My Wanderings - 72. Short Story No. - 52 When the water in Jehlum turned murky

Those were the days of love, faith and compassion,  when a fair mix of Shiva and Sufi culture  was flourishing in Kashmir . There was  much communal  harmony and tolerance of different faiths  prevalent allover .  The  Jehadi cult  had not cast  its vicious  spell  over the sociocultural fabric of Kashmir and selfi faith had not spread its monstrous tentacles there .
In  those days a Kashmiri pandit widow lived in downtown area of Srinagar  with her two children, being  a son and a daughter, in much dilapidated  tiny house  having a  roof made of birch bark and earthen covering with a lush green vegetation  growing allover.  The house was   surrounded by a   small compound , the door of which opened  in the main   street through a long and narrow muddy lane on  one side . On the  other side of  house  there were  big mansions, built in luxurious style , which belonged  to Muslim carpet and tapestry  traders and manufacturers surrounding the area . But the doors of one of  these mansions also opened through the same narrow and muddy path .
The husband of the  Pandit widow, usually addressed as Babhi by her children and neighbours,  had died much earlier,  when the children were very young .
After the death of her husband, Babhi had suffered so   much in rearing her children in utter poverty and absolute desperation . She used to spin yarn on her old spinning wheel  and sell  the same to  weavers on  paltry sums of money,  which  helped in family  sustenance  and education of her children .
Bhabi was very pious and religious woman . She would spent her leisure time in spiritual pursuits . She was very humble , helpful and friendly with her neighbourly  women, who were mostly Muslim. She grew up her  children in much discipline   and never compromised with  their education . Only after passing Matriculation her son Shankar   started giving tuitions and helped in contributing towards family expenses.
Shankar was very good in studies and passed graduation with flying colours . In due course of time Shankar got a good job in central  Govt. and family  once again had a glimpse of prosperity . It all started with repairing of their roof which profusely leaked during rainy seasons. They had to keep many  utensils on upper story floor for collecting rain  water .
In the meantime  daughter of the family  Laxmi completed her education and both her mother and elder brother Shankar appeared to be concerned about her marriage . They arranged for the dowry of Laxmi with whatever little savings they could afford and started looking out for a suitable match . After a long  perseverance and matching of Horoscopes​ they were  able to find a match for Laxmi . The name of Boy was Autar Krishen, who was  working in some Govt.Deptt. and belonged to a middle class family.
It was only after passage of some time the date of marriage arrived . Shankar had arranged for rented  marquee tent   in his small compound and was furnishing the same along with his friends . They had made small paper buntings and coloured the saw dust  for decorating the lane  .  While Shankar was worried about the drizzle which was falling   scarcely on the  tent in the midnight , he heard loud  sound of hammering of nails in the narrow  lane from which Barat had to enter . He and his friends came out in the lane to witness an amazing scene . Many labourers  were decorating the lane with fresh tapestry bundles known as crewl in Kashmir under the supervision of  Mohd. Ibrahim,  one of their neighbours . He had already decorated  two big halls of his mansion with fresh Kashmiri carpets and walnut wood furniture . The mud of the path was concealed by laying  red coloured coir matting on it.  Everything was looking fit and fine . On seeing Shankar , Mohd Ibrahim told him that You need not to worry about expected rain tomarrow morning , I have made the full arrangements to receive the  Barat in my house . Shankar could not venture to make any comment as he had hardly talked with Mohd.Ibrahim through out his life. Mohd. Ibrahim , their  neighbour was a carpet manufacturer and trader having an authoritative and resourceful  disposition .But he was very introvert and never indulged in loose talking . Mostly  all  respected him and young people hardly ventured to talk to him.
Next day in the morning Barat arrived and was received with much fanfare and gaiety  . Barat was made to sit in the decorated  halls of Mohd. Ibrahim despite of pleasant climate outside.
Mohd. Ibrahim himself looked after all the arrangements . The lunch was served to the guests,  which was being prepared by the chefs at Shanker's house. The marriage ceremony was also solemnised  there in a room already arranged for that.
At the time of parting farewell to the bride , Mohd. Ibrahim again  appeared in the scene and addressed with due honour  to the father of bridegroom
pointing towards bride,
" Pandit sahab,  please never think she is an orphan.  She is just like my own daughter . If you have any problems or complaints regarding the girl or marriage, pl don't tell anything to her mother or brother. Call me or come directly to me personally, i will look after your complaints myself.
Bridegroom's father was a very gentle person . He only thanked Ibrahim  for his hospitality and assured him of looking after the bride properly at her in-laws house.
Now after the lapse of twenty years i.e.in year nineteen ninety  much of the water had  flown over the River  Jehlum and most of it had become murkier.  The    traditional  values  cherished by the people of Kashmir through out centuries  were  vanishing in to thin year by the appearance of gun culture sponsored by neighbouring country Pakistan .
Mohd  Ibrahim and Bhabi were lucky enough not to have  witnessed  the change as they already bade farewell to this mortal world . Both Shankar and Laxmi had grown up children now . Laxmi 's husband Autar Krishen was  promoted as Asstt. Director in his Deptt.
A nephew of Mohd.Ibrahim,  Salim had become a notorious terrorist .
Once Salim  along with his accomplices, carrying a gun  entered the  office  of Autar Krishen and killed him on point blank range for being  a Hindu only.  He left   him   in a  pool of blood and perhaps with   the soul of Mohd.Ibrahim  bruised ,  unaware of latters  contribution in the marriage of Autar Krishen and Laxmi .