NOVEL~*Hiding behind a Stranger*~THREAD 32~Chapter 37-UPD JUN 28th - Page 63

Originally posted by: karkuzhali

Originally posted by: Kuki715

Originally posted by: selvi1275

Good Morning Kal, Bindu, Periyamma...🤗

Good Evening Lana 🤗

Originally posted by: -Felicity-

Kal koi mujhko yaad kare,
Kyun koi mujhko yaad kare,
Mashroof zamana mere liye,
Kyun waqt apna barbaad kare...

Writer-e-khaas,

As I read the chapter, a theme immediately jumped out to me and that was of "thirst" at many, many levels.

So much so, the following lines (I wouldn't call it poetry) immediately came to me in Hindi (apologies for any grammatical errors):

yeh pyaas hain kya paani ka
ya ek bhoond khushi ka
yeh pyaas hain kya tanha sukoon ka
ya ek pal apnapan ka
yeh pyaas hain kya ek jawaab ka
ya ek ankahi sawaal ka

Translated in English:

is this a thirst for water
or for a drop of happiness
is this a thirst for a quiet peace
or for a moment of belonging
is this a thirst for an answer
or to hear a question unspoken

And for my take, I will focus on these themes; and this may be one of my first takes that does not go in chronological order ... hope I don't jump around too much.

(1) is this a thirst for water ...

A thirst for water is a common theme that has carry-overed from the last chapter with the village's drought. In this chapter, it came to the fore with Harka constantly gulping water throughout the chapter. But, her thirst seemed to be much more ... including her curiosity for where they were going, which she finally asked directly.

And how poignant, that the thirst of the villagers had been the question that had bothered Harka in the last chapter, and in this chapter Akbar brought forth the solution, as if their thoughts were mirror images of each other. Further echoing her thoughts, he even admitted how he and his men had contributed to the water shortage.

And further how symbolic, that the canal that had brought them together was the solution to this challenge as well.

(2) Or for a drop of happiness

And Harka's thirst was much more than just water for herself or for the villagers' challenges, her inner self was searching for peace and happiness that she could not seem to grasp. Every time she relaxed with Akbar, in parallel a suspicion was gnawing within her. As she passed the stables, that were the armor to her people's land, she wondered about his secret work space. Even as he saved her from choking and promised to protect her, his words of betrayal came back in parallel.

Where would she find this peace and happiness?

(3) is this a thirst for a quiet peace

Would Harka be able to find happiness in solitude? Many chapters ago you had introduced Akbar's habit of riding in the night to clear his mind and find peace. Today, that habit got a new meaning as he discovered the challenges of the villagers because of it (what beautiful connectivity to prior chapters, again) In addition, how beautifully it became another lens for Harka to understand Akbar's personal side. And in her own search for a drop of happiness, she found herself wishing for that same experience of peaceful solitude, though she laughed off its impracticality.

(4) or for a moment of belonging

Or would both Harka and Akbar quench their thirst with a sense of belonging / apnapan? There were a sense of belonging coming in many dimensions, whether it was Akbar enjoying seeing Harka's free-spirited side that no one else had seen or the way Harka held Akbar as he saved her from choking or the tender way in which Akbar wiped away her tear or their sharing their first kiss.

Perhaps, solitude was no longer the answer for either of them after they began to experience what being together was.

(5) is this a thirst for an answer

But alas, there were too many questions unanswered for this apnapan to last undisturbed - for Harka, on who the real Akbar was? For Akbar, on why fresh tears were coming from Harka's eyes even as she was clearly coming closer to him ? And while Harka misspoke her answer to his persistent question, his answer cleared it all- I particularly loved how he said, he would always force her when it came to her safety but nothing else. Just in the last chapter, Harka had not liked being cornered into sending an order to her former messengers but Akbar's outburst now cleared that he never means to dominate her unless it was not about her safety. Perhaps, eventually, she would link it to the answer to other questions that haunted her- like how he forced her to marry him?

(6) or to hear a question unspoken

And while some answers were getting answered, there were more questions that needed to be asked, more conversations to be had, for the full truth of the situation to come to light.

For now, I felt a sense of incompleteness and unquenched thirst at the end, likely just as Harka did. For, she did not ask a word when Akbar announced he was leaving. The questions in her her head remained unspoken.

And so, the thirst remained unquenched as she began to realize she had turned away the "bouquet" that was meant for her, with both the beauty and the thorns. What a beautiful metaphor!

I will also leave you with a Tamil song that seemed apt for this chapter- it is "Dhaagam Theera" from the movie Amarakaviyam. I can't translate line-by-line, but the general gist seemed to be how love quenched her thirst and it seemed to fit the mood of this chapter

https://youtu.be/fjfWQy18Dq4

Thank you so much writer-e-khaas! As always, taking us on a journey that leaves us thirsting for more and for the next chapter.

Now, with the new precap concept, who is this latest message from? Is it the return of Mahendar? I don't usually guess but thought I would take a shot (not that you will clarify!)