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bkamber

@bkamber

Rocker

Posted: 11 years ago

#241

First and foremost...

Brilliantly written Chapter. KUDOS 👏

We now have Greeshma's story and the prologue. Partial mystery solved...still have to wait for the identity of the baby. 😊

The way I see it...

All the characters here are people of their circumstance.

Arjun - The product of a affluent, powerful and a socially solid old "high class" family. He was privileged, arrogant, selfish and indulged in any whim he wanted. He has no moral qualms about his extramarital affairs, though he probably demands them from those around him. Men like him existed before him and after him. They were an "accepted" part of society and still are. This is fiction, but is a fact of life. History books are filled with such men...famous and world leaders!! Men like Arjun can never understand what it is like to be anything other then who they are...better than anyone else!!

Ahalya - She too is a product of an equally solid "high class" family. A liaison with Arjun Mallik was very desirable for the Raizada family and "accepted" by Ahalya whether she liked it or not. She knowingly accepts her husband's infidelities. She is not a weak woman, but simply not strong enough to take a stand or face social ridicule for herself or her family. She takes up causes to compensate for her lack of strength in the hopes of making thing better for others. Women in her predicament generally either sent their husbands waifs away with money and/or threats, so as to why she particularly took interest in Greeshma's child is something I hope will be covered in the her story. She too harbored a secret!!

Greeshma - Such bad luck!! Beautiful, dependent on her father's employer!! Unfortunately for her, being exposed to Arjun was the worst thing in her life. Smart and strong, but short of financial and familial support. She gave in first for her father and later for her child...a young girl in her shoes would have in one way another fallen prey again for the evil that exists...men, women...yes other women and society!!

Arjun-Ahalya - I think there is more to what led to their ultimate demise besides what we know from Arnav's recollection...perhaps Devyani will tell??? In one way, amidst the tragedy, the best thing for Anjali, Arnav and Anya...they came to live with Devyani and Mamaji...the good in their life.

Edited by bkamber - 11 years ago

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Throne

@Throne

Explorer

Posted: 11 years ago

#242

The update was...well, very unexpected, in a good way of course and very very capturing!
While it answered most of the questions that have come up so far, it brought on a whole lot of new ones too!
So yeah, back to square one, sort of!
😆

I loved the way you portrayed everything, every emotion, every sentiment, every relation and overall every aspect you covered in this update.
Was Greeshma right in surrendering...I honestly don't know.
No point judging someone until you are not in their shoes.
But leaving was really not an option for her either especially knowing that, that might just end her father's life.

The plan cooked was brilliant too, no one would have guessed for sure!
Ahalya, I really admired. She is one strong woman. Very much in control and aware where and how to exercise her rights and authorities.

Coming to your questions,
I really think most women in Ahalya's place would have stayed quite, they would have probably cursed their own fate, sympathized with the women who fell victim to their monstrous husbands, but they would have remained silent because isn't that what still happens!! Isn't it just easier to be a spectator and criticize from the sidelines instead of stepping into the dirt to clean it. So no, I don't think most women have done even half of what Ahalya Mallik did.

But as much as I admire the woman for what she did, it remains that had she left Greeshma at the clinic with some money maybe she would have had her life in her own hands.
Maybe life wouldn't have been roses, maybe she wouldn't have been able to afford the right treatment for her father, but they would have lived, they would have made it through, atleast to some extent.
But then Ahalya didn't know what her staying back to help would cause Greeshma, had she known she would have prevented it form happening.

The update was wonderful and very holding!
I had been waiting to read this part of the story for like ages, totally worth the wait!
And now I cant wait to read the next part.
Who amongst them is her child is what I can't wait to find out.
Update soon please!
😊

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salikaa_chitts

@salikaa_chitts

Explorer

Posted: 11 years ago

#243

Wooowww...a heart wrenching update ...u are amazing !!!! Looking forward for the nxt one !!!!!

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zayana khan

@zayana123

Dazzler

Posted: 11 years ago

#244

awesome update... greeshma suffered alot... I felt bad 4 here truly,,,,

Ahalya was der 4 help greeshma & also to hide her husband sins...

eagerly waiting 2 know how everything come out... how everyone gonna react... even m curious 2 know how shashi come in greeshma life...

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sulu_123

@sulu_123

Inactive

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

#245

Could this baby abandoned by gareema be payal ?

payal was abanodoned at birth , isn't it ?

Maybe ahalya's mother cudnt reach in time, and some mother from the church took payal. The kindly woman gareema saw was in fact a nun and not ahalya's mother ?

You haven't mentioned the gender of the baby. was it a boy..?

God..i'm dying of curiosity...

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Amanram

@Amanram

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

#246

1. What would most zamindar wives have done in Ahalya's place? (Zamindars leading the kind of life style Arjun Mallik did was fairly common in the era in question here).

Probably be under pressure to support her husband and maybe discreetly provide money to Greeshma to disappear from the scene. Which is my opinion is just encouraged philandering of the Zamindars. In fact if the wife had done nothing, the Zamindar would probably have taken care of the 'problem/ distubance' in probably a callous manner.

2. What would have happened to Greeshma (No family, father paralysed), had Ahalya simply given her some money (say 5k INR) and left her to her fate at the clinic when she goes to visit Mr. Bhatnagar instead of following through on her decision to help the family?

Honestly she would probably be struggling but she would not have been in the situation that she found herself in i.e. a victim of Mr Malik.

Edited by Amanram - 11 years ago

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rk2127

@rk2127

Dazzler

Posted: 11 years ago

#247

Finally recovering from the update and the wrong happened with Greeshma.

Now I can finally answer your question without getting biased with my anger to Ahalya's reponse or rather helplessness.

To answer your first question, back in the day women were just trophy wife's and according to that standard what Ahalya did was commendable. She thought of providing the baby a secure future whereas many in her place would have blamed Greeshma for seducing there husbands even after knowing about there husbands and thrown her out to get rid of her and the baby. I fact they might not have done that to as there husband would have been capable enough for clearing there mess as they have been doing it for a long time.

Others might have helped her with money, as that would be the least and he most they could do with no power in there hands.

For your second question, I seriously thing Greeshma would have been better if Ahalya would have left her with money or kept a tab on her rather than bringing her in her house and serving her on plater to her lech husbands. But I guess she didn't realize that her act of goodness will led an innocent to such a pathetic state.

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meera30

@meera30

Dazzler

+ 7

Posted: 11 years ago

#248

I read this chapter a while back. And I have taken all this time to gather my thoughts and I think i am still going to be all over the place.

At the end of the chapter, S - I was left with a gross sense of violation. I felt Greeshma's helplessness so many times, I wanted to throttle someone. And as much as I HATED what Arjun Mallik did, I cannot understand what Ahalya Mallik did either. Yes, maybe she felt some guilt at having put a beautiful young woman in the path of her wayward husband. But the whole fake pregnancy to help Greeshma, to accept the baby - which in all fairness is a product of her husband's lowest points in life - seems like she is Arnav's mother alright in the way she decided to play God - maybe this was the only way she sought to take control back from her husband

Of course, I think there is a lot more to the story which could answer many of my questions - Why did Arjun Mallik and Devyani agree to Ahalya's fake pregnancy plan? What hold does Ahalya hold over the Malliks?

Greeshma to her part seems to be able to trust Ahalya rather easily as well. For being a woman who was violated by a man, she is very very accepting of his wife and the plan that her child will be in the same home as the man who didn't think twice before taking her as his employer's gratification. Her reaction to take her child and run away, felt right...I almost wanted her to do that. I wanted her to be brave - like she had been for her father! No, I am not judging her - how can I when I cannot imagine what it is like to be in her place - and yet, I wish she had taken the strength that only love for your child can give you and done something with it.

If it was your idea to leave the reader with a sense of distaste at how the world seems to work behind the glitzy Sheesh Mahals of India in the late 70s - early 80s - it worked perfectly. I was infact reminded of the movie Prem Rog (released in 1982 and hence almost the same time as this part of the story) which focuses on widow remarriage of a girl born to the rich zamindars. When the daughters of the homes could undergo what the female lead did there, what chance do the ones like Greeshma stand!

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sheena29

@sheena29

Navigator

Posted: 11 years ago

#249

Sorry Sandhya didn't know that we had been given homework..:)

I had expressed my distaste at Ahalya's actions in my last comment.I held her culpable for the crime committed on Greeshma. From what you have revealed of her in this chapter nowhere does she come across as servile and docile wife. She runs a NGO for women empowerment, takes an independent decision to help Greeshma monetarily for her father's treatment, brought her home, takes a decision of adopting the child even in the face of resistance from her mother and husband, goes through the elaborate ruse of fake pregnancy with prosthetic's and all, stays away from her family and children for most of the 8 months. She seems to be strong but maybe is not strong enough to face social derision and ridicule. In my limited knowledge I think that the zamindar households that you are mentioning probably existed in 60's but I maybe wrong too. Irrespective of whatever the era it was she doesn't come across as helpless but as someone who just turned a blind eye to a philandering husband. She uses the affluence at her disposal to right the wrongs committed but doesn't show the moral courage to stand against injustice done.

As for your questions other women may have also kept quiet like her or may be not. May have helped Greeshma if they had the kind of financial resources and independence to use them like Ahalaya did or may be just hushed the girl away. All hypothetical but story specific Ahalya did act according to her character. She's helpful by nature and over that the guilt also made her take the necessary steps.

What would have happened to Greeshma if Ahalya hadn't helped her? Firstly she wouldn't been repeatedly molested by a man under the roof that supposedly offered her protection. She would have been left all alone after her father's demise which I presume she was after handing over the baby to Ahalya, maybe in the next chapter we'll come to know how much role did Ahalya play in Greeshma's life after this, so how different would be her situation? Greeshma was living alone and managing her father's disease for a month before Ahalya came into the picture. It would have been difficult for her no doubt but seeing what she went through at Malik residence, nothing could have been worse than that.

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Jay

@jduke

Rocker

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

#250

My two cents.

1. What would most zamindar wives have done in Ahalya's place? (Zamindars leading the kind of life style Arjun Mallik did was fairly common in the era in question here).

If Ahalya was a typical traditional wife obeying her husband wishes and immoral acts then she would have never taken up Greeshma's responsibility and even might have forced Greeshma to abort the baby.

Greeshma life might have been spared from Arjun Mallik but Mr. Bhtanagar might have died sooner due to lack of proper medical help. His life might have reduced from a year to 2-3 months. Greeshma' sacrifice added couple of months to Mr.Bhatnagar's life. But would Greeshma survived all those street leeches alone? Games of destiny 😊.

Edited by jduke - 11 years ago

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