Salim and Kayal #Watty's 2016 # YourStoryIndia #ProjectWomanUp

Assalamualaikum

Salim's POV

I couldn't find a bathroom to change from my jhubba(similar to a thobe) to a formal wear in this mad house. Yes, this house is exactly a mad house. It is my Peribaapu's(Elder Paternal Uncle) house in Delhi. All my family from Trichy has come down to Delhi to give me a send off. My Vappa(Father), Amma(Mother), Fathima Akka (Elder Sister), Umar my younger brother, Chicha(Younger Paternal Uncle), Chichani(Wife of Younger Paternal Uncle), Cousin brother Hameed and the baby of our home, my cousin sister Nilofar. All of us pamper her a lot and she keeps us wrapped in her little finger. She is eight years old but speaks like an eighty year old grandmother. If you think all of them are here to send me off to military service, nope you are wrong. I am just going to study for a year in Delhi. Even though my native is Ramanathapuram, a coastal district in Tamil Nadu, I was born and brought up in Trichy because my grandfather had a thriving business in Trichy. My parents are Doctors working in a Government Hospital. Trichy is in the central part of Tamil Nadu state. Even though I love my Trichy to the core, I wanted to go outside Trichy for my education. I did my under graduation in Chennai, Tamil Nadu's capital city and now I have come to Delhi for this one year course in Political Communication.

All of us men just returned from our thozhugai(Prayer). Mosques in Delhi are quite grand and huge. But it is a pity that many people wrongly assume that Islam entered India only through Mughal invasion (12th to 16th Century). Islam entered India through Arab traders who reached the Coastal Districts through sea fare. People of Coromandel Coast received these traders around 7th century A.D. In that period of time Hindus were divided among four important castes and the lowest caste in the hierarchy was being oppressed. When Islam entered through Arab traders it taught equality. People were mesmerized by its democracy. People converted to Islam in huge numbers in the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and present day Kerala. Many Arab traders had Tamil wives and children. Even though people converted to Islam few Hindu practices were retained. It is a common accusation of Muslims from other sects that we aren't good Muslims but I believe it is the beauty of Islam. It merges itself with the local culture. Like in architecture, there is no particular defined style to build a mosque. So our most famous mosque in Keelakarai boasts of Dravidian architecture.

"SALIM ALI, why aren't you ready yet?" My Amma's voice brought me back to this world.

"Amma, I can't find a bathroom to change. All the five bathrooms are occupied." Just then Nilofar came out of a bathroom.

"Now just run and change". Before somebody could occupy the bathroom again I rushed inside and changed. All the rooms were also crowded. I came outside wearing my formal Van Heusen shirt and trousers. Now I have to find a mirror to comb my hair. I saw Hameed in front of a mirror and pushed him aside.

"Anna, what is the need to comb your hair? Even if you comb for next half an hour your hair will remain just the same."

"Hameed, don't waste your time here. Go and tell Amma that I am hungry and I need tea."

Since I am the eldest son in the family everybody listens to me. But today, Alhamdulillah, it seems everyone is waiting for my command. When Hameed left my side, I looked in the mirror to comb my thick curly hair. When I say curly, it means as if somebody drew doodles in my head. It is that curly. I know all over the world women like to push their man's straight, soft and silky hair from his forehead. How do I know this? It is my Akka's fault. She got me addicted to Mill's and Boon during my teenage years. Once I even thought of straightening my hair.

When I told my Akka about it she showed me a youtube video of Nouman Ali Khan. He taught me to be happy with my looks. If Allah (SWT) created me this way, then I am sure He must have created a wife for me who would like me with my curly hair. I haven't found my future wife yet. But, I am keeping myself pure for her. Because in Islam we are taught that, pure women are for pure men and pure men are for pure women. As much as possible I avoid the company of women. I don't have any woman friends. I studied in a boy's school and then in a men's college. So, it was fairly easy to avoid temptations. I haven't fallen in love with anybody. The only girls with whom I talk to are my sisters. During my internship in my under graduation years all the women in the office were elder to me. So I was again in the safe zone. Sometimes while travelling I do get attracted to women and want to have a second glance at them but the thought my creator watching me makes me lower my gaze.