Mali's chagoo had mercilessly sliced through someones heart. The amphitheatre erupted in chaos. Everyone ran hither thither, shishas were broken, food strewn everywhere and doogh oozed out of every nook and corner. A few minutes hence, there was a hushed whisper and no other noise. The Shah's commanders had come to examine who was murdered that evening. The inspection began to find the heart with the loudest shriek.....
Enough about Mali and the Shah. Let me tell you about Raiza's childhood.
Raiza, as you know, was a lonely child. She spent days wandering through the palace in Shiraz. She found solace in meandering through the many rose gardens that Shiraz held in her crown. She had a favourite place in the palace - the lamp room. Here, she smoked her shishas, drank mint tea, read books and practised Reqah (a type of Persian calligraphy). The palace also hosted the Shah's brothers and their families. I'm sure you are wondering 'How big is this palace' and I would love to tell you more about it but perhaps, another time :)
Bahram was the Shah's older brother - they were born 10 years apart. He lived in the lavish ambiance of his brother's palace with his four wives, four sons and two daughters. His favourite child was his oldest, Jaspar, the boy with blue eyes and blue blood. Jaspar was twelve years of age when he realised that he embraced a deep, churning hatred for Raiza. Like the colour of a brightly lit flame - Na'arenji (crimson). She was the apple of everyones eyes and the palace chef was advised to cook her favourite meals everyday. Jaspar's reasons for hating her were different. It wasn't her beauty or that his parents loved her more. The Shah did not have a son and as such, he was next in line to rule the Kingdom. If Raiza got married before his crowning, the scales of balance might tip against his favour.
Lately, he felt like he was growing up, sprouting a moustache and some hair on his chest. Dara, his little brother always pulled on his hair and Jaspar thought it was time to either get rid of Dara or the hair. Dara was also Raiza's precious. She played with Dara whenever she had a chance. Jaspar felt like a man, a strong one at that. At a height of 6'3, he was definitely towering over the rest. He often felt the urge to be with a woman and would think against it. Being an orthodox believer, he would tell himself that "Ahriman" (the devil) was trying to distract him from his focus - the throne of Persia. Ironic again, because the Ahriman was ruling Jaspar since a long time - since the thought of hating Raiza has sown its seed or since the time he wanted to murder little Dara.
One evening, Jaspar was getting ready to make his daily visit to Saadi street when he saw something that caught his breath. A girl with the body of Ak-ana (Persian Goddess) and the walk of a dainty deer. This little breath of fresh air walked by the fountain in a white gown and purdah with the blue moon light creating an imaginary halo around her. Jaspar had to have this Goddess. He ran towards her and pulled on her purdah from behind. Out fell her auburn hair and she twirled in shock. It was Raiza - the Shah's dainty daughter. "Bas-ast Digeh! Mano tanha bezar" (Stop it! Leave me alone) she screamed. Jaspar was shocked, did he just feel a spark for Raiza ? He grabbed her by the arm and took her behind the palace. His tree house was the safest place where no one would look for Raiza and it could be secured with a large steel lock too. He dragged her up the ladder by her beautiful, auburn hair and kicked open the door. Raiza yelled and screamed but of no avail. No one came to protect the daughter of the Shah. There stood a little girl dressed in traditional Persian attire looking at herself in the mirror.
No one was allowed to enter Jaspar's tree house. It was the privilege presented by the Shah to the oldest son in the family. The one similarity between Jaspar and Raiza was their love for lamps. The tree house too was decorated in lamp of different types. But this little person in the tree house had broken in. This person was an infiltrator and for its worth, looked vaguely familiar. Raiza and Jaspar let out a gasp! It was Dara who stood there dressed in jewels from head to toe. He wore a jewelled head band and a gold coin strap on his hips. His beautiful skirt was a fuchsia pink and with it, he wore a lime green blouse. What shocked Raiza and Jaspar was that Dara's lime green blouse exuded the build of a woman !! How was that possible ? Raiza played with Dara everyday. How would she have not known that Dara was a girl!
If you want to know about a particular character in Hazār Afsānah, do drop me a comment. I hope you are liking these snippets :) Until next Friday .....
Love,
S.
Enough about Mali and the Shah. Let me tell you about Raiza's childhood.
Raiza, as you know, was a lonely child. She spent days wandering through the palace in Shiraz. She found solace in meandering through the many rose gardens that Shiraz held in her crown. She had a favourite place in the palace - the lamp room. Here, she smoked her shishas, drank mint tea, read books and practised Reqah (a type of Persian calligraphy). The palace also hosted the Shah's brothers and their families. I'm sure you are wondering 'How big is this palace' and I would love to tell you more about it but perhaps, another time :)
Bahram was the Shah's older brother - they were born 10 years apart. He lived in the lavish ambiance of his brother's palace with his four wives, four sons and two daughters. His favourite child was his oldest, Jaspar, the boy with blue eyes and blue blood. Jaspar was twelve years of age when he realised that he embraced a deep, churning hatred for Raiza. Like the colour of a brightly lit flame - Na'arenji (crimson). She was the apple of everyones eyes and the palace chef was advised to cook her favourite meals everyday. Jaspar's reasons for hating her were different. It wasn't her beauty or that his parents loved her more. The Shah did not have a son and as such, he was next in line to rule the Kingdom. If Raiza got married before his crowning, the scales of balance might tip against his favour.
Lately, he felt like he was growing up, sprouting a moustache and some hair on his chest. Dara, his little brother always pulled on his hair and Jaspar thought it was time to either get rid of Dara or the hair. Dara was also Raiza's precious. She played with Dara whenever she had a chance. Jaspar felt like a man, a strong one at that. At a height of 6'3, he was definitely towering over the rest. He often felt the urge to be with a woman and would think against it. Being an orthodox believer, he would tell himself that "Ahriman" (the devil) was trying to distract him from his focus - the throne of Persia. Ironic again, because the Ahriman was ruling Jaspar since a long time - since the thought of hating Raiza has sown its seed or since the time he wanted to murder little Dara.
One evening, Jaspar was getting ready to make his daily visit to Saadi street when he saw something that caught his breath. A girl with the body of Ak-ana (Persian Goddess) and the walk of a dainty deer. This little breath of fresh air walked by the fountain in a white gown and purdah with the blue moon light creating an imaginary halo around her. Jaspar had to have this Goddess. He ran towards her and pulled on her purdah from behind. Out fell her auburn hair and she twirled in shock. It was Raiza - the Shah's dainty daughter. "Bas-ast Digeh! Mano tanha bezar" (Stop it! Leave me alone) she screamed. Jaspar was shocked, did he just feel a spark for Raiza ? He grabbed her by the arm and took her behind the palace. His tree house was the safest place where no one would look for Raiza and it could be secured with a large steel lock too. He dragged her up the ladder by her beautiful, auburn hair and kicked open the door. Raiza yelled and screamed but of no avail. No one came to protect the daughter of the Shah. There stood a little girl dressed in traditional Persian attire looking at herself in the mirror.
No one was allowed to enter Jaspar's tree house. It was the privilege presented by the Shah to the oldest son in the family. The one similarity between Jaspar and Raiza was their love for lamps. The tree house too was decorated in lamp of different types. But this little person in the tree house had broken in. This person was an infiltrator and for its worth, looked vaguely familiar. Raiza and Jaspar let out a gasp! It was Dara who stood there dressed in jewels from head to toe. He wore a jewelled head band and a gold coin strap on his hips. His beautiful skirt was a fuchsia pink and with it, he wore a lime green blouse. What shocked Raiza and Jaspar was that Dara's lime green blouse exuded the build of a woman !! How was that possible ? Raiza played with Dara everyday. How would she have not known that Dara was a girl!
If you want to know about a particular character in Hazār Afsānah, do drop me a comment. I hope you are liking these snippets :) Until next Friday .....
Love,
S.
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