Chittiyan Narration | Shafaq Lashari | TEDxKinnaird
28 Aug 2024 (16 days ago)
Memories of Home and Childhood
- After 52 years, Shafaq Lashari returned to Kinnaird College, where she had previously been interviewed by Miss Mangat Rai.
- Lashari's daughters and other individuals encouraged her to write down her thoughts, which led to the publication of her first book, "Chittiyan."
- Lashari wrote a letter to her daughter, Falak, on November 25, 2012, at 7:00 PM in Lahore, discussing the mild November weather compared to the colder Octobers of the mid-1960s.
- As soon as the sun rose, the floor would be cleaned, a colorful cot would be placed outside, and vegetables would be put out to dry on a red striped cloth along with a white, starched tablecloth.
- The courtyard also had brass vases with pearl and glass beads, and a colorful rug or small black carpet would be placed alongside the cot.
- The speaker played games like hide and seek, hopscotch, Ludo, carrom, and Gilli Danda in the courtyard of her home on Fateh Sher Road.
- From 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM was ironing time.
- The staff would be served a hot meal first, followed by the family.
- In the evening, five cots would be placed on the inner courtyard veranda, each with yellow, blue, and light green striped mattresses, white sheets, white-cased pillows, two hand-held fans, and a turn-based system for using them.
- The speaker describes a memory of listening to songs on the radio and watching the stars at night.
- The speaker would imagine themselves as different Bollywood actresses like Zeenat Aman, Waheeda Rehman, and Shammi Kapoor while listening to happy songs.
- The speaker could never picture a face for the "hero" in their imagined scenarios, possibly due to unwritten societal rules or a fear of vulnerability.
- Life is very different from dreams.
Wedding Preparations and Festivities
- Shafaq Lashari wrote a letter on January 15, 2017, at the request of her friend, Samina, for her daughter Kinza's wedding.
- Samina requested Shafaq to write something for the first prayer ceremony and Dholki.
- Shafaq Lashari's mother's name is Mehboob Sultana.
- Lashari's mother had five yellow outfits made for her.
- An aunt visited Lashari's home daily to apply upan, a turmeric paste.
- Every evening, a small, lively gathering would take place at home, filled with laughter, the clinking of bangles, and the aroma of henna.
- Regal samosas and namak parai were a signal that the evening had begun.
- The speaker's three brothers, full of youthful energy, would eagerly look for opportunities to interact with girls from neighboring houses.
- Shafaq Lashari describes a time when she wore henna and dressed up for her friends.
Wedding Day and Reflections
- The next day, Lashari had a final exam for her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work at Punjab University.
- Lashari was dressed in a yellow outfit with henna on her hands for her wedding when she took her exam.
- Lashari's wedding took place on December 29, 1972.
- After Lashari's wedding guests arrived, her sisters-in-law helped her get dressed in a tissue fabric outfit and jewelry.
- The setting for a departure was staged with a plush red bedspread on a divan, silver-embossed cushions, an Iranian carpet, and potted plants.
- Jaffar Barlas, the speaker's cousin, took numerous photos with a flash camera but none came out, possibly because there was no film in the camera.
- The speaker, Shafaq Lashari, left her home with her brother, her belongings, and two buffalo as part of her dowry.
- Shafaq Lashari describes a simple time when her wedding ceremony took place and she was sent off with her partner.
- Lashari mentions her close relationship with her partner during their year-long engagement.
- Lashari shares an anecdote from Kinza in which Kinza emphasizes the importance of decorating the heart and relationships with respect, patience, and love.
- Shafaq believes that when the desire in your eyes remains constant and the wait doesn't feel like a burden, you have achieved your goal.
- Shafaq congratulates someone on their new life and wishes them happiness.
- Shafaq mentions writing about their college experiences and expresses a desire to share those stories in the future.