In the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Jasveer Singh, a young man from Punjab, finds himself trapped in Delhi. His close friend Rohit, a local student, hides him from the violent mobs. Rohit's mother, Sunita, comes up with a plan to disguise Jasveer as a newl...
The woman squinted, clearly not convinced, but after a few moments, she left, muttering under her breath. As soon as the door was closed, Sunita's fear surged. "We have to do something quickly before someone else comes to inquire again."
She turned to Rohit. "Who gave you the idea of the burka?"
Rohit explained, "I went to Jasveer's PG room to find him, but he was already at the market. On my way back to our home, I heard about the riots and the killings of Sikhs. I rushed to the market to find him. The burka was just hanging at the back of a house, and I took it in desperation."
Sunita sighed, a mixture of relief and admiration in her eyes. "You didn't know it, but you had a brilliant idea in the midst of all this chaos. But now, we need to take it a step further. We must transform Jasveer into a woman completely. He must become Jiya. But we can't make him wear a burka here, as we are Hindus."
Jasveer and Rohit both nodded in agreement. Time was of the essence, and they couldn't afford to delay.
Without hesitation, they began Jasveer's transformation. Despite his slim and fair body, his chest showed a subtle softness, as he had natural fat around his chest and butt. His small beard and long hair hidden under the turban made the task somewhat easier. Rohit carefully shaved Jasveer's face, removing any trace of his beard, as it was shaved for the first time, his skin emerged very smooth and fair. Meanwhile, Sunita untied his turban, letting his long hair fall free. His face, combined with his long hair, looked so feminine that no one believed he was a boy.
"Let's tie your hair into a neat braids, like a lady," Sunita said gently. She brushed his hair and styled it into a braid, adding a few bobby pins to secure it.
Jasveer looked at his reflection, barely recognizing himself. The fear and uncertainty in his eyes were replaced by a steely determination. "Will this work?" he asked, his voice shaky but hopeful.
Sunita looked at Jasveer with a calm determination. "It will work, Jiya. We will make sure of it. You will be safe here." she said. "First, let's get you into some appropriate clothes."
She handed Jasveer a petticoat and an old blouse of hers. To everyone's surprise, the blouse fit him perfectly. Sunita then tucked some extra clothes into the blouse to give his body much required curves and more feminine shape. She draped a saree around him with meticulous care, making sure it was perfectly arranged.
Next, Sunita adorned Jasveer with bangles, their soft clinking adding to his new identity. She noticed Jasveer's pierced ears and took advantage of it, making him wear a pair of her old earrings. She added anklets that jingled softly as he moved. Then she completed the look with the finishing touches, a bindi on his forehead, and applied a light touch of lipstick to his lips.
As Jasveer stood there, now Jiya, Sunita and Rohit stepped back to admire their work. He looked convincingly like a young woman. The transformation was complete, but the real challenge was just beginning. They needed to keep up the pretense, ensuring that Jasveer remained hidden and safe from the horrors that lurked just outside their door.
Sunita explained her plan. "Rohit, from now on, you and Jiya have had a love marriage, and you brought her here secretly after running away."
Both Rohit and Jasveer nodded in agreement, understanding the necessity of the ruse.
To solidify the disguise, Sunita took a small box of sindur and carefully applied it along the parting of Jasveer's hair. She then placed her old mangalsutra around his neck, the symbol of a married woman. Finally, she covered his face with the veil of her saree's pallu, ensuring it draped down to his painted lips.
Jasveer stood before them, now fully transformed into Jiya. His fair and slim body, combined with the veil that covered his face almost entirely, left no trace of his former identity. He looked exactly like a married woman, blending seamlessly into the role he needed to play for survival.
Sunita stepped back, satisfied with their work. "Remember, Jiya, Here it's normal for women to cover their faces with a pallu after marriage. This will help protect your identity."
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Jasveer, now Jiya, nodded, his eyes showing a mix of gratitude and determination. The transformation was complete, and the real challenge of maintaining this facade for his safety had just begun.
