Burqi Qumqumay

Burqi Qumqumay

 

by

Sadaf Salman Makhdoom

 

I was having a boring usual day with lots of chores to run when suddenly I saw a Pathan selling hot Channas. I was alone so thought of buying some, otherwise kids tear away that little packet of happiness in a fraction of second and literally spill the beans (in this case my beloved black Channas) in the car.

While waiting for my Channas I saw this beautiful decoration and Barqi Qumqumay (fairy lights). It was all in the honour of Prophet’s (pbuh) birth whose teaching are sadly long forgotten by us. Anyways I had no intention of taking this to our dark religious side.

These Barqi Qumqumay is a symbol of happiness, light and festivity. Those danglers were beautifully hung with strings. Not eye soothing but yes, eye catching colours. Couldn't help but take pictures because it all gave me somehow a very light feeling.

Suddenly a man came up and said in a very manly tone (or as he thought his tone was) "AP kis waja say tasveerain khainch rahe hain" (what is your purpose of taking pictures). I was a little taken aback and then I replied "kyoun Bhai AP ka area hai?" (why sir is this your area). He was not expecting such a reply from a decent woman sitting in an expensive car and he immediately stepped away.

 

I feel sad and honoured to mention here that this sudden spurt and rush of confidence came from those neon danglers and my beloved Burqi Qumqumay and not from some human soul. Well, I was not concerned whether they were being blasphemous by celebrating the day because it happens to be the death anniversary of the Prophet (pbuh) too, or to think that they were illiterate fools wasting money. I found myself as one of those fools actually because I felt happy with all the colours and lights. Only what mattered was that what made so many people happy were not people just like my ejaculation of confidence.

There were lights and colours  just everywhere including my boring day. As I got my Channas, I proceeded to get some Dahi and there I saw heaps of sweets for celebrations being sold at cheap rates because of 12 r.w.l. Orange coloured sweets and small colourful sweet called Boondi. The smell of the sweet was not mouth watering at all because it all was just, I guess, too sweet for me to handle (on a philosophical note life has filled quite some bitterness in me and suspicion is raised in case I feel something too sweet). What actually made me smile is that Halwai was giving small kids free Boondi in celebration, without thinking that he will go home with less leftover Mithai for next day, and even lesser money for his family.

 

Later that day I realized that why is it so that I found random moments of happiness in colours, danglers and Barqi Qumqumay. Then I gave an answer to myself that it's because, may be we have stopped being the reason of happiness for each other. We all are so occupied that we somehow do not appreciate each other that much. Do not share a good laughter and only compare ourselves and our lives with each other. It's us who is supposed to be the Barqi Qumqumay for each other. The beautiful string of light that decorates the sad moment of someone by hugging them and wrapping around their sadness.