Review of "Sita's Curse- The Language of Desire"

About Author:

A prolific poet, an intrepid traveller and an incurable fashionista, Sreemoyee Piu Kundu has made her literary debut with Faraway Music, published by Hachette to hit stands in January 2013. Sreemoyee held Senior Editorial positions in The Asian Age, New Delhi, The Bombay Times, Mid-day Bangalore, India Today (Spice), Metro Now and Times Life, Times of India, New Delhi. She is also the Recipient of the Author Award by the Indian Council of UN Relations, from the Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit on the occasion of Women’s Day.

Plot: 4/5

The plot revolves around a Gujarati girl Meera Patel, who is married off to Mohan Patel in Mumbai. Meera’s twin brother Kartik is the only one, who gives feeling of safety and completeness to Meera.  Meera has alluring body and she suffers with the common problem of Indian woman. Not loved and satisfied by husband, Meera comes across an adult website, where she meets a guy, who will change her life. 

Characters: 4.5/5

Meera Patel: A Gujarati girl of small village. Role of Sita played by her, chases her life.

Mohan Patel: He represents patriarchal society of India, who mistreats his beautiful and younger wife to hide his own impotency.

Kartik: Kartik is twin brother of Meera, who is her only companion and torch bearer.

Yousuf: Meera’s physical as well as emotional hunger is satisfied by him.

Amarkant Maharaj: This character somehow reminds and represents the famous Gujarati guru, who is going under trial now a days. Description of this character, seems justifying acts of the Guru.

Bansri: He is younger brother of Mohan. He is the only person in family, who understands Meera and behaves nicely to her.

Vrinda : Wife of Bansi, she belongs to rich family of Gujarat. After death of Bansi, she starts working and makeovers herself.

Ba: A character which presents stereotype saas of Indian culture.

There are also minor characters like Chotu, Ramesh, Tarana, Mrs. Deshmukh, who play minor but important roles.

Writing Style: 3/5

Sita’s Curse-the language of desire is second novel of Sreemoyee Piu Kundu. Author has thrown light on the dark secrets of a woman, who seems a simple woman with no demands. Author has presented a woman’s emotions so well. Meera’s journey starts as a maiden and continues till loss of her love. Very sensitive topic of chatting on adult websites is discussed here. It is considered as sin to watch this kind of stuff, but leaving your wife’s desires unsatisfied and ignoring it, is not a sin. If she contacts a Gigolo, who satisfies her not only physically but also emotionally, than it is sin. But sending her to any Maharaj, to hide one’s impotency is not sin. This novel brings out the nakedness of Patriarchal society, where a girl is married off to a man who is quite older than her. This man is not able to satisfy her emotional as well physical. Meera’s quest for satisfaction takes her into a world, where she gets satisfaction, yet deserted by her ill fate. In some parts narration seems unnecessarily stretched and description of love making provides the base for theme of love, Erotica.

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