🎵Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen by Mukesh

“Chalo chalo, surprise performance” his sister-in-law clapped, settling everybody down to their seats. 

“Presenting you people, the most adorable couple on this planet.” the spotlight felt on the small stage set between the hall where the grandparents of the bride appeared. She let out a gasp seeing them dolled up like they were still youngsters. Well her dadu have always claimed to be the most youngest. The love, oh the way they loved, nobody could love the way they did. 

ऐ मेरी ज़ोहरा ज़बीं, तुझे मालूम नहीं

तू अभी तक है हंसीं और मैं जवां

तुझपे क़ुरबान मेरी जान मेरी जान

Her dadu cutely expressed his words by putting away nazar from her dadi. 

ऐ मेरी ज़ोहरा ज़बीं, तुझे मालूम नहीं

तू अभी तक है हंसीं और मैं जवां

तुझपे क़ुरबान मेरी जान मेरी जान

He tossed and danced around his wife who shyed around and blushed, embarrassed around so many people.

“You goo dadi.” their grandson whistled telling them to continue with a mischievous smile. 

ये शोखियाँ ये बाँकापन

जो तुझमें है कहीं नहीं…. 

ये शोखियाँ ये बाँकापन

जो तुझमें है कहीं नहीं

(This vividness, this jolliness , Which is there in you, can't be found anywhere else)

दिलों को जीतने का फ़न

जो तुझमें है कहीं नहीं

(the talent of winning hearts, Which is there in you, can't be found anywhere) 

The bride remembers the moments her dadu has complimented her dadi. Be it every morning making a single cup of tea, from handling his clothes, keeping his wallet, to serving lunch.

Her dadu was a gentleman no doubt. She has always admired the way men in her family have treated women. 

‘The standards’ which people say today existed long back. It was in her genes to be treated like a queen, like her grandmother did, like her mother did. 

मैं तेरी

मैं तेरी आँखों में पा गया दो जहाँ

मैं तेरी, मैं तेरी आँखों में पा गया दो जहाँ

The eyes holded love. They said in old times, ‘eyes spoke’ not words. It turned out to be true even in 21st century because the bride when had met groom has firstly noticed his eyes. 

Baatein har koi kar leta hai shayad, magar aakehin. Aankhein sab sach bol hi deti. 

ऐ मेरी ज़ोहरा ज़बीं, तुझे मालूम नहीं

तू अभी तक है हंसीं और मैं जवां

तुझपे क़ुरबान मेरी जान मेरी जान

She smiled widely at the exchange when her dadu failed at the unsuccessful attempt to twirl her dadi, as instructed by the choreographer. 

तू मीठे बोल जान-ए-मन

जो मुस्कुराके बोल दे..

तू मीठे बोल जान-ए-मन

जो मुस्कुराके बोल दे

(My beloved, If you utter your words with a smile)

Old school love was something magical. The love wasn’t intimate but just pure. The eyes, the art of noticing, the art of just staring. The way your lover spoke was important, the way your lover smiled was the way to lit up someone’s day, the one a lady handled herself with grace mattered more. Women were quiet then, they had shyness a bit too much and the men loved it. 

Men in love is a whole different specie. And very wholesome too. 

तो धडकनों में आज भी शराबी रंग घोल दे

ओ सनम, ओ सनम मैं तेरा आशिक़-ए-जाबिदाँ

ओ सनम, ओ सनम मैं तेरा आशिक़-ए-जाबिदाँ

(My beloved, I'm your eternal lover) 

Men in love were intoxicated in love, in their women, in their lovers. Like her dadu. His eyes spoke, his gestures spoke more than the words did. Words do matter for sure, but sometimes even if words don’t come out, some other things do say, maybe those things justify more than the words in certain situations. 

With tears in her eyes she sees her dadi smiling vividly at her dadu who looked the happiest person. Somebody shook her and she turned to her left, gasping in surprise to find her groom wanting to join her grandparents. She took his hand and he twirled her. 

ऐ मेरी ज़ोहरा ज़बीं, तुझे मालूम नहीं

तू अभी तक है हंसीं और मैं जवां

तुझपे क़ुरबान मेरी जान मेरी जान

He sang for his bride, his wife-to-be, the girl of his dreams. She smiled now fully in tears hugging her groom, the man of her dreams, the man she deserves, who’ll support her every damn time she falls. 

ऐ मेरी ज़ोहरा ज़बीं, तुझे मालूम नहीं

तू अभी तक है हंसीं और मैं जवां

तुझपे क़ुरबान मेरी जान मेरी जान

both the couples danced smiling and crying throughout the song and soon the entire family joined. Weddings are the real reasons desi families get along, with chaos, with entertainment, with love, and with support of their loved ones. 

And yes, there are over a million words in our language but for some reason none of them can describe the way you make me feel 🥀