Hazār Afsānah 10 - Only From The Heart Can You Touch The Sky !

We know the Shah as a powerful man, one who ruled over all of Persia successfully for many years. But every man was once a boy and so the Shah too has a story to be told.


The Shah's father wasn't a rich man but he wasn't poor either. They lived an adequate life and though they did not have fountains and pools, they had water to cleanse themselves before prayer and a prayer before every meal. In those days, these were great luxuries and so, by some means, the Shah might have always been rich. 


Across the mud road, lived a Goddess by the name Sattareh (means star). She had grey eyes and her eye colour would change basis her emotion. The Shah had grown up playing with her and these were times long before the veil and the abaaya became a norm. He would look at her golden face and light brown hair and ask himself, "Nader, is this what an angel looked like?" The entire street knew these children - Sati and Nadr, eminently because of the beauty they held close in their togetherness. They did everything together, from their meals to their bathing times; the colour of their clothes to the songs they liked. They were the perfect union in every way and every day, they loved each other more. Nadr would ask Sati how much she loved him and she would tell him to first count the number of drops in the ocean. Such was their innocent love!


It was summer and Nadr's oldest brother, Bahram had come home from his education in Britain. Bahram and Behrokh, his newly wed wife, had left for Britain some time ago. Behrokh was now pregnant and so she was brought home to be with her family. It was during this time that Bahram set his eyes on Sattareh. One evening, Nadr and Sati were having some Bastani from the street vendor when Bahram was walking to the mosque. He stumbled upon some rocks when his eyes set upon Sati's golden face. He went to the mosque and prayed that God must show him the way. When Bahram left the mosque, he found a marriage procession crossing him. This was a definite sign! He must marry Sati, he knew it. As the oldest son of the family, Bahram's every wish was a command. He told his father of this deep desire to marry Sati. His father knew that Sati belonged with Nadr and so he said that since Sati was a Baluchi, Bahram could not marry her.

With staunch opposition from his father's side, Bahram would never have Sati. Within a week's time, Bahram's father was no more. No one knows who sliced his heart and how no one heard any cries. To date, this remains a mystery and a Persian man knows better than to point a greased finger. Bahram went to Sati's father and convinced him to give his daughter's hand in marriage. Since her name would constantly remind  Bahram of Nadr, he re-christened her to Khojassteh (meaning royal). Bahram and Khoja were married twelve nights before the year's Rose Festival.


Nadr was on a pilgrimage to Qom and when he came back, he found that Sati was living in his home. Can you imagine the mayhem ?! Bahram met Nadr in the hallway and said, don't worry brother, you dream further than your mind allows you. Khoja is only beautiful, she is not a real woman!

That's all for now. More love soon.


Huggz,
S.