Delhi’s Proust Questionnaire – Umama Khan, Pahari Imli
The parlour confession.
[By Mayank Austen Soofi]
She gets up at 6. She goes to sleep at 11. Despite her day in her Pahari Imli home being so hectic—looking after husband, Shahnawaz, daughters Aaima and Rizah, and month-old son Mustafa—homemaker Umama Khan took out time to become a part of The Delhi Walla’s Proust Questionnaire series in which citizens are nudged to make “Parisian parlour confessions”, all to explore our distinct experiences.
Your favorite occupation.
I love to teach children. In fact, I did a few courses to become a teacher but then papa passed, and I could not get enough opportunities to build a career in teaching.
Your favorite qualities in a man.
Should be loyal, honest, suppotive, ambitious.
Your favorite qualities in a woman.
Same as man.
Your chief characteristic.
Always ready to learn something new from life.
What do you appreciate the most in your friends?
Not misrepresenting me in front of other people.
Your main fault.
I don’t open up easily outside my immediate circle of acquaintances.
Your idea of happiness.
In those moments when I accept the truths of life… and when I am being kind and honest to others.
Your idea of misery.
If there is a discord between the families of my in-laws and of my parental home. If my own family members start resenting each other.
If not yourself, who would you be?
A bird who can fly whenever she wants to.
Your favorite bird.
Each bird has a unique beauty, they all are my favourites, but a parrot can be so cute.
Your favorite prose authors.
Arundhati Roy.
Your favorite heroes in fiction.
Wolverine from X-Men.
Your favorite heroines in fiction.
Hermione Granger from Harry Potter.
Your heroes/heroines in real life.
My papa, Mehboob Khan. He was a health inspector in MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi). He passed in 2007.
Your favorite food and drink
Biryani and orange juice.
Your favorite names.
My name. It happens to be the name of the prophet’s granddaughter.
What is your present state of mind?
I’m thinking of all the many things that I have to do at this moment, which I would actually have been doing if I were not to answer the Proust Questionnaire.
Faults for which you have the most tolerance.
I forgive people when I hear that they were badmouthing me.
Your motto in life.
To make my children as successful as their late grandfather.
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