Saturday, November 11, 2006

Of Hijab, Burqa and Scarf

My father woke me up at 11:15 am and asked me to clean the car. I just gave a small dusting and he left. He had to get a routine servicing done to the vehicle. At the authorized service center there were too many cars so he just got some new engine oil filled and changed one of the old headlamps at a local garage.

We had to attend a marriage function in the evening. It was the marriage of a distant relative's daughter. The bride's father also happens to be a good friend of my father and also my uncle. There I got to meet my cousins and we spoke about how we are going to enjoy our cousin sister's wedding in December.

After my father left, I slept for some more time. But before that I switched on my computer, spent some time there and slept. The night before, I had a very disturbed sleep. I had to somehow make myself fresh. I find sleep as the biggest problem. My mind works the best in the nights. There are several things that could be done only during the day time - things like meeting people and going out. But sleep comes in between all this. I find no time but still I have to sacrifice other things. Today I wanted to reach my grandmother's house early and study for sometime. I could reach only at 3:30 pm. Already my aunt and cousin sister had arrived and I couldn't study. There was a lot of disturbance. I was angry with myself ... my sleep actually.

I have been taking coffee daily. This is even effecting my weight. Coffee reduces appetite. But I take it because I like it and to beat sleep. The second reason is the chief reason. And even the coming winter is a threat to me - it makes me sleep more. I don't feel like getting out of the blanket!

My cousin sister is in engineering 1st year at Shaadan College, Khairtabad. She was telling me about her college and the things she has been studying, liking and not liking! I told her the things I have seen or felt throughout my time in engineering. She said she is studying daily after coming home. I found it the best thing she is doing. The timings of her college are unusual - 7:30 am to 1:30 pm. She likes them. Then just before leaving I had a debate kind of thing with my 2 aunts and mother. The topic was 'girls wearing scarfs and burqa'. I was 'for'. Though they were not against it but there was something they were not liking and were not ready to accept it. I can say I won but it is my religion that won. I had the rules by my side.

The debate started when when my aunt told me about a 2nd cousin of mine who was asked to were a 'burqa' by her neighbor. She had replied 'I wear clothes that cover my body completely so why should I wear it?' She is from my college studying in 1st year. Even my sister doesn't wear a scarf so indirectly I wanted to tell her that she has to wear it. I am sure she got my point.

They all still seem to have a doubt with what 'hijaab' means. To be frank even I don't know the exact meaning but very soon I will find it out and let them know. And I will also let them know about the punishments they may face if they avoid it and also the ones they will see if they deny the truth. I will keep everything as polite as possible but I will get to them my word. My sister has got the best of education and I am sure she will understand the things and take my words and my intention positively. What I am trying to do is for her good. I don't care what other girls (strangers to me) do. She is my sister and she needs to do the things right.

My youngest aunt (my mother's youngest sister) was telling me about an incident where my uncle was standing somewhere with his friend when some girl in a 'burqa' and scarf winked her eye at my uncle's friend. My immediate response was 'why were they looking at the girl?' My mother prompted 'boys are like this!' I continued 'and that's the reason it is necessary that girls wear scarf and 'burqa'.

Sometime later my mother said that I have grown up now. I was expecting something like this especially after that night when I spoke to both my parents about me and told them several things - of course about me.

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