Assalam Alaikum, my dear readers! Shabana Mukhtar here, ready to share a glimpse of my Sunday on July 16, 2023.

It started this Friday evening when I told my brother that I feel “poor”.

Ever since the lockdown happened and I went back to live with my family, staying in Pune has never been the same (read: depressing). I try to visit every few months, because I fear that someone would cut my apartment from the building and take it elsewhere. Also, because it is just good sense to come and check the apartment every once in a while. Now, coming away from home and family to a place that I have now come to despise, is a challenge in itself. I don’t know why people say that you get used to things. Well, I don’t. Every time I come to Pune, it hurts just the same. Things are worse when I travel alone. This time, it was just as painful, even though my brother accompanied me this time.

So, this feeling of being “poor” struck me at Friday evening, around 5-ish. 13 days have passed since we moved here. As is the ritual, my brother brings biryani while coming back from Juma prayers, and we eat biryani for lunch. That’s quite rich, ya? But it doesn’t feel that way. You see, when we are home, dastarkhwan is ladden with at least 3 dishes and some accessories. Over here, it’s just biryani and salad, compartively nothing.

So, and it’s Friday evening. My brother is readying to work his shift (he works in night shift), and I was anxiously waiting for my shift to be over (7:30 PM). That’s when I suddenly realize our plight. Not cooking regularly, relying on takeouts for meals, it feels like we are living “ghurbat ki zindagi”.

I voice my thoughts and my brother laughs at me, as brothers generally do.

That night, after dinner, I decide to fast the next day, because it is easier to fast here than in Nagpur where there is delicious smells wafting from every corner. I spent the night awake, as is the norm and finally, it was time for suhoor. I got up. My brother was also readying for his end-shift snack before Fajr. He puts the pan on the stove and a minute later… The cylinder is empty.

We don’t have piped gas. We have a cylinder. To be precise, I have two, but eversince the lockdown, I haven’t spent much time here to actually use it much. The last time I got a cylinder was 11-Aug-2020, the day we packed our bags and moved back to Nagpur to spend time with family until offices re-opened. In nearly three years, and 2-3 trips a year to Pune, we went through both the cylinders. Some months ago, I had received a message asking to do KYC. Now, what do we do?

The intention for fasting goes out the window. I can’t imagine fasting without suhoor unless it’s Ramzan. I offered Fajr in awwal waqt and tried to sleep.

Now, imagine a Saturday with no gas. It also means no breakfast, and worse, no tea. The first thing I did upon waking up was trying all the 5 phone numbers written on the agency booklet. Three were out of service. The fourth one didn’t pick up.

Argh!

Let’s first offer Zuhr, I thought.

I knew that the agency office is open, but I didn’t want to visit before confirming that they are indeed open, and that there office is still the same. Their address keeps changing, you know. So, long story short, I tried the number again, the only one that was connecting. And to my surprise, someone picked up.

That almost never happens.

I spoke to the woman on the phone, and she was quite polite and helpful.

That almost never happens.

Anyway, so I got a new IVR number to book the cylinder and booked one. It took exactly 24 hours for the cylinder to come. I made lunch, ate it, and then went outside to get milk… Because tea is so important.

And then I made tea.

In these few hours since Friday night, I realize the real meaning of “ghurbat”…

You see, the meaning of “ghurbat” is so relative. You may have an impressive salary and awesome buying power, but something as simple as a cooking gas cylinder might leave you helpless. Or worse, sometimes you can’t get a 10 rs cup tea when you need it, and that makes you realize your true worth.

~

Until we meet again, check out my books on Amazon. You can subscribe for Kindle Unlimited for free for the first month, just saying 🙂

Shabana Mukhtar