Harinder Sikka - Calling Sehmat

S ehmat was the only child of Tejashwari Singh and Hidayat Khan, a successful and rich Kashmiri businessman settled in the Valley for many decades. Tej, as Tejashwari was fondly called, belonged to a rich Delhi-based Punjabi Hindu family.

Hidayat and Tej fell in love during her visit to Srinagar. On a cold winter afternoon Tej was walking around the serene surroundings of the Himalayan paradise and, on an impulse, entered one of the boutiques selling pashmina shawls. The beauty of the designs was such that they pulled her towards themselves and soon she was looking through the many that were displayed inside the shop. Tej was wondering what to take back to Delhi for her friends, when a pleasant voice drew her attention from behind.

May I help you?

Turning around, Tej found herself looking into the light-brown eyes of a stranger. He was tall, about an inch or two above six feet and wore an off-white Pathani suit. She was struck by his openness and simplicity.

Smiling, Tej asked him about the famed Kashmiri shawls on display. The man moved about the shop with a quiet authority, which made Tej believe that he was the owner of the sprawling emporium. After selecting a few delicately woven pashminas, Tej made for the cash counter to settle her bills.

Are you visiting Kashmir for the first time, Maam? His voice was now soft and inquiring.

She stopped to respond.

No, I have come here before and it is always peaceful and soothing, Tej replied, a slight smile playing on her lips. Wanting to hear more of his rich voice, Tej went on to tell him about her holiday and how she loved the Valley.

Conversation between the two flowed easily. Soon, they introduced themselves to each other. Im Hidayat, he said.

And I am Tejashwari. My friends call me Tej, she responded.

Can I call you Tej? he was quick to ask.

Please do, she replied, clutching her packet of shawls and moving towards the payment counter. She glanced at the bill, looked at it again, and then at Hidayat questioningly.

Cant make profit from friends, can I? Hence the discount, he responded smiling.

Hesitantly, Tej paid the money, thanked her host and headed for the large door of the emporium. A slow warmth filled her heart as she walked out. Somewhere deep inside, she was surprised that a brief meeting with a complete stranger could arouse such strong feelings in her. With a sinking heart, Tej realized that this could be the last time she would see him or hear his alluring voice.

Hidayat stood at the door of his shop with a bemused expression on his face. He could not hold himself back. He addressed her again, the door chime tinkling in the background. Can we meet in the evening? I could take you to some interesting shops to select souvenirs to take back home.

Tej found her voice caught in her throat.

So this was not the last time she would meet him?

Silently, she nodded. Her heart was wildly beating as she walked away. There was a strange excitement in her heart and a desire to meet him again. She walked some distance, then stopped and turned back to look at the boutique, only to find Hidayat still standing at the entrance, waving at her. She lifted her hand in acknowledgement and moved on. The melodious door chime was still ringing in her ears when she entered her hotel.

That evening, Hidayat rushed through his daily chores of balancing the shop accounts and locking up the emporium. He arrived at the hotel well before sundown and found Tej reading a magazine in the plush hotel lobby. That she was surprised to see him at the hotel was visible on her face. Knowing that her parents would not take kindly to a stranger taking their daughter on a guided tour, she hurriedly went up to him and asked him to wait while she convinced her parents about a short trip to the marketplace by herself. She was able to do that and in a few minutes Tej was back in the lobby, her face slightly flushed.

Slowly the two made their way to the marketplace. They took a leisurely walk around the lake, dodging tourists. Their slow-paced walk was often interrupted by locals who greeted Hidayat, some even asking him for his advice on investing in business and personal matters. It seemed strange to Tej that a man so young was so sought after by not only those his age, but by older people as well. Tej realized that Hidayat was not only respected but also loved by the folks in the city.

They spoke about mundane things at first. However, with each passing minute they became more and more comfortable with each other and the initial awkwardness disappeared. The sun was beginning to set and knowing that it would soon be time for her to go back to the hotel, Tej picked up a few scarves at random, paid for them, and they continued on their way back. She knew she would have to show some kind of purchase to her parents.

In the brief time they spent together, they exchanged much more than conversation. Looking into Tejs eyes, Hidayat could feel that she was not indifferent towards him. His heart was crying out to confess his feelings to her, but he did not want to scare her. Could he dare to tell her how she had captured his heart when she had walked into his shop that morning? Would he frighten her by his admission? What if she disliked him?

Engrossed in conversation, they did not realize that they had walked a long distance and left the marketplace behind. They were now at the far end of the famed Dal Lake that lay blissfully placid, away from the hustle and bustle of the shops. The sky had spread a riot of colours in orange, pink and hues of purple. The trees around it stood like mute witnesses to the beauty and beyond them stretched the hills. A chill in the air added to the romance of the surroundings. Tej had visited Kashmir several times before, but on this occasion, Hidayat seemed to have transformed the lake into a poets romantic verse. When they parted, they felt as if they were leaving something behind.

That night, as Tej prepared to go to bed, she replayed the days incidents in her mind. She felt that she had connected with Hidayat at a very special level. Not wanting to lose a friendship that had just begun, she decided to request her parents to extend the vacation. The next morning, over breakfast, Tej convinced her father to stay on in the Valley for a few more days. Then, pleased with herself, she slipped out of the hotel and quickly walked towards Hidayats shop as was agreed between them the previous day. This was the first of their series of secret rendezvous. When Tejs vacation drew to an end, they exchanged addresses, and Hidayat promised to visit her in Delhi.