What Radhika could have learnt from Savitri....

Since I have only recently watched the old episodes of Choti Bahu - I wanted to post something about the Vat Savitri Vrat that Radhika did for Dev and how its context could be so important for her now, at the next juncture , if Radhika's marriage finally gets societies sanction via a remarriage.

It was sad that while doing the Vrat nobody highlighted the deeper meaning of Savitri's actions - especially since the heroine is desperately in need of a major dollop of gyaan - she was busy doing rituals.

Savitri is worshiped because she is a true Sati - so devoted to her husband that she could snatch him back from Yama. But if we look at the results of the actions of Savitri it becomes obvious that she is celebrated as an example to men and women alike not merely for being a dutiful wife.

Savitri is a supreme example that if someone has the determination, puts in the effort, has faith in God and applies intelligence then they can rewrite their own destiny - Savitri knew before she married her husband that he would die within one year - but she was determined to fight the terribleness of her 'Fate' and just that grit made her successful.

Savitri was lucky that she had a way of knowing her fate. Most people do not.

So between the vagaries of fate and the deliberation of ones action - there is hope that one can write their own fortune, to an extent. Savitri knew the misfortune that lay in her future but Radhika does not - it is never shown what Radhika's own thoughts about her destiny are - she claims to choose her destiny to keep loving Dev from afar (like Meera), under the guise of being married to God. But what is Radhika's true fate ? Contrary to Savitri's situation, Radhika's fate appears to be more pleasing. Time and time again it is fate that has brought Radhika and Dev together. Unlike Savitri, Radhika has the easier task of simply embracing that.

And yet she appears to have resigned herself to circumstances - sometimes she has deliberately blinded her self to what can be interpreted as fate's will acting against it and other times she has just handed over the reigns to Krishna- given up on any genuine application at her end.

Fate and effort are the two wheels of a vehicle that can guide its path in a proper direction - without one the other is leading nowhere. If one wants to oppose the direction that life is taking or support that direction, one need to put in the effort to guide the vehicle on the course of choice.

Savitri fought against her destiny - Radhika needs to fight for her destiny - with the same determination, will power and intelligence as Savitri. Without Radhika's own resolution no one can bring Dev and Radhika together permanently- not even Kanha !

If the re-marriage does take place - once she has her fathers approval of her marriage (and I feel this is her major reason for her guilt - not sharing her secret with her father)- here is hoping that with Dev's love her character blossoms into a confident woman who places value on her husband enough to confront her own demons; to put in an effort to do battle for her and her husbands sake - She owes Dev that much.

Wow, fantastic post! So beautifully written and so poignant. Thank you!

kukuraja : Very well written.........As I mentioned in my other post, Yeh kaise patni hain, the one who does rituals for the husband, keeps Vat Savirti Vrat, but Cannot like Savitri fight for Dev with everyone...........

Fate and effort are the two wheels of a vehicle that can guide its path in a proper direction - without one the other is leading nowhere. If one wants to oppose the direction that life is taking or support that direction, one need to put in the effort to guide the vehicle on the course of choice.

I completely agree with you on this point. Unless Radhika wants to fight for her/Dev's happiness and forget about Vishaka's happiness, no one can change her fate.

What a noble post! I really admire the way you put it.

kukuraja- beautiful post- but then, the script writers do not have any basis for moulding rad's character. therefore all the amazing truth in your post does not hold any water for rads. that is the sad truth! like tarantulla reminds us always, even comparing such noble characters like Savitri etc. with rads is undermining their worth!LOL! I wish the script writers were true to SOMETHING aside from TRPs!

thanks all for your kind words and additional thoughts..

Blokes : I dont belive that I am comparing Radhika to Savitri - with Radhika's track record of her treatment of Dev she is quite the opposite of Savitri 😭 ....I just wanted to highlight a particular lesson that Radhika's character could have benefitted from which was not just Savitri's fight for her husband but also Savitri's resolve to change her destiny.

Of course at the end of the day it up to the directors how they want to portray the characters, they unfortunately have that license to sculpt characters according to their whims.

Fingers crossed for the wedding 😛