Sita's Curse : The Language of Desire by Sreemoyee Piu Kundu

Somewhere, behind closed doors, in her solitary world; somewhere, under the sheets with an indifferent lover; Somewhere, is a woman who will not be denied. 

Trapped for fifteen years in the stranglehold of a dead marriage and soulless household domesticity, the beautiful, full-bodied and passionate Meera Patel depends on her memories and her flights of fancy to soothe the aches that wrack her body; to quieten an unquenchable need. Until one cataclysmic day in Mumbai, when she finally breaks free... Bold, brazen and defiant, Sitas Curse looks at the hypocrisy of Indian society and tells the compelling story of a middle-class Indian housewives urgent need for love, respect, acceptance and sexual fulfillment.




Some books you read with an expectation , some with doubts. I picked this book with both in equal measures.  I would like to call this book a mix of poetry and prose , the poetry erupting in flashes like Meera's strength to keep her marriage working. She wants to be loved and more than that perhaps she needs to be desired , its said. This made me wonder , is it not the feeling of being desired that binds one to his or her partner. Of course there is a lot of love but can it withstand the waves of unfulfilled desires ?

Some of the incidents in the book seem far fetched , but Sreemoyee keeps the flow of the events as reaction to Meera's life in her husband's home. Beautiful or not , every woman has wants , both physical and emotional. Every woman deserves respect and truth from her partner . Without all this , there are bound to be regrets and complaints. But inspite of all this , Meera doesn't loses herself , doesn't cries herself to misery but instead works to be independent and supports the house ably in best possible ways.

The first part of the book describes Meera's life in her father's home with her twin brother Kartik , and that bond somehow defines all her life. From surrendering to a life less wedding and then finally walking out of it , she never forgets her brother , her best friend and partner. 

This was a difficult book to read , specially the erotic parts of the book. They can be little uncomfortable at times but its liberating too. That is a feeling I can not express too well but I can still thank the author for this wonderful book.

Rating : 4/5

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