Priya Sufi

Finished reading "Priya Sufi" and like Subin's other novel, finished it within 24 hours; in-fact within 12 hours-- in one sitting. Honestly, I am among those who has been following his write-ups from his very first publication, Katha ki Patra. I find Subin's writing similar to Mr. Chetan Bhagat's writing and have their all books in my small collection. 

Well, talking about "Priya Sufi", when I bought the book; I had prejudiced the story line. Same college romance that talks about love, romance, separation, realization and happy ending but, I was wrong;(let me correct myself) I was partially correct. He has penned down a beautiful message through Sada and Sufi's beautiful relationship this time. Speaking bluntly, I hadn't expected this from Mr. Bhattarai.

Starting with the novel, I felt like I was back to my high school and was witnessing the college romance between Sada and Sarthak myself. Their story made me nostalgic and probably I must have been blushing as I could relate this part of the story with my high school crush story. I felt like I was one of the students of TriChandra, attending the classes daily and commuting the streets around the campus premise with purple Jacaranda. The detailed description of the setting is what I like about Subin's write-up as a reader. I felt like I was riding the red pleasure with Sada and was there when Sarthak was tested to prove his love for her. 

Then, amidst the beautiful love-story going on, happens the misfortune when Sada is slowly bedridden from supposedly acute rheumatic fever. This also highlights the medical system of our country. This must be what Dr. Govinda K.C. is fighting against. The case diagnosis done by Dr. Sharma and Dr. Gupta affected Sada's life that jeopardized as well as built Sada. 

The sad story of Sada teaches us the value of family. Even those who claim to love us forever 

are temporary but our family stays with us through our thick or thin and shield us against all the negativity of life. Love and respect to family. 

However, I felt this part a bit lengthy and boring and was so curious to know the ending that I just skimmed and skipped most of the lines and paragraphs. 

While going through the lines, I was missing the Sufis of my life. I was literally sobbing because I was missing my Sufis who are Saat Samundra paari and we don't know when we're going to be together. Sada was arrogant that she never respected her Sufi and was always resentful to her but I'm in awe of my Sufis. Not that comparing my life with Sada would make any difference, but I hated Sada for her bitterness. Anyways, they say everything is well that ends well and later Sada comprehends the preciousness of Sufi which finally brought smile to my face. 

Then intertwined with the above content is the main plot/message of the novel. Somewhere it is mentioned that it's courageous to live than to take life away. I've myself gone through that phase in my life when nothing was going good or the way I wanted it to flow and thought the life was not worth living but never had the courage to take my life. Yes, it takes a lot to take life but most importantly, it takes a lot to live, to face the ups and downs of life, to deal with success and failures, achievements and rejections--- hell yeah! it takes a lot of courage to deal with all those. Life is beautiful, frustrating at times but worth living with smiles and frowns.

Not everything is rosy and merry all the time. I just hate it when writers describe the female protagonist of their stories as if they were as perfect as the angels. When Subin described Sada as a spring rose with her curly hair and juicy strawberry lips; I felt my 4'10" stature with short hairstyle and chubby cheeks with bulky tummy is worthless and sadly, I can do nothing about it. It makes me feel insecure and sad when writers stereotype the beauty of women and forget few women like me who are imperfectly perfect.


   At the end, few lines from "Priya Sufi" close to my heart:

"म आजमा बाँच्ने मान्छे हुँ। भविष्य मलाई थाहा छैन।  तर हरेक आजमा म तिमीलाई प्रेम गर्छु।  आजको दिन हेर।  आजलाई महसुस गर। आज प्रेम गर। भोलि भन्नु त के हो र ? यहि आजकै निरन्तरता न हो।  अहिले तिमी घर पुगेपछि तिमी के गर्छौ , के गर्दैनौ , यो तिमीलाई थाहा हुँदैन भने सुदुर भविष्यका कुराहरुको अड्कलबाजी गरेर नचाहिदो सुखको भ्रम लिनु पनि बेकार हो र दुख्खको आंकलन गरि निराश हुनु पनि बेकार हो। " , Sarthak

Subin, "मन यस्तो धागो हो, जहाँ सपनाकै मालाहरु ज्यादा उनिञ्छन। सदाले आफ्नो मनको धागोमा पनि सार्थक नाउँको सपनालाई थुँगा थुँगा उनकी थिई। "

"म डरसँग डराउने मान्छे होइन। म जितलाई पनि जित्ने मान्छे हूँ", सार्थक।

सुबिन, "उसलाई आमा शब्द नै बिरानो लाग्दै जान थालेको थियो।  आमा उसलाई छाया जस्तै लाग्न थालेको थियो।  हेर्दा हेर्दै आमा आकाश भइन् , आकार बद्लिएको बादल भइन्।  आमा एउटा धुन मात्र भइन्, जसलाई केवल गुनगुनाउन मात्रै सम्भव भएको थियो । "

"सपना पनि विपनामा घटेका ससाना घटनाहरुको उपज न हो। विपना नै कम्जोर भएपछि सपना कमसल किन नहोस ? विऊ नै खराब भएपछि बिरुवा असल कहाँ बाट होस् ? मान्छेको नियति नै कमजोर भएपछि सपनाको के जोर चलोस् ?"

"जिन्दगी सोचे जस्तो कसैको हुँदैन। तर जिन्दगीमा सोच्नै छाड्नु चाहिं कसैले हुन्न। "

"दुख्न बाँकी एउटा ठाउँ थियो , मन।  त्यो पनि उसले दुखाएर गयो।  शरिरभरिका दुखाईहरु कम थिए र यातना दिन लाई ? त्यसले नपुगेर माया गरिरहेको मन पनि दुख्ने भयो।  मन मात्र बाँकी थियो, जब सारा शरिर दुख्दा पनि त्यहि मनले कसैलाई खुसुक्क प्रेम गर्थी। एउटा ठाउँ त बाँकी थियो , जहाँ ऊ आफैँलाई महसुस गर्थी।  यहि एउटा ठाउँ थियो , जहाँ ऊ आफूलाई मात्र होइन , सार्थकलाई समेत ल्याएर राख्थी र सुरक्षाको एउटा परिधि खिचेकी थिई।  अब न त्यहाँ सार्थक थियो , न ऊ रहन सकी।  थियो त अन्धकार। भुइचालो पछि चर्किएका घरहरु जस्तो , भत्किएपछि रहेका खण्डहरहरु जस्तो। "

"बस् !ऊ दुखाईमा छे।  दुख्ने नाउँमा आज एउटा नयाँ ठाउँ थपिएको थियो।  जो उसको दुखाईको मलम बन्ला भन्ने थियो , ऊ आफैँले थप एउटा ठाउँमा कोपरेर गएको थियो। "

"बाँच्न चाहिँ हिम्मत चाहिन्छ। मर्नु भनेको त जीवन सिध्याउनु हो।  बिगार्नु, भत्काउनु हो। बाँच्नु भनेको बनाउनु हो, आफ्नै जीवन।  संसारमा बिगार्ने मान्छेलाई हिम्मत भएको भनिन्न, बनाउनेलाई, सपार्नेलाई भनिन्छ। जतिसुकै भत्केको भए तापनि आफ्नो जीवन बनाउने प्रयास गरिरहने मानिस नै महान हुन्", अदिति।

"एउटा मृत्यु सबैको जीवनमा पर्खेको हुन्छ। तर पनि कसैकसैलाई हतारो हुन्छ। मानौं मृत्यु लोकसेवाको फारम हो, जुन म्याद सकिएपछि भर्नुको कुनै औचित्य छैन। मानौं एकपल्ट मर्न नपाए ,फेरि सधैँका लागि अवसरबाट वन्चित भइनेछ। 

(P.S.: Again, this isn't a review. I don't review books. These are my feelings after I read the book)