Parineeta and some other thoughts

I just finished reading Parineeta by Saratchandra Chattopadhyay. I have been trying to get a copy of this book ever since I saw the movie which starred Vidya Balan and Saif Ali Khan. Somehow It was impossible. The book stores I checked never had an English translation. Finally my beloved sister-in-law gave me a collection of works by  Saratchandra Chattopadyay .( One of the best gifts I have ever received indeed)

So I finally read the book. I absolutely adore the style and depiction. But somehow it didn't make my heart warm like I thought it would. I am generally blind in my devotion to bengali novels of pre -independence era , I am a hopeless romantic who never get sick of love stories and I did enjoy the movie. But....
May be my expectations were high and may be I am really put off by the fact that Sekhar is a 25 year old man and Lalita is a 13 year old girl whom he tutors. So they didn't quite sit and write and compose 'Piyu Bole' they way they did in the movie.

 Can a 25 year old man really fall in love with a 13 year old. I know the story is set in Calcutta in the early decades of 20th century. Child marriage was quite the norm those days. But suppose if this happened in recent times wouldn't we just call Sekhar a 'pervert'? Especially since he was her tutor. Take the part where Lalita worries about repaying Sekhar all the money she owes him. He looks at her and says it is actually getting repaid.. Really? And when she accidentally garlands him in what is supposed to be a 'doll's wedding' he tells her what shouldn't have happened has happened and they cannot revoke it. He even goes on to kiss her and she doesn't protest as she is convinced that  he owns her now. Really...?

This actually makes me think. If this was love where do we draw the line. Whats is love and What is perversion?

Just saying hello

                                                            I started this off a million times but somehow never really got a grip. I really do mean to do this from now on. Aahh Perseverance - That is what we need.

Navneeth went to school.. So I sit here on my balcony looking at the trees below. Its interesting how the leaves move with the wind. Sometimes the leaves of the oak stay stubborn even when all the maple trees are dancing around it. I wonder why..

They warn you of this very day when you quit your job to take care of your precious new born. Suddenly you have plenty of time and you don't know what to do. May be you regret your decision of leaving the job, may be you don't , but certainly you have some re-inventing to do.You can immerse yourself in household chores,  or find the copy of your resume from that long forgotten 'work' folder and try to get back on track. Or just sit back on the balcony and let the quietness take over you.    

 I did have a plan. And as an Engineer I was trained to work according to plans. I certainly had a plan four years ago on my last day at work when I sat at the cafeteria looking at the Manhattan skyline across the river. But somehow life didn't quite go as I planned. Life runs on a different kind of software. It was high time that I realized that.

 I have learnt to love this life on the detour. I had a wonderful time in India roaming around the paddy fields with Navneeth. He used to love throwing stones in water.Now after coming to Germany, we have redefined our comradeship and idea of leisure. He does have the habit of driving me crazy at times, but which 3 (and a half) year old doesn't?

 What next? That is the big question.Hope I find the answer to it.