News
India
Why is society labelling extra-marital affairs as forbidden love?: Ravinder Singh
14 Oct 2016, 10:15 am
Kolkata, Oct 14 (NITN): Speaking at the launch of his new book in Kolkata, This Love That Feels Right, Ravinder Singh, questioned the audience about the hypocrisies prevalent in the society.
Why does society label extra-marital affairs as forbidden love? the author asked the audience.
The book launch was hosted by Starmark, in association with Penguin Books India, at their South City Mall outlet, Kolkata.
Talking about the plot of the book, Ravinder Singh said, “There are different shades of love that are inherent in us. Attractions or getting attracted to someone is as natural as falling in love; one has rarely any control in monitoring one’s own fascinations, it happens innately.”
.jpg)
“But we have the tendency of subduing open marriages and initiating a process of extra-marital affair secretly, in the fear of becoming an outcast from the society. But our society has got no right to condemn those people as ‘anti-social animals’ just because they are holding an affair beyond the ritualistic social conventions,” he added.
“I am not pro-affair or against affair, but my point in this novel has been only to highlight those grey areas of the mind, where an attraction shapes naturally and a person can’t deal frankly with that, just because of the hollow rituals in which they are demarcated."
"In the title, 'This Love That Feels Right', by the word ‘This’ I meant the love that is forbidden,” he added.
Speaking about his two central characters in the novel, Naina and Malvika, he said, “Both Naina and Malvika are young women, married and in extra-marital relationships. Whereas Naina is guilty of her practice because she is deceiving her husband, Malvika is absolutely unbiased. In fact she is proud that she is honest and into an open marriage with her husband, where she can enjoy every extent of freedom.”
.jpg)
“But the only difference is where Naina is having an extra marital affair due to the outcome of need as she is deprived of love, Malvika believes that it is just one life and it is better to grab every bit of happiness and adventure from it. The ending of the book is all about a debate to the reader whether he/she is in favour of Naina or in favour of Malvika,” he said.
Asked about why he specifically chose women characters for his work on extra-marital relationships, Ravinder said, ”I purposefully chose women’s voices and rejected men to be a practitioner of holding affairs outside marriage because the patriarchal society has the inclination of categorizing men as ‘dogs’ and treating prostitution as a business with male clients.”
“But 21st century women enjoy economic freedom and the right to strive for equal rights with men, so I land up sensitizing with women’s emotions and their needs,” he said.
The book is priced at Rs. 175.
(Reporting by Aninnya Sarkar)
More News
- USA: Santoor Ashram Kolkata mesmerises Los Angeles with a celebration of Indian classical music
- India Setu curtain raiser showcases AI, healthcare, and conservation as drivers of global collaboration
- Feminist pioneer Abala Bose was both a subscriber and critique of colonial ideas: Author Saptarshi Mallick
- Rotary Club of Belur strengthens Kolkata healthcare with donation to Ramkrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan
- India Humanity Foundation launches “Padho Bharat 2025” literacy campaign
- Kolkata: Mega health camp transforms lives in Ultadanga slum with free multi-specialty services
- 'Music Meets Bells' returns: New York to witness divine confluence of sound and movement
- SonaSPEED motors power NASA–ISRO synthetic aperture radar mission
- London to host maiden thought leadership summit IndiSetu to boost India-UK innovation and cultural ties
- From Loom to Label: Sona College of Tech’s Fashion Tech department powering innovation and careers
Air New Zealand to host one ...
Air New Zealand has announced plans to host a live inflight concert, ‘SYNTHONY in the Sky’, on Dec 4 aboard Flight NZ1331 from Auckland to Sydney.
Qatar Airways to commence o ...
Qatar Airways will move its New York operations to The New Terminal One at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in 2026. As part of the relocation, the airline plans to open a 15,000-square-foot lounge, its first dedicated facility in both New York City and the United States.
Air Canada flights remain g ...
All Air Canada planes remained grounded late Saturday despite the Canadian government intervening to end a strike called by cabin crew members that resulted in hundreds of flights being cancelled and triggered chaos, media reports said.