"A Rani OF Jhansi"
It was mid 20thth century when 9 years old Rani's mother was going to give birth to her third child through cesarean.This ,being her third operation of the kind,Rani's mother,not even her doctors had any hope of her survival.They were sitting in the train,bound for for the hospital in another city,when Rani's mother took pledge from her to always take care of her young brother,Rani's only brother,after her mother's death.Rani gave the same in the most humble manner and bend over her mother's forehead for kissing her.By the time Rani took her lips away from her mother's forhead,her mother was no more....
Alongwith her father and brother Rani left Jhansi for good and they arrived at Bannu,and after the farmation of Pakistan,from here to Gujrat(Pakistan) for living with her mother's cousin.From here begins the real ordeal.Her father was a shopkeeper and used to spend the entire day on his shop.While Rani was fighting the real battle of survival.The so called aunt assigned her the enire household duties.Like Cinderella,Rani used to work day and night.She was neither allowed to go to school like her female cousins,on the excuse that her father would mind that,nor to play with her only toy,a doll made for her by her mother,even for once in the entire day.And finally one day she burnt the same just to make her aunt satisfy and never to hear the complain that"Rani is always playing with her doll".But these were not the real issues that were making her heart to sob.It was the pain of her brother which he must have felt while his uncles beat and punnished him,for Rani had made promise with her mother to always take care of him.Anyhow the illitrate girl used to recite Allah's name and Quran and prayed to God to the limit the time period of the ordeal.And once over,she used to console him and gave him the "soft beans and Desi oil" to eat that her father used to send for her from his shop and she always save for her brother.
When Rani's father was re-marrying,she was all excited,for she'd be able to speak the word,she was longing to do,i.e "mother"(ammi jan).Anyhow she was stopped from doing so,for the bride was a virgin and might get hurt if she were called "mother".Nonetheless Rani's heart was contended with whatever she had or she was going to have in her life.Like a very obediant child she always honoured her step-mother whom she called "Aapa ge"(elser sister).
In 16 years of age Rani got married.She was glad that finally she would have a peaceful life.That was only a dream though and the husband Rani got,like all the men of the age,was hot-tempered and used to beat Rani,though otherwise he was loyal with her and always fulfilled his responsibilities.Rani never had any problem with destitution.While love for God was enriching her spiritually,and her consistent prayers enabled her to visit Allah's house for Haj.And now a "Hajan"(female who has performed Haj) Rani followed teachings of islam even more strictly.She never had complained with anyone nor let her children hate anyone.She tought them loyaly,honesty,truth and patience.Rani was amzingly wise.She used to say, "HARA HUA HEERA HOTA HAI" , means, "A LOSSER IS LIKE A DIAMOND" (means what one can learn from a losser,can never learn from a winner).Her children or husband often had disagreements with her over the worldly issues for what she was teaching them,to them would not help them in their survival in the ignoble world.Though such arguments did hurt her very mother and female side,she always responded with boldness, "NO MATTER YOU LIKE ME OR NOT,MY CREATOR SHOULD LIKE ME".And like you readers,it sounded so cute to her children that they always smiled and hugged her and kissed her forehead which made her smile too.She was brave,and was never fearful of anything but of annoying her God.She was illitrate but always respected the educated one and used to say "WE MUST REPECT THE ONE,WHOM ALLAH GIVES RSPECT".Economical,friendly and obidiant Rani was seldom allowed by her husband to keep the ties of kinship as ordained by her Lord.Though her husband had few very good reasons for never allowing his family to mingle with the relatives,she was not ready to happily succumb to any worldly apprehensions ,still she never disobeyed him.But by the last week of her life she already had decided to pay visits to all the relatives,though this time it was life that did not permit her to do. All that her children knew about her past was through their father,or those sobbing moments were responsible for few sharings by Rani when she missed her mother desparatly.She had to fight throughout her life on many fronts at a time.She was diabetic ,and as a patient was impressively punctual in taking her medicines and strictly obeyed all the instructions of her doctor.She loved her life,as it was a gift of God.She never hurt herself neither emotionally nor physically.The best moments of her life comprised small happiness.She was always contended with no matter how parsimoniously luck had granted her.She was the the only women ever encountered by the folks who was never backbiting,complaining or even lieing.
An orphan,uneducated,and oppressed woman,Rani ,during 55 years of her sorrwful life,learned and tought optimism and contedment.She had no mentor,no friend except God for sharing and seeking advices,and no hopeful circumstances.It were two blessings that Rani always had i.e contendment and a heart to introspect.Rani had nothing at the outside from which she could have derived all her inspiration.It was inside her ownself that enlighted and rationalised her ways throughout her life.
The reason how im writing all this with conviction and how I know Rani very closely is that Rani was my mother.
What a lovely and moving tribute to your mother Noor! Your beautiful words bring such honor to you beloved Mother!
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