Love Jihad
Syed and Gayatri didn't mean to fall in love. But love happens when you least expect it. It creeps up suddenly. When someone needs attention, care, conversation, laughter and maybe even intimacy. Love doesn't look at logic, or at backgrounds and least of all, religion.
Gayatri was from a very conservative South Indian family that went to a temple every Saturday. Syed bought goats for his family every Eid. That said it all. Their paths would never have crossed if it hadn't been for that fateful day. That day when he walked into the coffee shop. Gayatri wondered if destiny chose our loved ones for us. Did we have any role to play at all?
She looked at her watch. Syed was late. They met every Thursday at five pm to catch up. Their conversation lasted for hours. Sometimes at the cafe, sometimes in his car, sometimes in places that she could never tell her friends about. They would never understand. And yet Syed made her happy.
Suddenly her phone beeped. He had sent a message. "On my way. Have something important to tell you."
Gayatri stared at it and realised she had knots in her stomach. Thoughts flooded her mind. What did he want to tell her?
Four months earlier
Amidst the virtual action and combat of his life, Syed, falls in love with Zoya living in his neighborhood and of the same age as his, 26. Zoya is one of those rare bold women who get involved in the illicit activities around the town. Being Naysayer and Callous, she never found any guy who could deal with her unusual nature. Syed was unaware about the unlawful deeds as he fell in the euphony of her coquettish looks. The more he was overwhelmed the less she seemed enthusiastic. One day, to his surprise, she said, “Let's go grab a cup of hot coffee nearby.” He smirked and there was no chance he could resist to that favor. I started following her and midway called a boy of age 5 to pinch me & when he did it, I howled, ”Ah, it's real!” She turned back and said, “Yes, it's real, now come on.”
She already knew that Syed loved her invariably since she came to his neighborhood. Her taintedness was requisite in the region she was living in & as pure Muslim; she somehow recycled her black money in the cast’s upliftment.
“Syed, you have the most fluctuating life-cycle I have ever seen in my entire life. I mean it when I keep on saying that you are a pondering inkpot or an impulsive insane. Don’t feel bad but you are becoming more and more tarnishing nature wise after you have been in relationship with that South Indian chick”, said Jamal. Yes, he was actually right. That night, Syed couldn’t sleep because of the malice feelings he had within him. He went out at 1 AM night when Jamal, his younger brother, was asleep letting him unaware what situation Syed was in. Syed immediately called Gayatri to ask her if she was okay but nothing was. She tried cutting her hand veins & continuously spoke of committing suicide. Gayatri and Syed were in relationship from not more than 4 months. Everything was fine until she came to meet him in the house when his family was out for a trip a week ago.
He closed his eyes tried to swallow the bad things he did to her. He was already in love with Zoya but somehow he was lured to attach with this 16 years old girl physically. It was a mutual act albeit he could have resisted that evening when she came to his room. Though he was alone, he should have not seduced her to make love with me. She wasn’t even mature enough to commit any such deeds. Syed thought that he has made a big mistake by having unprotected sex. He murmured “If she’s pregnant, I will accept her, though against this cruel society. I won’t leave her alone in her hard times.”
“What I have done to my life doing the most insane thing with Gayatri?” He felt as he was a criminal. Friends used to call him ’Psycho’ as according to them, he began behaving like a psychopath from the moment he was in relationship with Gayatri. Gayatri, single daughter of a South Indian family, has just entered her 16th that October.
“Gayatri, till when do you have classes today?” Gayatri’s mother solicited, somewhat gravely as they had their breakfast.
“Till 4,” Gayatri said, after sipping tea from her cup. She raised her gaze at her mother, and asked, “Why?”
“No. Nothing. Be back by 4:30” her mother decreed looking down at her plate.
“But why? Are we going somewhere?” Gayatri asked abruptly, looking at her mother and then at her father, with quizzical eyes. Her father shook his head.
“See Gayatri! We’re noticing that you’re getting too far from studies. You need to stop wasting your time and start focusing on your studies.” Her mother said. She seemed in a different mood that morning.
“Okay mum. But it’s not that I don’t study at all, I study in the night.” Gayatri elucidated politely.
“Do what is being told to you Gayatri. You children of this generation always think they’re right.” Her mother ticked her off.
“But mom…” Gayatri tried to speak but was cut in the middle.
“Stop arguing Gayatri! You’re not a kid anymore that you do what you like and no-one will notice. You’re a girl, all grown up! People have started laying their eyes on your activities. We live in a society and sophisticated girls here are not meant to walk around in streets with a bunch of stupid kids!” Gayatri’s mother reprimanded again.
Late that night, Gayatri sat near a huge picture window of her room, peeking outside at the stars and the moon. Tears had made her face wet and eyes red and swollen. She was sobbing in silence, as the worst feeling was hitting her time and again. The terrible feeling of watching her dreams getting crushed in front of her, by her own parents. But she never put the blame on them; they were just walking the talk. They were following what was prevalent in the society. But the worst sufferer was SHE, a girl, as usual. The whole night, she kept sitting there, as her thoughts kept drowning her spirit of living life to the fullest and enjoying. But in the morning, she got up, determined enough of changing things.
The only scene people around them could figure out would be: An elaborative, boring speaker and a quiet, calm listener. Syed would be talking and telling fables and chronicles for hours and she would hear it like a baby. It would have morals, life lessons and principles attached to it which she would have to follow and obey accordingly when applicable. She would have to pass the practical tests of mental quotient he would take to eradicate her ochlophobia-the fear of crowd.
Gayatri was the only girl who understood his zest for life. But Syed didn’t want to be that guy who knows nothing but love. Though Islam accepts and encourages polygamy but he certainly wasn’t the same. Because she was the first and the last girl in his life with whom he has been over friendly yet significantly timid about it. Whenever he would have a fight with her, he would throw his stuffs around & break them like some crazy prisoner from Agra. “Am I normal now?” Syed keeps asking this question to himself.
Pondering about her shattered relation with Syed, Zoya was despaired of what she must do to console him of her distrustful deeds. She assembled herself as soon as she heard the vrooming sound. That day, Syed was alone at his home. She wanted to end the 3-days weird pause between the two. She followed him, caught him from the back and hugged him tightly trying to take off his blazer. She murmured in his ears, “Darling, it’s always been you. I have made a terrible mistake and I don’t want to lose you ever. I just want to be with you forever.” Syed couldn’t think of anything but the rage and panic he felt inside when he thinks of her illegal deeds. He obviated from the living room by throwing her hands away & evaded upstairs.
Zoya interrupted him by saying, “Syed, please listen to me. I know that I have done an unforgivable act which is punishable and I am ready for it.”
Syed roared and taunted, “You cheated on me. I can’t forgive you. I love someone else. I don’t want to have any conversation with you.”
Zoya pushed her to the sofa and sat above her, making a perfect position to have intercourse. Her body was the only thing that could please Syed at that particular moment. She tried to be wilder pretending as she needs physical pleasure. With the half-naked body, she was staring at him with lust and shame altogether. She still wanted to give it a try but now Syed’s reaction seemed vicious.
Syed finally responded it by tearing her bra and squeezed her breasts like anything. To his surprise, she smiled devil and asked, “Are you going to marry that 16 year old and convert her to Islam?”
“That is none of your business.”
“Well, I should tell you that if you do it then the tribe would be really proud of you.”
“I don’t want to be part of your illegal activities and tribes.”
“Come on, darling, you have to. Otherwise, I will open up your relationship with Gayatri, do you want me to?”
“You, slut. I shouldn’t have expected more than this from you.”
“Think over it, you have 30 days.”
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“It’s quite clear, sweet heart. Gayatri is a daughter of renowned Hindu family. If she is converted to our religion, then we can dominate the society. Diwali is coming next month & you can’t ruin their prestige better and more in that days.”
“Do whatever you want, I am not going to do anything as you say. I am not your slave.”
“I don’t want you to be my slave. I want her to be your slave.”
Syed aggressively warns Zoya to go out of home. She obeyed him going out and smirked, “Think over it carefully, honey.”
Gayatri’s wait ended when she saw Syed coming. The flash back of the 4 months complex circumstances finally got its upshot when Syed knew the reality of what Zoya does in real life. Gayatri had been devoid of love in her childhood. She craved for that love, care and sentimental words which usually is fulfilled by father but he, being orthodox and conservative, couldn’t satisfy her. This was the only reason she adored his philosophies and theories he would recite to her.
Her knots in the stomach stopped when she hugged him. She fortunately didn’t get pregnant and that was the only reason Gayatri had such daring to meet him again. She exclaimed, “What do you need to tell me?”
“I think that I have made a terrible mistake”, speaks Syed.
“What, why, how…”, says Gayatri.
“I slept with Zoya last night.”
Before she was on the verge to leave the spot, he sighs, “My life is in danger, Gayatri.”
“Seriously, does sleeping with a girl threaten your life?”
“No, no.. She wants me to marry you and convert you to Islam.”
“How the hell did she know about us and our intimate relations?”
Syed was fierce and tried controlling his anger before saying, “It’s my brother, Jamal, Zoya’s partner in doing prohibited and banned activities around the city.”
Gayatri felt that she was in severe danger and couldn’t stop crying. Syed ensured that everything will be okay but there doesn’t seem any way where the duo can find their own direction. Jamal followed his brother everywhere he goes & collected enough evidence of his relationship with Gayatri. Both seemed to fell in a trap but Syed was firm in not letting down Gayatri’s reputation at all. Something tricky and smart was to be done but they were out of scope to get anybody’s support.
The duo would talk over the phone about the serious issue & Syed would ensure that everything becomes fine. He was too caring and loving but till now he hasn’t been able to show it to her. Finally, he got a way, a way that will change his life forever. He told Gayatri about it & it seemed that she was totally disagreed to it. Thus, he decided to meet her father in person and talk about the solution he was having.
Gayatri was frightened like anything as her love would no longer be the same if her parents knew about her so she let Syed do the talking.
“Good afternoon, sir”, said Syed.
“Yes, I know you. You are living next street. Speak, what you want to, Syed”, affirmed Gayatri’s father.
He was shocked as it looked like Gayatri had told everything about their relationship to his father. He was proud of their love and the trust she put on him. He was more confident now and was ready to speak.
“Gayatri must have told you that I am threatened to marry her and change your religion. I certainly don’t want your daughter to do that. The intentions of my brother and Zoya are clear that they want to spread Islam. It was my idea to tell you about our relationship so that they can’t scare us of anything. But, I think that this has to stop. I want to eradicate it from roots. That is why, I have decided to accept her and marry her when Gayatri is 18. Not she, but I would change my religion. That is the best I can do for you, your daughter, the society and…”
Gayatri was stunned and astonished, not knowing what to speak in the contrast or counterpart. Her father’s wide eyes made clear that it must have taken the ‘Guts to Go’ to offer such proposal. This would have be something miraculous not only for the society but also for the state and country, showing that love has no religion, boundaries, etc.
Two year later: Diwali
A Muslim guy adopting Hinduism and also promises to protect his own religion in future became the trademark for love and unity. Gayatri found the husband whose religion directs polygamy but she would never be betrayed by Syed’s implication of ‘One woman’ commitment.
PS- 90% of marriages in India had been arranged, mostly within caste. India witnessed a rise in love marriages, and the illegal intimidation against consenting couples engaging in such discouraged unions, including inter-religious marriage, had surged. Love Jihad is an alleged activity wherein Muslim youth utilize emotional appeals, using charm to entice girls into conversion by feigning love.
