The wedding function was going one , kids running around playing , everyone was dressed beautifully , noises of laughter and chatting could be heard all around the wedding hall , all the ladies were enjoying as it was a segregated wedding function .
Suddenly all the lights of the hall went of an a stop light turned on lighting the entrance of the hall, The bride entered the hall, dressed in a beautiful red dress, and her beautiful heavy duppta, covering her from head to waist, no one was able to see how the bride looked under her beautiful heavy veil, as the bride slowly walked towards the stage with few girls helping her with her dress , finally the bride reached the stage and sat on the center seat of a three seat sofa and made sure to keep her head bit lowered and her hands crossed and resting on her knees.
The ladies would keep coming on the stage and slightly lifting the veil to see the bride, whereas Sana (the bride would just pass a smile and blush under her veil, while the guests kept coming on the stage to have look of the bride, in the hall the groom sisters, Fanah (the older sister age 29) and Inayah (the younger sister age 22) both came on stage to greet the new bride.
Both sisters lifted the bride veil making sure that the bride was still covered by them and looked at the bride. Sana raised her head very genteelly to look at the girls and smiled.
F: Hello , I’m Fanah the older sister of your groom and she Inayah our youngest sister.
S: Hello , how are you its so nice to meet you both.(said in the kindest and softest tone)
F: You look so gorgeous , such a beauty. What do you think Inayah?
I: I absolutely didi.
Hearing this Sana blushed and lowered head in shyness and thanked them both. The chatting kept going for few minutes and suddenly Fanah’s smile turned to a frown. By looking at this Sana felt that she might have said something which have upset Fanah and Sana’s smiling face turned into a scared face.
F: Sana how can you let this happen, didn’t any one told you.
S: What happened and is it something I said or did
F (in a stern voice) : Yes, your hair why are they out of your veil, Didn’t your mother told you that mother told you that you had to keep them covered.
Hearing this Sana quickly took her one hand back to check but didn’t felt.
S: Didi they are covered.
F: the end of your braid is sticking out. (anger was clearly visible in her eyes and on her face)
Sana lowered her hand and felt that the tip of her hair was out of her veil.
S: oh! I’m sorry , I told the parlor lady to make sure they stay cover, maybe the duppata might have moved, I’ll just fix them right away. (Sana quickly star to fix the duppata from her back, fear was clearly visible on her face)
F: How can you be so careless? (as Fanah spoke she gave a big pinch on side of Sana’s belly making sure no one saw what she was doing to the bride)
As Sana was being pinched she said “I’m really Sorry” in a pain but keeping quiet voice, Fanah asked Inaya to hold the veil and cover her, as now the bride and Fanah both were covered, Fanah gave a tight slap on the bride’s face still maintaining her grip on the pinch with other hand, by now Sana had some how managed to fix her duppata.
S: Are they covered now? (Sana was now in pain from the pinch and in shock by the slap)
F: Yes they are covered now. Inayah, do you think that she can be speared for this mistake?
I: No! She can’t be , after all she didn’t do as she was told.
S: Didi Please, one chance please, I’ll be more careful , Please.
Fanah let go of the pinch finally and told her sister to come, as both the sisters left the stage , leaving Sana to alone under her veil , still in pain from the hard and long pinch, Sana was making face as she got relief from the pinch and though, they have given her a chance, but soon her thoughts disappeared as the sisters return with a bag and lifted her veil again.
F: We thought of skipping this ceremony, but you gave us no choice. (the bag was opened in front of Sana to show her what the bag contains)
Inside the bag it contains , few scissors , clippers , shaving foam and razors. As Sana saw what’s inside the bag her eyes grew wider and her mouth fell open, in shock Sana looked at both the sisters and said “please no”
F: NO! your carless and can’t even do as you are told.
S: Please one chance, please , If you want I will never open my hair.
I: Didi hold this.( asking Fanah to hold the veil). No Still your braid will be swinging around.
S: I will always keep them in a bun and covered , please one chance.
I: Well the thing is that I have always been the girl with the longest hair in the family and now you want to take my place.
Sana stayed quiet as she thought that they might spare her.
I: Say. Do you want this title? The longest hair in the family?
S: Yes. (Sana said in confusion as she didn’t knew what to say)
The sisters switched places and Fanah gave a very tight slap to Sana.
F: How dare you say this?
The 2nd slap almost brought tears in Sana’s eyes.
S: I meant yes, I mean no , I’m sorry. (sana said in confusion and lowered her head).
F: NO SORRY!! Your just so rude and arrogant. Now tell me what are you going to do.
S: Please forgive me. I will do as you both will say, but please don’t cut my hair. (still keeping her head bowed)
Another tigh slap was delivered on her right cheek but this time it was from Inayah.
I: Answer to did.
Sana joined her hands in front of them and said “Please forgive me, I will do as you say please” tears have started to fall from her eyes. Both the sisters looked at each other and smiled then turned to Sana pinched hard on each of her arm and Said “Tell us what are you going to do about it”
A small squeal escaped from the bride’s mouth and started saying in pain “ I will do as you both will say , I will clean the house , wash clothes anything you guys will say”
F: Yes , You will do that and what about your hair? (She tighten her grip on the pinch)
S: Tomorrow I will get them cut didi.
F: How much! (kept increasing her grip)
S: Tomorrow I will get them cut shorter then you both didi.
F: Tell the length.
S: Waist Didi.
Hearing this Fanah let go of Sana’s arm and slapped her and said “NO”
S: Mid back
F: NO. (Gave another slap with more force)
S: How short do you want me to cut didi? (Sana said while crying with pain from slaps and piching)
Now Fanah pulled Sana’s braid from the back and said “you have to say that dear”
S: Shoulder dee (Sana said in pain as still her hair being pulled)
F: Hmm, Good.
Fanah let go of Sana’s hair and went to talk with Inayah, leaving Sana alone for some time. Shortly both the sisters came on stage and placed chair in center of the stage, Fanah started making an announcement, with a wicked smile on face.
“Dear guests and Family members our beautiful sister in law is going to do something great for our family, We’re so blessed to have her…”
As the announcement was being made Innayah pushed Sana get up from her place and move to the chair. In confusion Sana got up and in low tone asked” what’s going on?”
“Dear guests as this is going to be sacred , I request all the guests and family members from the bride’s side to go to the other hall” Fanah completed and the only people can be seen in the hall were from the groom’s side
Fanah walked over to Sana and asked “ are you scared?”, Sana just nodded her head.
Fanah got up again and started speaking “As you all know , We have a tradition, That as a sign of new beginning , Sana will have her hair..”
Sana wanted to say no but Innayah just pinched her again , Sana stopped herself and lowered her head.
Fanah started to walk at the back and remove the duppata covering her and undid the braid and both the sisters grabbed the hair on each side and pulled with full force to show the length to all the guests, everyone can see the length and the pain on Sana’s face.
Sana heard the scissors being snipping and tears fell from her eyes and a low voice escaped “ Not My knee length hair”
F: Not yet dear , You said you will cut it to shoulder length
S: Yes didi
F: Then let’s do it now!!
S: No NO no no please no please no please no. Not now not here please.
F: Oh Yes!, Now is the right time.
The groom came in the hall and sat next to Sana, Sana slightly lowered head in shame and said “Please ask them not to cut my hair please”
Groom (G): Now you just sit there and don’t dare to speak (said in a strict voice)
Now Sana started crying, was heartbroken and knew that no one is going to help her or protect her, she would just have to accept what is going to happen. The groom pulled Sana’s hair from the back and said “Do you understand” Sana nodded her head in agreement.
G: Speak, Are you going to enjoy? (Still pulling the hair)
S: Yes (while crying)
G: Good Girl. (leave Sana’s hair)
Fanah came in front and gave scissor to the groom and stepped on Sana’s toes maintaining the pressure and said “SMILE”
The tears from Sana’s eyes kept rolling down and forced a smile as the groom kept cutting small pieces of her hair. The groom whispered “see my sister is making me cut your hair “ Sana nodded no the groom laughed and said “You learn so fast”
G: tell me about my sisters?, They are mean? See they want me to keep cutting your hair?
Sana kept nodding no,
G: come-on tell me honestly. We are a couple, You are my wife now and do you think I will do anything to harm you
Sana spoke between breaths and said “Yes”
Hearing this the groom walked in front and the 2 sisters on his side covering Sana from the crowd
G: She said that you both are bad person and mean.
Before Sana could oppose both the sisters gave a tight slap together from each side
G: I think you both should give her some respect and also teach her how to respect you.
The tears were rolling down from Sana’s eyes
G: Oh don’t cry,
F: You should get use to this and learn fast how to behave.
Now all three of them were holding scissors and the groom went at the back and Innayah loudly said
“Everyone please settle down we are about to start the ceremony” each grabbed a section of hair and start to cut but then Fanah stopped them and said
F: I think the bride should make the 1st cut herself
Handed the scissors to Sana and said you cut your hair
Sana kept begging them not to make her do that but after a lot of cheering and few slaps from the sisters Sana gave in and made the 1st cut. As she tried to cut her hair with teary eyes and shaking hand , she made the 1st cut and hair fell on her lap, the crowd burst in to laughter and cheering as the hair was cut.
Looking at the hair in lap Innayah said “I think she should be capped we can’t let this expensive dress be ruined”. Then grabbed the duppata and tied it tightly as a cape around her.
Then the groom and his sisters all took hair and started cutting, In between Fannah said “Lets See who win”
Hearing this all three start cutting fast and holding the hair with force, which cause Sana’s head to be pulled from all the direction, and innaya shouted “I win I win”
Fanah hates loosing and Slapped Sana and Said “You made me loose”
In anger Fanah took the clippers from the bag and turned them on “your going to pay to make me loose” and passed the clippers on the top of her head, leaving a trace of stubble on her head, seeing this Sana started screaming and tried to stop her.
Innaya gave a tight slapped and twisted Sana’s ear and said” Keep sitting and don’t move other wise you will be kept bald for life”
Hearing this Sana calmed down and Fanah kept moving the clippers over her head, the hair kept sliding down on her shoulders and on to the lap. The pile kept growing and growing. Finally Sana had a head full of stubbles with huge pile of hair in her lap and sticking on her face due to tears.
Now some one from the crowd announces please everyone the dinner is served , but everyone kept sitting in their place hoping something more to happen.
Fanah signaled a girl from the and the girl started walking on the stage, while the girl came innayah started apply shaving cream on Sana’s head and made then made a thick pile of shaving cream on top of the head, by now the girl came on stage holding a plate , Innayah picked the straight razor from the plate and made Sana hold it in her mouth and then picked a cherry and placed it on top of the top on shaving cream pile.
And announced please enjoy the dinner her shaving will be done after the dinner. Both the sisters walked down from the stage leaving Sana with a pile of hair in her lap a tight cape , holding straight razor in her mouth and a cherry on top of her head.
Remarkable