Meeting Shughla...

Build Peace Project is a beautiful initiative which had me on cloud 9, right from the moment I was told about it. I was supposed to meet (virtually though)a counterpart who would soon become a friend, from Pakistan, and we were to allow our friendship to grow through a series of conversations and dialogues. This was a BIG BIG step for me. For the same me, who happens to be one of the greatest Bhutto fans on this planet. I had always nurtured a deep sense of curiosity for our neighbours who were once a part of this country. Be it Pakistan’s sense of ‘mehmaan nawazi’ or their delicious cuisine and culture, it was a country which always had me ‘lovestruck’ with itself.

This love story was to materialize through my friendship with Shughla. I was downright impressed right from the first time I heard from her. I was told that she happened to be heading a feminist movement in the Khyber pakhtoondawa, (a place I had heard about so much!). I was in awe of her but at the same time conscious of the limited credentials to my name. But the positive side was that, there was so much I could learn from her, know from her.

But just like India’s obsession with Bollywood, every tale needs its twist! My first meeting with Shughla went well. I was happy and convinced of a strong friendship which would bloom in the months to come. You must be wondering by now, well, then what went wrong? To answer that, one has to go back to a proper Indian stereotype (specific one for Bengalis!), we all have heard stories and seen in movies how Indians are almost always late for everything. Office meeting to fancy dates (remember, SRK running with his coat in hand talking about small things happening in big cities, senorita!). Well, that’s what happened to me. This blog post, you are reading right now was supposed to be written 3 months back :p

I kept getting notifications of other participants of this project updating their blogs while I was sweating my brow off with regular college commitments. I could totally visualize Shughla giving me quizzical looks, quite like the Juhi Chawla ones in Yes Boss (pardon my obsession with Bollywood, I have been told that bollywood happens to be one of the strongest bonds connecting the Indo-Pak relationship)while I awkwardly slapped my forehead every time I thought of it. She prodded me a few times wondering what exactly was wrong, when I finally had to tell her that I shall resume work only in May (sigh! Re affirming the Indian stereotype nonetheless!). Shughla being the amazing person she is, took it quite well, gracefully allowing me the time, while we continued chatting over facebook.

Finally, the month of May arrived and here I am updating a blog about the birth of our friendship, the one which has developed to be quite an impressive one over the past three months! (insert proud grin!)Thank the delay for this. Its only for this more than a month delay that our friendship matured and I got to know the super patient side of my friend across the border. As I end this post, I slowly murmur to myself, a popular indo-pak proverb..see afterall “jo bhi hota hai, ache ke liye hota hai” (whatever happens, happens for the good)

Watch this space for more on my perspective on Indo-Pak relations and I promise this time the wait would’nt be that long :p