ArHi FF:10:The BEASTS and the BLEEDING ROSES - Page 62

Dearest readers and Comrades,

I would like to thank anjs for opening up the assessment on a character who has most often been side-lined or neglected. Thankyou for bringing her up to the spotlight, anjs.

Payal Gupta or, as we know her now, Second Lady Payal Raizada.

To understand Payal, one would have to observe her in the light of her relationships.

Being the only biological progeny and considered the eldest among the two Gupta girls, Payal Gupta is clearly the treasure of her Babuji and Amma. One can say, she is her father's pet for he took care to nurture his daughter to be as gentle and forgiving as him.

Where Kushi is reckless, Payal is cautious.

Where Kushi dares, Payal stops to decide.

Where Kushi glories in defeating enemies, Payal prefers to have no enemies.

Where Kushi is restless, Payal is reserved.

Where Kushi is nuisance, Payal is diplomatic.

For Payal and Kushi, more than being sisters, they are friends. Just as they share happiness, they share eachothers' pain. Payal plays the role of a sister, friend and parent in Kushi's life: giving advices, sharing in jokes, teasing and sharing, sacrificing and sometimes even rebuking Kushi if the latter is found to be senseless. But she knows when to support her sister and you will have noticed that she never accused Kushi when Lord Arnav married her all of a sudden.

If you will remember, when Kushi had secrets, it was to Payal alone she confided them. Payal knows when Kushi hides something or is hurting inside. Payal always tries to reach out to her sister. Human as she is, Payal has worries and griefs that cannot always be kept secret. Her heart is not too strong to keep pain stocked up like Kushi.

She finds a good listener in her husband, telling him everything there is to be said, but there are some pains that cannot be shared with anyone, not even your husband. This she shares with her best friend: her sister, Kushi. The letter was an innocent expression of an honest heart. She was worried about her sister and how she must be finding it hard handling his demanding nature and so put forth the enquiry in the supposition that Kushi is already aware of his inclinations to return to the Castle. She would assume that Kushi knew about his wanting to go to the Castle if he left the Buaji's Cottage one morning in a carriage headed for the Industry.

Reserved, gentler, cautious, soft-hearted, generous, respectful, sacrificing: these are words that best describe Payal. But she is TOO soft. TOO silent in suffering. Which is the reason why she has to bear all the taunts from her mother-in-law. When she loses hope and gets frustrated, she turns for comfort to her husband or to Kushi, but that doesn't stop Payal from trying. She complains but she never accuses. She moans but she never curses. She cries but she never rebukes.

She is too forgiving, unlike Kushi who takes time to forgive.

Spineless? I don't know. I don't think so. She sprouts a spine when she needs it and if the one being hurt is someone she loves: when Lord Arnav brought in an unconscious Kushi into the house, she did raise her voice but respectfully.

She "respects" while being "stern" to a person. Unlike many other women characters who make a person feel low when accusing them.

You will get a glimpse into this "respectful while sprouting a spine" Payal after Chapter 239.

Once again, thank you anjs for expressing your views. Because of which I was able to pause and take a look at Payal too. Always looking forward to such thought-provoking comments.

Your Storyteller.