Laila aur Mahdi ki kahaani
Editor’s note: This excerpt from ‘Loal Kashmir’ by Mehak Jamal tells the unusual story of a woman—who moves from one bloody battleground to another—from Kashmir to Gaza—for the man she loves. Excerpted with permission from HarperCollins India.
Laila is in her fifties now. Her kids have grown up. Though life in Gaza hasn't been the easiest, Laila has always been thankful that she got to choose it for herself. Mahdi and Laila had started their life together in Gaza with barely any money to support each other, but they made it work. Being united gave them the strength to fight all odds and build their home.
Laila and Mahdi still relate to each other the way they did on their first date with happiness and curiosity and the conviction that they can depend on one another. They haven't let their love die on account of kids or domestic worries. Both have a wicked sense of humour that adds spice to their lives. In many ways, they balance each other out. Laila has always had a temper, and Mahdi is the only one who can rein it in.
Laila has seen a lot of marriages break apart especially marriages in which Palestinians have married foreigners. They crumble due to family and societal pressure. If Mahdi and Laila have survived (even thrived), it is because from the time she was a new bride in an alien country, Mahdi made it a point to stand up for her. He didn't let his family interfere with their lives or their domestic tussles, because of which she never felt the pressure of her in-laws' expectations. He also eschewed patriarchal control—which in itself was a rarity since Palestine is a male-dominated society where women in the household seldom have a say in worldly matters. Not once did Mahdi try to subjugate Laila. She didn't have to ask for his permission because he was a man. On the contrary, she had full freedom to do whatever she wanted and raise their children in the way she wished.
Laila was supported by Mahdi when she chose to send their kids to a Catholic school—this despite the fact that the family was against it. She was supported, too, when she encouraged their kids to learn music and join sports academies again, a total no-no for Mahdi's family. Today, one daughter has graduated as a doctor and another as a civil engineer. Their son is pursuing an engineering degree. All three are connected to their Palestinian roots as well as to their Kashmiri heritage. They speak Arabic, Hindi, English, Turkish and Korean, besides their mother tongue Kashmiri.
It's obvious that Laila is happy with the life she has had. It's obvious that she won't trade it for anything this, despite the many wars in Gaza she has witnessed. The irony of moving from one place of conflict to another hasn't escaped her, even as she remains aware of the stark difference between Gaza and Kashmir-the Palestinians are caught in a religious conflict, while the Kashmiris are caught in a political one.
Today, because of the political climate, many have moved out of the Gaza Strip. In the past, each time Laila and Mahdi thought of leaving Gaza, they stopped short because of their jobs or because as their daughters grew older, they got selected into universities there. But now that their son is studying in Egypt and their daughters have graduated, Laila and Mahdi are finally free to move. And they are seriously considering the possibility.
While much has altered and continues altering in Laila's life, some things remain the same-her relationship with her family in Kashmir, for instance. Though they've made progress over the years, their association isn't as warm as it should be. There still remains some bitterness that she married a Palestinian. It's said that time heals everything, but that's not true for everyone.
'Maybe I still need time,’ Laila says.
Note: Laila, Mahdi and their children have been forced to leave Palestine following the events of 7 October 2023 and after. Their home in Gaza has been destroyed by Israeli bombing. They have lost at least thirty members of their extended family, with many others injured and displaced.
