soon regretted seeing Mehjaabeen's expressions.

"Shahmeer yeh Ghunghroo mein ne apni pehli kamai se liye the. Bohot pyaare hai yeh Ghunghroo inka aur apna khayal rakhna. Ab tum jao."

(Shahmeer I've bought this anklet bells woth my first salary. I love this anklet bells so much, please take care of them and yourself. Now you go.)

"You didn't listened to me i said i want to marry you."

Shahmeer moved towards her and placed a hand on her her waist. It was the first time he jad touched her so intimately. His eyes helding love and want for Mehjaabeen diverted her eyes.

If she had look anymore minute into those eyes she would've cried.

"Mujh jaisa husn Bazar ki zeenat hota hai Ghar Ki Malka nahi. Chale jao shahmeer isse pehle ke mera maan toot jaaye."

(My kind of beauties are made for markets not for Making a home. Go back shahmeer.)

"Aaj chala gaya na tou kabhi wapis nahi aaunga Mehjaabeen."

(If i will leave this moment. Then i will never comeback Mehjaabeen.)

"Tumhe yahan aana bhi nahi chahiye tha shahmeer. Yeh jagah tumhare liye nahi thi."

(You shouldn't have come here shahmeer. This place is not for you.)

Shahmeer was crying. A man was crying. A man who lost his love. A man who got defeated.

"Shahmeer never sleep with any prostitute."

Shahmeer was going back when her voice stopped him and her words hit him like a brick. He didn't dared to look at her instead He took her Ghunghroo's and left from their.

Mehjaabeen was crying. Today she had lost her love but she had saved him from doing a greater sin.

•••••