The Gift

                   

                 

                   It was freezing but, then you don’t expect Kashmir to be warm and sunny during the month of December. I had always an unexplained fascination for this place. Though I had never been here but I had promised myself that once in my life to celebrate the beginning of the most beautiful period of my life I would come here with my better half. So, here I was. The commencement of the trip was not as I had expected. I wanted to surprise my wife by showing her the honeymoon tickets of Kashmir. I even did that. But rather than feeling elated she drew a face and tried to convince me with every molecule present in her to change my decision. However, for a change I convinced her to come to Kashmir with me.

       Being a software engineer in a reputed MNC, money was not an issue with me, although, I had always craved to remain one with nature. As soon as we reached there, a new issue erupted. My wife wanted to stay in a hotel and I had got the booking done in a houseboat. Once again the vicious circle of convincing each other started. Nevertheless, my wife won the argument this time on the pretext that she had agreed to come to Kashmir with me in the first place. So, rather than presenting any new argument I abided by what she wanted and got the booking done in an expensive hotel.

       My wife is nice and sweet, it’s just that she wants the things to be done her way. Moreover, it’s too early to form an opinion. We have had an arranged marriage. So, like other couples we need to give each other time to come at an understanding level. Thinking this I smiled and looked out of the window. The view was breathtakingly beautiful. The snow laded mountains presented a view replica to the picturesque sceneries of Yash Chopra’s Switzerland cinematography.

       “Let’s go and explore Kashmir,” I suggested softly to my wife who had now covered herself in layers of blankets.

        “I’m so cold. I don’t think I’ll be able to manage to go out.” The coaxing started again and I won this time. It seemed like it was a table tennis match in between us. There was a score card and both of us were trying to get the maximum scores. She wore numerous layers of woolen on her petite figure and was all set to go with me. She tried to match my enthusiasm but it was a futile effort. I knew it but still I was grateful to her.

       I think people just overrate Switzerland, Scotland and other nature embedded places. I’m not against them still I think Kashmir is no less. With this mindset sleep engulfed me the morning greeted me with a promise to present my eyes something new and astounding. I saw my wife warmly snuggled in the blanket.

       “Get up dear. Let’s go out.” I had my fingers crossed but in my hearts of heart I knew that I was destined to lose this battle. She didn’t want to go out as she was freezing. The honeymoon rule said that I should also remain with her but the wanderer in me wanted to defy it. “Why don’t you go out? I would hate to keep you here with me.”

        It was a blessing in disguise. I know I was being selfish here but this had been my dream since the days of yore. I kissed her goodbye and promised myself to bring back a gift for her. My wanderer instinct took over. I scrutinized every nook and corner of the valley. It was refreshing and I had lost the count of time. I looked at my watch and realized that it had been too long to neglect one’s newly wedded wife. I returned my steps but then realized the promise that I had made with myself: I’ll give my wife a gift for her generosity.

       Just then I saw a banner indicating that there was exhibition of Kashmiri items just round the corner. I thought it to be a god sent blessing as now I won’t have to search for an exquisite piece from shop to shop. Even though being completely ignorant about ladies shopping I braced myself to face the danger and stepped in the exhibition ground. The eyes didn’t do justice as to what all was exhibited there. Every item was many a time worth than the prior one. I decided to take a complete round and then select the gift.

       While walking I stopped at a counter. A beautiful pashmina shawl was hanging there. It made me froze and I knew that this was what I wanted to buy. “How much for this one?”

        Just then a girl stood looked up from under the table. At first I was only able to see the eyes and then later on the whole picture. It didn’t take a second to realize who she was. Before I could say anything she asked, “Hello Ashutosh Sir. How have you been?”

       The girl was Chahat. While I was on bride hunt, her proposal came to me. I and my family went to meet them. Everything was perfect. The girl was beautiful and she had brains. The family was nice and simple. However, the only requisite that didn’t match was the family status. Hailing from a low middle class family not only my parents but even I had issues saying yes to her. Even though her face got imprinted on my heart, her family’s income level got imprinted on my mind. So as usual I followed my mind and said no to her.

        I didn’t say a word so she continued, “This shawl is for 45,000/-.”

       “How did you…?”

        She smiled and said, “Hailing from Kashmir itself I had a fair idea of the work done here. So, I got loan from a bank and started with a small business of my own. Moreover, there’s an exhibition in Kashmir for all these items every year so I regularly come here and even now I have started exported my work.”

        I was amazed. The girl whom I said no as I thought didn’t belong to my status was now running a business and I..” I felt ashamed of myself and after mumbling congratulations started moving when she stopped me. “Don’t you need this shawl?”

      It felt like I was devoid of my voice. She called her assistant and said, “Pack this for Sir and don’t charge a dime.”

       “No, please don’t do it. I would pay..” but I knew it was out of my budget.

       “Come on Ashutosh Sir, last time also you went empty handed from our house. I won’t repeat the same. Give it to your wife as a gift from my side.” I looked at her with gawking eyes while she helped the assistant packing my gift. I remembered telling her that I would like to visit Kashmir with my wife one day. She still memorized all that I had told her. It made me feel more ashamed. “Here, take it.”

      The moment I accepted the gift it felt like my size had decreased many folds. I smiled back and mumbled a thank you. She again started working. I was left there standing desolate. I reached back at the hotel only to find my wife dead worried. I gave her the gift and once again the shine was back in her eyes. “It must be quite expensive, isn’t it?”

      I looked at her numbly. Yes, the gift was very expensive. So expensive that it has been presented to me by a girl whom I had rejected considering her low economic status. I asked my wife to pack her bags and we left Kashmir the next day. My wife was excited as now it would be a place of her choice and I on the hand, would live with the guilt of being a chauvinist attitude of letting go a girl with whom I could have an amazing life.