Father watches daughters’ wedding dreams go up in flames

Warwan, Oct 18: Muhammad Ramzan, 65, a farmer from Mulwarwan village, witnessed the heartbreaking destruction of his daughters’ wedding preparations as a devastating fire consumed their home.

The fire, which broke out on October 14, flattened 70 houses in the village, including Ramzan’s.

The blaze destroyed everything Ramzan had carefully prepared for the weddings of his two daughters, Gulshan and Rubina, who were set to marry on October 22.

Wedding dresses, copper utensils, jewellery, and cash – all meant for the joyous occasion - were reduced to ashes.

The family had made every arrangement for the weddings, but now, they face unimaginable loss.

One of Ramzan’s daughters is already married, while his son, who was also married with three children, passed away five years ago after suffering from a chronic illness.

Now, Ramzan faces an uphill task of feeding and providing shelter to his family as winter approaches.

“All the belongings of the would-be brides were reduced to ashes. The clothing, copper, jewellery – everything is gone. Nothing is left now. I had saved cash for the weddings, and that too is gone,” Ramzan said, his voice choking with emotion.

He said that the food they had stocked for winter, beddings, along with the children’s books, and vital documents were also destroyed in the fire.

“I have to take care of my son’s children and ensure they get an education. How can I do that now?” Ramzan asked in despair.

He said that, like many others in the village, their wooden house caught fire so quickly that they could not save anything.

“Now we are spending nights in tents under the open sky,” Ramzan said.

Ramzan's wife, Fazlia Begum, 62, is heartbroken.

“I lost my son, who was the support for our family. I am still struggling with that grief. Now, this fire has destroyed us. Why didn’t I die rather than witness this devastation?” she says while crying.