Secrets and sins of Jaishree Misra
Riva finds herself back at that crossroads in life 15 years ago, choosing between Aman and Ben. The encounter with Aman now brought the incredible possibility of a fantastic flight from the boring routine her married life had become. Ben represented the more down-to-earth side of Riva, where she played important roles as wife, daughter, sister, and friend. Jaishree Misra boldly writes about the male-female relationship in his novel “Secrets and Sins.” It is a daring triangle that she presents of husband, wife and former lover. The novel escapes from being clumsy and hackneyed since the emotions of the protagonists are managed aesthetically, leaving aside the sexual nuances.
Despite the daring title “Secrets and Sins”, it focuses more on the emotional bond of marriage than on the physical aspect. Jaishree also introduces us to the marriages of Kaaya, Susan, Aman, and Riva to help us compare and contrast the types of marriages and how they work. His characterization is excellent since we are aware of what each character thinks and that helps build our empathy. However, the story is a cliché; an old wine in a new bottle but with an innovative handling. The little twist she puts on the culture where the westernized Susan is more conservative than the traditionally educated Riva leads us to the idea that attitude shapes personality. Jaishree has also shed light on what happens when men are less successful than women and how patriarchal attitudes raise their ugly heads. Marriage is definitely the major focus of the story, but relationships leave a lasting impression on our minds.
Riva was one of the comfortable second-generation kids living in the UK who came in and out of their two worlds, taking what they wanted from both. It was in 1994 that Aman and Riva met at the University of Leeds. She was a mob, a pamphlet-thrower, an eloquent platform speaker, who recruited the rookie, newly joined with Aman in her cause. A brief attraction had erupted between them, and then Riva had returned to her witty and intellectual friend Ben. Riva confides to her close friend Susan that they were very culturally separated, but she mistook her fascination that he was Indian, for love. Riva and Ben had a lot more in common than Aman. Yet something had kept that poignant memory alive between them in the distance spanning continents and time for 15 years.
Aman is a famous movie star now. Riva is an award-winning and acclaimed writer. She was quite used to seeing some of Aman’s movies twice, even three times, and it always amazed her that the longing for him hadn’t disappeared. Riva thought Aman looked quite beautiful up there on the movie screen. Ben and Riva’s marriage traverse rocky terrain and Ben has his own dragons to kill. You are struggling to make your mark in the field of writing, having quit your job to do so. The love in your marriage has dried up. His male ego has reared its ugly head when Riva is celebrated and celebrated. Riva reveals to Susan that he is a bit grumpy as she is receiving recognition when her own career has come to a halt.
Ben tortures himself by wondering, how could Riva not fail to notice the difference between his failure and the success of Aman Khan? Ben knew that something dark about Aman Khan had captured Riva’s heart all those years ago, never allowing her to forget it. He also knew that if he could muster some energy, he would bring the shine back to his marriage. The attraction between Aman and Riva ignites when they get together at the Cannes film festival. Riva can’t help but fall in love with Aman again. The only way we can rationalize Riva’s little indiscretion with Aman is through Susan, who feels that Riva has never been as conservative in her views on marriage as herself. It’s heartwarming the way Jaishree has brought to life the tenuous bond that friends share. This novel exhibits one of the most beautiful friendships that two women can have; between Riva and Susan; one that nurtures and supports each other.
Riva wouldn’t have slept with Aman if she hadn’t been in love with him. However, adultery was so wrong, it was wrong to even think of it as love. Riva has to intellectualize his reaction and discover that it was the idea of his lost Indian identity that appealed to him, and not Aman himself. Aman rationalizes that all long-term relationships go through bad phases and most of them succeed in the end. Ben had acknowledged that he had allowed his own frustrations to turn to jealousy, not just because of Riva’s writing career, but because of the life she was developing quite independently of him. This sends him back home to be there to greet Riva when he returns from Cannes. Susan, her friend, is her crutch; her ship in her sea of chaos, while she was with Ben she was home, where she belonged. When she returns to Ben and his love, it is as if Cannes and Aman have been nothing more than a bad dream.
“Secrets and Sins” is one of the most satisfying books I have read as it delved deep into the psyche of a woman, who is entangled in the web of adultery. The strength of a woman also emerged, who is able to sift the stone and the diamond and recognize it as it is. Riva is the evolved woman par excellence, who sees beyond physical attraction and connects with her heart, with the person with whom she is deeply in love; Ben. It is a love story that transcends restricted cultures and traditions.