My Grand Mother Khurshed Baji Looked Like Nerjis Asif Shakir, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
Khurshed Baji my dads mom stayed close to Khakhan Manzil Vazir Ganj Lucknow...she was a Syed hardcore Shia lady who had married my Sunni grand father Bashir Hussain from Subatiya Bagh..a famous vinegar merchant..he wisely converted to Shiasm, and remained a Shia till the end of his life..after his death that made my paternal grand mother a widow ,she befriended a Hindu lady who became a Shia too Chanda Baji both were best friends and my dad Mohomed Shakir and a daughter were her only children, my aunt I believe died soon as she got married without any issue I am told..
For my dad my grandmother chose the elder daughter of the House of late Daroga Nabban Saab descendant of Mir Anis poet ...but my dad a very good looking guy working in Bombay was not happy as he wanted to see his bride to be , so he climbed a wall and instead of spotting his bride he spotted the brides sister .. later to be my mother Begum or Shamim..
My grand mother realized that her son Jiyio as my dad was called now had fallen in love with my mother on first sight so she relented and got him marred to my 14 year old mother I was born in the same year at home , at my mothers home Imliwali Gali Patanala close to Subatya bagh..
My maternal grandfather Daroga Nabban Saab was already dead part of his family from his first marriage were settled in Karachi.. I am told..my maternal grand mother Nazmi Begum was his second wife ..widow of his brother Babban Saab..
My mother moved to Mumbai where my dad lived and later we became tenants of Late Nawab Kashmiri of Khatau Bhuvan Wodehouse Road ..now Jony Castle ..
And Khurshed Baji my dads mom was a great story teller a fun loving person who loved her grand children , me my sister Najma brother Shakil dearly ..Shakil was her lifeline..
So now seeing her resemblance on my second grand daughter Nerjis Asif Shakirs face I was reminded of my childhood too..
