peer-e-kamil(English)

chapter 1 (part 7)

"Tell us about the changes Salar Sikandar will bring about as head boy.

'Changes are not talked about, they are demonstrated and I cannot do this before I become head boy.'

A few more questions were asked and answered and then the compare called for the last question. A Sri Lankan boy stood up with a naughty smile.

'If you answer this question of mine, then I and my entire group will vote for you.'

Salar smiled, 'Before I reply, I'd like to know how many people there are in your group.

'Six,' the boy replied.

Salar nodded in assent and asked, 'Okay, what's your question?

'You have to calculate and tell me that if 952852 is added to 267895 and then 399999 is subtracted from the total and 929292 is added to the sum,' he read slowly from a paper, 'then the figure is multiplied by six and divided by two and 4923.59 is added to the final figure, what would be one-fourth of it?'

The boy could barely complete his words when Salar's response to this 'silly' question came with lightning speed. '1435619.8'

The boy glanced at the paper in his hand and, shaking his head in disbelief, began clapping. Faizan Akbar at that point felt that he was merely an actor; the hall was filled with applause-Faizan saw this entire programme as nothing more that a joke. An hour later, coming down the stage ahead of Salar, Faizan knew that he had lost the competition to him even before it had begun. He had never felt as envious of this 150 IQ scorer as he did now.
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"Imama Apa, when are you going to Lahore?'

She looked up from her notes with a start. Saad was slowly cycling around her. "Tomorrow. Why do you ask? She shut her file.

When you go away, I miss you a lot,' he said.

"Why?' she asked with a smile.

'Because I like you very much and...you get toys for me and you take me out for drives and...you play with me,' he answered in detail. 'Can't you take me to Lahore with you?'

Imama was not sure whether this was a suggestion or a question.

'How can I take you with me? I live in a hostel myself, so where will you live?' she asked.

He pondered this over as he cycled round. 'Then you should come more often.'

'Very well. I'll come more often.' She smiled at him. 'You can talk to me on the phone. I'll call you.'

'Yes-that sounds good.' Saad liked this idea. He began to race his bicycle round the lawn. Imama looked at him absent- mindedly.

Saad was not her brother: he had come to their house five years ago. She did not know where he had come from-and was not concerned but she knew why he had been brought in. He was ten years old now and had settled in with the family. He was closest to Imama. She often felt very sorry for him, not because he was an orphan, but it was his future that she felt sad about. Her paternal uncles had also adopted orphans and their future too was a cause for concern for Imama.

Book in hand, she continued to look at Saad cycling the garden. Watching him, she was often troubled by such thoughts, but she had no answers-there was nothing that she could do for him.

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All four of them were in Heera Mandi, the red-light district of Lahore. They were between eighteen and nineteen years of age and their appearance gave away their upper class background; but out here neither age nor social background meant anything, because young boys often frequented the area and the elite were among the most regular customers.

The boys made their way through the narrow lanes of the bazaar. Three of them were lost in conversation but the fourth looked around with interest and a sense of mystery. It seemed that this was his first venture into this domain, and a later exchange with his friends confirmed this.

On both sides of the lane, in open doorways, stood women of every age, shape, size and complexion-fair and dark, beautiful and plain-all heavily made up and dressed in a revealing way, And men of all ages also passed through the lane. The boy observed everything very carefully.

'How often have you been here?' He addressed the boy to his right who laughed and repeated the words.
'How often? I don't remember now-I haven't kept count! I come here quite often,' he said proudly.

'I don't find these women very attractive...nothing special about them, the boy shrugged his shoulders. 'If one has to spend a night somewhere at least the environment should be pleasant this is such a filthy place,' he said looking distastefully at the potholes and the piles of garbage in the lane. 'Besides, what's the point of coming here when you have girlfriends?"

This place has its own charm and there's no comparison between these women and our girlfriends. Girlfriends can't dance like the women here,' the other boy said with a laugh. 'And today one of Pakistan's top actresses is going to

perform-just wait till you see her." 'But you had taken me to see her dance, the first boy interrupted.
Oh that was nothing-just a "mujra" at my brother's wedding. But here it's a different story.

But that actress lives in a very posh locality; why would she want to come here?' His tone was somewhat suspicious.

Ask her yourself today, if you want. I don't ask such questions. The other boys laughed at this remark, but the first one looked at him askance.

They finally reached their destination at the end of the lane. From a shop near the entrance, they bought garlands of motia which they wound round their wrists, and also on the wrist of the boy who was objecting to being there. Then they bought paan laced with tobacco and also offered one to him he had probably never had paan before. They went up the stairs.

He looked around critically and a look of satisfaction crossed his face when he saw that the place was not only clean but well decorated too. The floor was covered with white sheets and there were bolsters to recline on. Curtains fluttered softly on the doors and windows. Some people had already arrived but the performance had not yet started. A woman with a lovely but fake smile swiftly made her way to them. As she spoke to them, the first boy took in her appearance. She was middle-aged, plastered with make-up and sported masses of rose and motia garlands in her hair. She was dressed in a screaming red chiffon sari and her blouse seemed to have been made not to cover but to reveal her body. She led the boys to a corner of the room and seated them.

As soon as he sat down, the first boy immediately spat the paan out into a spittoon nearby. It was hard for him to talk with his mouth full of paan; besides he did not quite like its feel or flavor. The other three boys were speaking in low tones. He looked around at the other men in the room who reclined against the cushions with wads of notes and bottles of alcohol in front of them. Most of the older men were dressed in starched white clothes; it was the first time he had seen so many people dressed in white other than at Eid congregations. He himself was dressed casually in black jeans and a black T-shirt like his friends and the younger crowd.

A little later, another woman in garish clothes entered the hall and, seating herself in the centre, began to sing a ghazal. Musicians accompanied her. After a few songs, she collected the money that had been showered on her and left. Then the famous actress for whom they had all been waiting entered the hall and everyone's eyes were riveted on her. She twirled around and welcomed her admirers with a gracious nod.

The musicians did not play this time and loud recordings of raucous songs filled the room. The performer began to dance. The silence that had preceded her performance was broken by applause as the men noisily appreciated her dancing and drinks went around. Some of the more intoxicated men got up and began to dance with her.

The only one who sat still watching the performance was the first boy. His face was impassive, but if one looked closely it was obvious that he was enjoying himself. When the actress came to the end of her dance about two hours later, most of the men in the hall had passed out.
Going home was not a problem for them as they had not come with the intention of going back any time soon-they were there for the night. The four boys also spent the night there.