NOVEL~*Hiding behind a Stranger*~THREAD 32~Chapter 37-UPD JUN 28th - Page 65

Originally posted by: divyavm

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!)

Originally posted by: roseraja1915

C37- What a thrill in the hills!

Mounting Bahadur was a monumental task for the petite lady but her man, taking matters into his own hands , got her hoisted up onto the horse with a singularly remarkable manouevre, without even laying a finger on her. (BTW Sahiba, the sketch that you put up showing how this was done was a great help in visualizing it.)

I think the silence during the trek was deliberate on his part because AMK ( other than he being reticent by nature ) did not want to unnecessarily tax her, seeing how unwell she was. The heat that was bearing down upon them being a factor to contend with - a conversation would have further sapped her energy.

What a plan to tackle the problem of the impending water crisis! Everything was meticulously mapped out and tabled for his Begum's consideration. But it was a water crisis of a different kind that took the chapter to an entirely new level.

An offer of his water flask to Heera to assuage her thirst before the return journey set in motion a chain of events that turned out to be a panacea for his pangs of desire. A brilliant CIO as he could not have misinterpreted the signals from her end and considering the tumultuous predicament that they found themselves in, the intimate moment was just waiting to happen.

The kiss- it catapulted the readers (along with the protagonists) to the heavens while it lasted. It was a culmination of intense emotions that found an escape in that moment of intimacy and ecstasy for the couple. However, we were subjected to a forced landing when an injudicious choice of words put a dampener on the intoxicating scene. Misconstruing her ill-constructed utterances, AMK promptly brought down the shutters to barricade himself from a repeat of such incidents in the future until and unless his Begum has a change of heart.

The first matter settled the scroll bearers issue, the second settled the water issue and the third (his leaving Parnagarh on business that very evening) gave them space to settle the issues of the body, heart and mind after the turbulent episode.

Darling author, C37 was a breathtaking experience for the reader in more ways than one. Thank you so so much, Lashy Sahiba! ❤️ 🤗

A token of appreciation:

Originally posted by: lashy

Darn... Shruthi... Your answers are making so much more sense than mine 😆

Originally posted by: lashy

Darn... Shruthi... Your answers are making so much more sense than mine 😆

Originally posted by: roseraja1915

Good evening, dearest Periyamma! 🤗

Good afternoon ,lovely Sahibas - Chellam DA, Bindup, Bindu, Shruthi, Mitu, Manu, Adwi, Sandy Begum, Harshu, Payal , Akanksha, Jyothi, Shagun, Sherry, Vrinda, Ashu, Shivangi, Diya, Anusha, Divya,Lana, Divyvam, Anindita , Lavanya, Pallavi , Selvi , Avika , Savi, Rositta and 6Bs! 🤗

Good morning, dearest Lashy Sahiba! 🤗

Page 74 <<<<

Originally posted by: karkuzhali

Hello dear B&Bs!

These are the titles of the detective novels written by Erle Stanley Gardner.

While browsing them, it appeared to me that they have some link or other with the characters/situations in our HBAS ..Can you find them out?

Karkuzhali.

* * * * * *

.1. THE CASE OF THE FENCED-IN WOMAN : Heera trapped in the marriage.

2. BEHIND THE MASK : AMK

3. THE CASE OF THE CRIMSON KISS : The hilltop kiss

4. THE CASE OF THE FABULOUS FAKE : The Fake Farmaan

5. THE CASE OF THE CARELESS CUPID : Bahadur

6. THE CASE OF THE TROUBLED TRUSTEE : Her Guardians in Bansi

7. THE CASE OF THE WAYLAID WOLF : Khalil when he was stopped by AMK.

8. THE CASE OF THE DEMURE DEFENDANT : Heera

9. THE CASE OF THE LUCKY LOSER : Bahadur losing the race/ Heera losing the bet

10. THE CASE OF THE DUBIOUS BRIDEGROOM : AMK

11. THE CASE OF THE LONELY HEIRESS : Heera

12. THE CASE OF THE HALF-WAKENED WIFE : Heera

13. THE CASE OF THE SILENT PARTNER : Samarth Singh

14. THE CASE OF THE SUBSTITUTE FACE : AMK for Ustaad

15. THE CASE OF THE BAITED HOOK : The Merchants and the deal

16. THE CASE OF THE POSTPONED MURDER. : Khalil's fate at the hands of AMK

Originally posted by: karkuzhali

Hello dear B&Bs!

These are the titles of the detective novels written by Erle Stanley Gardner.

While browsing them, it appeared to me that they have some link or other with the characters/situations in our HBAS ..Can you find them out?

Karkuzhali.

* * * * * *

.1. THE CASE OF THE FENCED-IN WOMAN

>>>Heera forced to consent to marry AMK

2. BEHIND THE MASK

>>>>The Ustaad

3. THE CASE OF THE CRIMSON KISS

>>>>>The kiss

4. THE CASE OF THE FABULOUS FAKE

>>>>Samarth Singh

5. THE CASE OF THE CARELESS CUPID

>>>>AMK distancing himself from Heera after canal scene.

6. THE CASE OF THE TROUBLED TRUSTEE

>>>>AMK - has no interest in wealth of parnagarh, but steps in save it for Heera

7. THE CASE OF THE WAYLAID WOLF

>>>>Kunwar Mahendar

8. THE CASE OF THE DEMURE DEFENDANT

>>>>Heera cornered by Mahendar regarding AMK

9. THE CASE OF THE LUCKY LOSER

>>>>AMK - though Khalil gets back case, heoverrides Him to become Mansabdar

10. THE CASE OF THE DUBIOUS BRIDEGROOM

>>>>Mahendar

11. THE CASE OF THE LONELY HEIRESS

>>>>Heera - heera wanting to punish khalil for durga.

12. THE CASE OF THE HALF-WAKENED WIFE

>>>>Heera accusing AMK for her sister's death.

13. THE CASE OF THE SILENT PARTNER

>>>>AMK - he set everything for Heera and moved on

14. THE CASE OF THE SUBSTITUTE FACE

>>>>AMK - shehzaade and Khalil are real culprits, while Heera blames AMK.

15. THE CASE OF THE BAITED HOOK

>>>>The Farmaan - luring everyone after it

16. THE CASE OF THE POSTPONED MURDER.

>>>>Heera - khalil wanting revenge