I didn't feel like giving my usual comment this time - and almost wrote a 'loved it' - but I think I owe a longer than my usual comment this time! I don't know if I should be embarrassed or happy that you posted the link to my story here, but thank you all the same! 😳
This isn't the only reason why I think I owe a longer comment this time. Of course the update was dhamakedaar but I'll get to it later. Pehle I've been waiting for you to update so I can ask you something. I was going through the timeline the other day. It was in the update jiska link aapne diya tha to clear the place confusions. According to it, Geet left Maan nearly five months into the marriage. That means that they started to live as husband and wife even before the contract time was up. And don't say that they didn't because I remember the ringtone of Maan's phone, 'I love you Maan' in Geet's voice, and the picture of Geet which Meera saw, jismein she was wearing big glasses and it was taken when Maan bought her a gift. 😛 So where was I? Yes, I was wondering ke abhi in dono ki shaadi ko kitna time ho gaya hai? Definitely lesser than five months. Lekin phir bhi kitna? Kyun ke with the intensity, frequency and quantity of things happening with them, it feels like it's been more than a year!
Frankly, I wouldn't have noticed the connection of Maan and jeep here if I hadn't read it in the comments. But now that I have, I like the way you brought the jeep in. Maan, jeep, long journeys..
The first part where Maan vows to bring Geet back to the place she belongs,
with him, had me smiling and thinking, 'that's like a man!' But alas, that impression was not to stay! Geet's condition brought back the little bitterness towards Maan. Mind you, the bitterness in me towards him is almost negligible! 😳
With Maan almost begging Geet to return with him and she refusing, I have quite a few mixed opinions. On one hand, I want Maan to be given a chance to prove himself this time, to show that he has truly realised her worth in his life. But the feminist in me, the ones whose heart goes out to the young 18 year old who has had to go through so much because of this man, wants Geet to not forgive him. At least not when he's only asked for it just once. I also want Geet to understand that no matter how much we think we're tired of fighting everything and we can't take more of the challenges life throws at us, we still have it in us to fight back. She's thinking that she doesn't have the stamina in her anymore but that's not the case. She has it in her to push Maan away for herself, for
him. She has it in her to confront her Darji and stand by her own decision in front of Brij and the rest of her family. She still has it in her to keep fighting. Then she still has it in her to give life another chance...
I've never quite experienced the phrase that's often used to express extreme disgust or hatred towards something. 'Bile rising in the throat'. But the whole scene with Brij, his actions, his words, his chauvinistic attitude, his manhandling Geet. Every single thing in this part of the chapter did it. It made me feel the extreme hatred - towards such an attitude and towards such a society where a girl can not speak out to save her life - to an extent I've never felt before. And this is when I once again acknowledged the fact that how powerful your writing is, to pull me into the whirlpool of the story with such force! Wonderful, Aashu! 👏
One particular word from Maan's mouth had me grinning ear to ear. 'His' Geet. His claim on her, his protective stance for her and his open acceptance of his feelings for her, despite being in the most unfavourable circumstances, were still kind of soothing in such an impactful chapter! 😃
Though I liked the fact that Geet spoke up for herself, I disliked that she stopped Maan from protecting her. I disagree with her that Maan isn't related to the matter for which she is almost getting beaten up. Brij is after all angry on her for not staying with Maan.
Geet finishing off her relationship with Maan, giving back the mangalsutra, it all reminded me of the episode where Maan came to take Geet back from Amritsar and they meet in the market. What connection? The sadness, the pain we all felt at the time was very well the essence of this chapter..
In my opinion, Aash, this is, by far, the finest chapter of all. So well-sketched, so well-
expressed! Sad, yes. Painful, yes. But most importantly, the one that should have happened. This was completely in line with the story. Totally relatable and loveable. Why loveable? Because I feel that when a man is pushed back, the drive to get what he wants, to set things straight, only increases. He tries harder to achieve his goals and that's what I'm expecting Maan to do now! 😳
As much as anyone else might have disliked it, I loved this chapter! Thanks for this, Aashu! 🤗
Edited by mayyo13 - 12 years ago
Cricket
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