Ishani's Pen

I have this habit of observing people in public, trying to gather the topics of discussion that go around in society. I usually go out alone for shopping, lunch etc. where I observe these things. This incident occurred around 2-weeks back when I decided to indulge in Mughal cuisine for lunch in a restaurant located in the very heart of my hometown, Guwahati. The restaurant was almost empty as it was not lunchtime yet, with only one occupied table (except mine) where a group of men sat huddled together. I had just paced my order when I noticed a girl dressed in a hijab (headscarf) and niqab (face veil) walk in. I don’t know but for some unknown reason I always feel myself drawn to such “covered” women.   She was dressed in a black salwaar kameez and sat in an opposite table, facing me. Though I couldn’t see her face, but I presumed her to be around my age or maybe 1-2 years older. She sat with her face down as she chose what to eat. As she sipped water from a glass, I ...