Difficult Daughters: A Dream Of Over A Decade
Well for me, it happened recently, and my reaction was a state of ecstacy and immense joy. There is this novel called 'Difficult Daughters' by Manju Kapur, that I wanted and wished to read for years but wasn't able to get my hand on it. Finally after more than a decade, I was able to find that book online. I obviously purchased it instantly and read it immediately after recieving it. The joy and ecstacy might seem like a foolish overreaction to getting hold of 'just a book', but imagine yourself wanting to get something and wishing for it for about half of your life. And then you suddenly get it. However insignificant the desire might seem to others, but to the person desiring it, it means a lot. And I'm sure it is a very relatable situation.
So, Difficult Daughters is a wonderful story set in the era of partition. Virmati, a girl from a respectable family tends to take life into her own hands, but mostly fails. However, the determination, which sometimes manifests itself as stubbornness, leads her to the desired status, of marrying professor Harish. But, during her journey from being the eldest sister in the family, who looked after her siblings like a mother, from being an ideal daughter to her parents, to becoming a rebel, to set out to Lahore for higher studies, the twists and turns that she encounters, make her a totally different person. Interestingly, the story is being narrated by the protagonist's daughter.
At some point, the story becomes the story of any small town girl, who has to struggle to get through her life,and the life of this girl is aptly described. At times, you feel a sense of appreciation for the courageous protagonist, while at other times you feel pity for the consequences of her decisions.
Anyways, the girl shows strength and willpower in standing for what she thought was right for her. Some of her decisions were morally wrong and unacceptable, so much so that she goes against the entire societal structure for what she thinks was the right thing to do. This led to her complete isolation from her own family as well as her in-laws, but the resolute nature of her ideas and thought process kept her going.
Just like everyone has their own ideas of right and wrong, Virmati also did what she felt like doing. Her only weakness was Harish, who, knowingly and unknowingly made her go through immense pain, heartbreaks, shame and condemnation. He himself was torn between family duties and love, leading to the injustice that he brought upon Virmati.
This tale of a simple girl and her transformation after encountering the ups and downs of life takes you on an emotional roller coaster ride.
And for me, it was a memorable read as it was one of the two long awaited books that I always wanted to read.
Have you ever had such experience where you achieved something that you had desired for long. Do share your experiences in the comments. Do share your thoughts about this novel.
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