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Hira
Hira is left alone. After the untimely death of her mother she is coerced to marry into a family that she only knew about through conversations with her mother. She leaves the life she had in London landing in Ambala, India in the dead of night and is whisked away to the home of her husband and her in-laws. It is here that she meets with Dadi, her husband’s grandmother, a woman who rules the household with a fist of iron and will not allow anyone to breathe without her permission. Welcomed lovingly by her two sisters-in-law, an adoring grandfather and two wonderful brothers Hira finally finds a family that she had yearned for and soon begins to adapt her lifestyle to fit in.
219 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2013
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January 8, 2020
Akhtar’s novel ‘Hira’ tells an important story of one girl’s fight to retain her independence and sense of self in the face of the new set of rules, social moors and crushing patriarchy which she faces in India.
Raised in London and sent, upon her mother’s death, to India to meet with relatives who are little more than strangers to her, Hira is immediately forced into a marriage that has been arranged for her prior to her arrival.
As she navigates the new culture, hostile in-laws and her cold and quick-tempered husband, Hira’s strength and resilience in the face of such adversity marks her out as a female of extraordinary spirit, rendering her an inspiration, not only to the other girls around her, but to the reader him/herself.
‘Hira’ is a portal to the discovery and understanding of India, depicted here in all its vividness: the food, fashions, customs and philosophies. Undoubtedly, Xarina aids in our understanding of one of the very cultures and communities which make up our own multicultural one here in London.
As the novel moves towards its heartwarming conclusion, Xarina opens our eyes to a culture, as rich, sensual and beautiful as it is arguably backwards and oppressive.
Xarina reveals the underbelly of a typical Bollywood romance; the very real and current practice of arrange marriages confronts the reader, as does the conflict in traditions and practices between East and West. The plights of those females, such as Hira, who, even now in the 21st century, must struggle against a set of customs which do not allow for their autonomy, prove a stark contrast with that relative liberty which we enjoy in Britain today.
Yet the tale is one which reminds us that, even in the midsts of our despair, there is always hope to be found in the beauty of friendships forged, which bloom even in the dark and prove that all is not lost.
Ultimately ‘Hira’ is a story of friendship, family and love, and proves, once again, that it is the latter which conquers all.
Raised in London and sent, upon her mother’s death, to India to meet with relatives who are little more than strangers to her, Hira is immediately forced into a marriage that has been arranged for her prior to her arrival.
As she navigates the new culture, hostile in-laws and her cold and quick-tempered husband, Hira’s strength and resilience in the face of such adversity marks her out as a female of extraordinary spirit, rendering her an inspiration, not only to the other girls around her, but to the reader him/herself.
‘Hira’ is a portal to the discovery and understanding of India, depicted here in all its vividness: the food, fashions, customs and philosophies. Undoubtedly, Xarina aids in our understanding of one of the very cultures and communities which make up our own multicultural one here in London.
As the novel moves towards its heartwarming conclusion, Xarina opens our eyes to a culture, as rich, sensual and beautiful as it is arguably backwards and oppressive.
Xarina reveals the underbelly of a typical Bollywood romance; the very real and current practice of arrange marriages confronts the reader, as does the conflict in traditions and practices between East and West. The plights of those females, such as Hira, who, even now in the 21st century, must struggle against a set of customs which do not allow for their autonomy, prove a stark contrast with that relative liberty which we enjoy in Britain today.
Yet the tale is one which reminds us that, even in the midsts of our despair, there is always hope to be found in the beauty of friendships forged, which bloom even in the dark and prove that all is not lost.
Ultimately ‘Hira’ is a story of friendship, family and love, and proves, once again, that it is the latter which conquers all.
Displaying 1 of 1 review