I agree with you all that Sona's pressure is pushing Dev towards Ishwari, just as the latter's pushed him towards Sona, but I just don't see this as Sona's mistake. They entered this relationship as equals and it is not Sona's responsibility to mollycoddle Dev and make sure her timing is right. As some of you mentioned, she herself is learning all of these skills this for the first time, and there was no choice in it for her since she had to leave her mother, so why shouldn't she ask that Dev participate and help her out? If they start now, they can share the workload as time goes on, or at least, in case Ishwari is unable to help one day (because maybe she is sulking again, or sleeping) Dev will be able to manage without turning their room upside down.
When Dev told Sona she could do whatever she needed to make the room feel like "their room," he wasn't doing her a favour; he was correcting an oversight. And the needs Sona eventually expressed are hardly anything: one corner with her swing and some colour, and for Dev to be able to take care of his own wardrobe. Even in this she is being super encouraging, leaving that note for him and all, but for Dev, it's already too much to ask. At the first hint of having to do something for Sona that doesn't immediately please him, Dev ran off to his mother to be soothed and pampered and told that he is perfect just the way he is... I mean, COME ON! Dev is an intelligent, sensitive person when he wants to be, which makes it doubly disappointing that he is making such a huge deal out of finding a pair of socks.
I see this as a pretty simple matter: Sona is learning how to manage their new life, and she wants Dev to participate so they can work together. What is actually complicated is the way people choose to talk about it. Neither did I appreciate the sisters' "joru ka ghulam" comment, nor did I like Bijoy's choice of "training" as a way to describe what Sona is asking for. The problem with both of these ideas is the assumption that the husband does no domestic work, and therefore that the wife's demand for equal sharing is subordination of the husband, as though she is making him do work that is beneath his dignity. It's clear that even Dev feels this way, otherwise he would have applied his intelligence and made light work out of such a simple task.
So let him whine and run to Ishwari, but we'll see what happens the next time she forces him to do something against his will, and he is emotionally vulnerable. Maybe he'll find his safe space a little more hostile than he left it because of his own neglect. Why should Sona constantly be there for him when he doesn't see fit to return the favour? She doesn't exist only to make his life easier, and if his reaction to her modest demands is to run to his mother, then so be it, but don't expect Sona to start playing this game where she competes with Ishwari for his attention!
Edited by Samanalyse - 8 years ago