Hey Guys, allow me to bore you with some analysis on the use of metaphor in the show today. Yes, I know I read too much into things, but I cannot help it. 😆Do leave your thoughts.
Sai: Waqt na nadee ke paani ki tarah hota hain, jo kabhi rukta nahin hain, kabhi thamta nahin hain, bas aage badhta jaata hain. Aur nadee ke paani ko nah, hum sirf ek baar chu sakte hain, kyunki wo to aage badhta jaata hain, laut kar nahi aata, isiliye zindagi ka har pal, har lamha, hummey ek dum khushi se jeena chahiye.
Virat: Wo bina kuch kahe bahut kuch sikha jati hain….Nadee apne bahaav se chattaanen bhi kaat deti hain,aur yeh isliye nahin ke nadee ke paani mein bahut zyada taaqat hoti hain,balki isliye, kyunki nadee kabhi haar nahi manti.
Sai’s view of rivers comes from her Abba's interpretation that time like rivers stops for no one. It continues to flow despite obstacles. And you can touch its water only one time since it continues to flow. I found that comment pretty interesting since it highlights her firm belief that a moment once lost is lost forever, an opportunity to reach her heart once lost, is lost for forever. (Take note Mr. Chavan). In the future, Virat will have to battle between his love for Sai and his Vaada to Pakhi, his dilemma might cause him to lose the exact moment to capture her heart.
This is exactly where Virat’s belief will come to their rescue. The river with its power will cross over every hurdle in its way, not because it is powerful, but because it is persevering and does not accept defeat. It is this attitude, together with his love and warmth, that will seep through her heart, and melt the walls of cold ice that she would have surrounded herself with, in a way just like a river tries to find a way through rocks.
In Literature, rivers have been traditionally used as a metaphor for a plethora of things:
As a symbol of life - Life is a journey that we all navigate through. In the same way, a river illustrates the Journey that the protagonist takes (here, SaiRat), to reach a new world of fulfilment and happiness.
As Sai pointed out, a river symbolises the flow of time, transitions and transformations, she emphasises on enjoying each and every moment by taking the plunge, not by standing by the edge watching the water go by. This is apt for SaiRat, since Sai is much more on the impulsive side and does things without too much calculations. On the contrary, Virat is more prone to measure his actions properly. At one point though, when tough times come, he will have to shed his inhibitions and just to take the plunge.
A river is also linked to the concept of inevitability, as Virat highlighted, for a river picks its path and there’s nothing that individuals or hurdles can do to stop it from running its course. When Virat reaches the decision- making phase, no hurdle in the form of Pakhi or his family, not even Sai’s indifference, will stop him from choosing his course.
But I believe that these two are not rivers, but streams. Rivers start as streams - they meet other streams and grow larger until their mutual flow finally becomes a river. These two are still Sai and Virat at the moment, like two streams, trying to find their way through creaks (or pillow peeks), but they will meet each other one day, and despite all obstructions, they`ll find a way to smoothly flow. And as the flow of the river is outside human control (take note Pakhi Didi), they`ll be an unstoppable force.
I`ll digress a little with some Greek mythology and Pakhi didi. If you`ve read my post on NPD, I mentioned that the word ‘Narcissism’ comes from Greek mythology and the character of Narcissus. Basically Narcissus saw his own reflection in a pool of water, fell in love with it, was amazed by it and was unable to detach himself from the image that the pool showed. Isn't that what happened with Pakhi didi. Pakhi saw herself in a stream (Virat) and Virat’s admiration of her (basically she saw herself from his eyes - a version of herself that could only be cherished and fell in love with that version of herself and by extension with Virat who acted as a sort of validation), was amazed by his admiration and fell in love with an illusion . Now, Pakhi is unable to detach herself from the image that Virat created of her. When Narcissus realised that his love will not be reciprocated - he died and there are various accounts of how he died, some say by suicide, some say he killed himself because he could not have his object of desire, some say he burned from the passion. This really seems to be the fate of Pakhi didi, for she may not die, but she will henceforth trap herself from the vicious circle which could only contribute to her downfall.
7