Tasleem Kousar - The Best of Both Worlds

Tasleem Kousar - The Best of Both Worlds


Files:
Original:
The Best of Both Worlds A.mp3 (3˙727˙985)
The Best of Both Worlds B.mp3 (8˙328˙253)
Cut:
The Best of Both Worlds - Introduction.mp3 (553˙376)
The Best of Both Worlds - Story.mp3 (2˙044˙446)
Text:
The Best of Both Worlds.txt (3˙721)
There is an introduction read in Gujerati (in first file).

Introduction
I have come from Pakistan.
A large Pakistani community is living here in Britain. The people who are already settled here are facing some problems.
One of the major issues I have noticed is the marriage of their children who are brought up here. Actually, it's a very sensitive and serous matter and demands a lot of attention but we don't give it enough thought.
It's not easy for anyone belonging to my community to raise such a controversial issue. But I want to, through this piece of writing, because I think to turn our back on it is not the solution to the problem.
And I ask all of you, to think it over very carefully. You might be able to reach a better solution.
Tasleem Kousar

Story
Mr and Mrs Hameed came to England in 1970. Their three daughters, Rizwana, Sitara and Maliha were born here. They were brought up here and were very broad-minded.
Mr and Mrs Hameed tried their best to please their beloved daughters. Maliha, being the youngest, was dearest to all of them and they called her "Dolly".
Maliha had very strong will-power. At the same time, she cared about her parents very much.
Since her childhood, Sitara, the middle one, was a bit stubborn and she always got whatever she wanted. She didn't think about other people's feelings.
Rizwana was different from her other two sisters. She was more ready to do as she was told. She never wanted her parents to be hurt. She was more sensitive.
Before long, the three of them were grown up. They did not know much about their own Asian culture. So, Mr and Mrs Hameed decided to marry their daughters to their relatives living in Pakistan. They hoped to bring them back to their own culture.
But when the parents talked to their daughters, about marrying their cousins they were not willing to do so.
At last, they made it clear to Rizwana that she had to get married to one of her cousins, called Fareed. So, Rizwana got married in Pakistan and her husband soon got a visa. He came over to England to join her. However, Rizwana and Fareed could not get on together and their marriage broke down after a year.
Everyone was upset. They hadn't recovered from this bad news when they heard more shocking news. Sitara had got married to a Pakistani boy of her own choice in England. When Mr Hameed heard about it, he said, "She is dead to us from now on."
The first few months of Sitara's married life were fantastic. But, sadly, after a while, she too could not get on with her husband. She got a separation from him.
Now, Sitara was feeling very lonely and she was depressed. She was cut off from her family. She could not blame anyone for being responsible for the failure of her marriage. She knew very well that there was no place for her in her parents' house now.
Now Mr and Mrs Hameed were worried about Maliha's wedding. Maliha was aware of this. She told them what she felt in a letter.
Dear Mama and Papa.
I have felt your worry. Marriage is for life. It is my life. Please let me choose my partner. I am the one who will have to live with him. I don't want to be forced into marriage like my eldest sister, Rizwana. I will not get married secretly, like Sitara. I will not let you down.
Please let me choose.
Yours,
Dolly
When Mrs Hameed found that letter, she went to her husband with tears in her eyes. When Mr Hameed read the letter he said, "Dolly, we really don't want to hurt you. We will arrange your marrige according to your wish."
There is a way between forced and love marriages. That is a marriage arranged by both the parents and the children together. If the parents and the children discuss their opinions and share their thoughts with each other then they can have the best of both worlds.