Page 13 - Seniors Today Jan20 Issue
P. 13
The Kohlis on a holiday
from the neighbouring people that my husband’s us and it took some convincing that we would
family had once owned the place. My husband definitely pay otherwise we wouldn’t take the
said, why don’t you buy a shawl, you have come merchandised.
to your sasural for the first time and how can The next year we went back to Lahore for the
you go empty-handed? (I had been married after conference Mr Lutfulla, who had befriended us
Partition and had never seen the place.) I told in Pindi, came to the airport in Lahore to receive
my husband I have enough shawls and I didn’t us. However, from Lahore we took a flight to
want another one. The shopkeeper who heard Pindi together, went to meet Mr Lutfulla’s niece
our conversation intervened and said I should who was the doctor. We all had breakfast together
take at least one shawl, repeating my husband’s and from there we took a taxi to Peshawar. We
sentence, “You have come to your sasural for became very good friends and exchanged emails
the first time how can you go empty-handed?” off and on and met him in Sri Lanka and other
With much reluctance I chose one shawl and got places where conferences were held.
it packed. The shopkeeper would not take any Many years later when 26/11 happened, within
money, and after trying to prevail on him for half 5-7 minutes we got a call from Mr Lutfulla saying,
an hour I finally insisted if he didn’t take any “I know your house is five to seven minutes
money we would leave the shop. He eventually away from the Oberoi, and I hope you are safe.” I
took the token amount of 10%. When we left the replied that we were. He added “Koi mazhab nahi
neighbouring shopkeepers all came out to say sikhata aisa kaam karna. I shall pray for your
goodbye to us. It was a heartwenching moment. safety and welfare.”
It was strange how once the shopkeepers knew
we were from India they didn’t want to charge As told to Sushmita Bhattrai
13 SENIORS TODAY | Issue #7 | January 15, 2020
