Ātashé del-am

Chapter 6

It is impossible to change my focus now, when I am just about to get what I want.

~Admirer of Moon
D.S

______________________________________
            
         Standing under the shade of bright sky, leaning against the car bonnet, his eyes were searching for a figure in the crowd of students exiting from the Huge black gate of Queen Victoria College. A girl clad in mustard color tunic and white color denim caught his attention, smiling he stood straight and walk towards her, whose face was void of any expressions.

"Your highness! servant is at your service. Do you need anything." A small smile broke on her lips, hearing his words, in response she shook her head in no and kept walking beside him. 

After they both took their respective seats in the car, he started the car and no sooner the car was running on the highway. Shanzay was silently sitting leaning her head against the seat, closing her eyes, feeling the chilly wind caressing her tired face. Daniyal was glancing her as well as focusing on the road.

"So how was your exam?" He asked turning the car in left direction. The huge banyan trees proudly standing on the either side of the route, giving shades to the travellers as well as shelters to the birds.

"Huh?" Shanzay opened her eyes, turning her face towards him.

"Your exam.. How it was?" He asked decreasing the speed of car, passing the water bottle to her.

"It was.. Aah I don't wanna talk about it right now. I'm feeling like I have come after fighting a battle. It was a terrible experience. I hope it's mine first and last attempt." She said taking sips of water in between.

"Insha Allah! But why terrible experience?" He questioned, turning car to left direction.

"Damn they were checking us like we have hid some atom bombs in our clothes. It was way too embarrassing." She replied making a weird face. He chuckled on her expressions and stopped the car on the roadside, next to big white colored wall, sound of water falling from a high place can be heard.

"Why you have stopped the car here? Shanzay questioned when Daniyal told her to come out.

" I have to pray Asr Salah and only 20 minutes are left, I can't miss it." Saying he locked the car and moved towards the entrance gate of the Panchakki and Shanzay ran after him.

Panchakki - The water mill, which was designed by the Sufi Saint Baba Shah Musafir, the mill which runs on energy generated by flowing water coming out from the nearby spring, and used to grind grains for pilgrims, military troops, disciples of Baba Shah Musafir. This monument is one of the example of scientific thoughts and engineering in 17th century and helps us in visualizing the life of that era.

Daniyal bought two tickets from the ticket window and enter into the quite wide alley. On the right side, the water was coming out from the huge water tank or square pond, flowing into the drainage and next to it was a hotel selling snacks and tea. On the left side there was shops selling antique and elegant things made up of stones and wooden, handmade jute bags, swings, etc. Shanzay was checking the things in the shops as well as trying to match Daniyal's pace. Taking a right turn, they walked a little crossing few shops, which are famous for selling the unique handmade art pieces and the racks were also placed filled with various travel guide, magazine, historical books, etc. They climbed few stairs and came on the small open ground, on their right side, a huge water body can be seen, on their left hand side was a gate which leads to the mosque, the government offices, the Tomb of Baba Shah Musafir, a beautiful garden, a 18th century library which used to be a treasure house of about some 10,000 books on topics like philosophy, law, medicine, sufism, religion, history and many more in Arabic, Urdu and Persian by some great philosophers.