One day, I took my auntie's to a Jewellery shop. They wanted to purchase gift to my baby niece. I am not fond of Jewels. I am different when compared to many ladies. That is a different story. Let me tell you who I came across in the shop, it's a lady... I don't know how she looks, approximately how old she would be..nothing. I could listen to her voice because she spoke to me. Wondering how can this happen?? Its a lady in 'Black Parda'. In Kerala, jewellery shops are like vegetable shops for Muslim community people especially during this holy month. I found many ladies in fashionable Parda moving in and out of the shop. I was tempted to wear it, the material stays around them so fine, as though its specially meant to wear by that individual. My son who had accompanied was found of a kid around 5 months old in the shop I was in. He wanted to touch the babies hand. I noticed that this baby was with 'the' lady' in parda. I could only see her eyes which stared in between the rectangular open area above her nose. We went near the baby and my son started to touch the baby. I was hesitant in the beginning as I have not aquatint with any Muslim lady in my native place. She was fine with my son touching. Later she began to speak. We exchanged the kids names and it was a normal chit chat. We were then interrupted by another lady who had accompanied her, she indicated her that the shopping was over and they had to leave. I kept some distance. When the time came to leave, i saw the eyes telling me bye, I understood that because she was nodding her head and I could see the smile in her eyes.
I wonder how will I recognize her next time if she is in front of me. It's an advantage for her as she can choose to speak to me or not as she is hidden behind the 'Parda'.
