The Power of Music

Consider Pranab's interest in Bhangra dancing, a secret of his that was exposed to Aloka only after their divorce, which he hid from Aloka even while they were engaged. He first explains to Sujata in one of their times alone:

"Bhangra. Not even your sister knows about it. She's so much into classical music and dancing that I can't bring myself to tell her. What little music training I've had is also classical. But recently I have become interested in traditional village dancing...When I am dancing... I feel at one with the simplest of people. Too often we look down on the, and forget that they're essential to our prosperity; indeed to our very own survival." (35)

Pranab has revealed in Sujata the less reserved, more emotional side of himself through his interest in dancing, which dismisses the prim and proper of what Aloka, a representation of the perfect Hindu wife, clings so tightly to. His relationship with Sujata is also, if anything, less controlled and more impulsive--oh, and it's an affair. But his love for dance seems to dig in too deep into his emotions-- his love for Sujata, revealed through dance, overtakes him and severs his marriage with Aloka in New York. Aloka and Sujata both observe that he has only been thinking of Sujata all this time that he has been wed to Aloka. His youthful idealization which has inspired to start a revolution among the tea workers now transcends into music and thus his romance. Perhaps the "perfection" of Aloka's behavior as a Hindu wife has left the relationship static to him.

After the divorce, Aloka visits Pranab one time to accidentally observe him while he is in the middle of a dance. After he reveals to her that he has danced Bhangra before he and Aloka had even escaped Darjeeling embitters Aloka:

"An impenetrable, secretive look on Pranab's face confirmed Aloka's suspicion. When Sujata left Darjeeling, she took his dancing with her. At that instant Aloka had a revelation. Late at night, in deep sleep, when one is immersed in one's truth, she would curl up against Pranab and hear the uneven thump of his chest...That longing.... was for Sujata." (183)

But Sujata at this point in the story has pretty much been close to surpassing a dependence on Pranab's love, while Pranab, excited by the prospect of seeing Sujata again, decides to regress back into happier times, or the past, when he was well respected by many. His dancing and his music, through the powerful emotions that it has given him, has ultimately disillusioned him.

I absolutely love music, but...

Well, music is certainly portrayed in what initially appears to be a positive light, as shown in a passage where the book, in Aloka's point of view, describes the joy that it instills in her:

"Music had always been a passion of hers and even now she practiced every week. Music helped her come in touch with her many emotions." (20)

Aloka and Pranab fall for each other (or at first) in large part due to their common passion for music. Aloka and Pranab enjoy playing traditional instruments and singing more traditional Indian music. Through music and melodic, lyrical words, they express to each other their romance to each other.

Despite the overflow of passion and emotion that music instills in Aloka and Pranab, it must be kept in mind that firstly, Aloka had pursued music partly because of her grandmother, Nina:

"A more likely explanation of Grandma's generosity might have been that the marriage potential of a girl in the present society improved if she could sing. Grandma had made sure that Aloka, throughout her adolescence, was given extensive training, and it had paid off handsomely.Theses days, whenever friends and relatives gathered, Aloka was asked to perform." (47-48)

Also, Aloka, as Sujata puts it, is the more popular of the two sisters, and more accepted by the traditions of Indian society:

"And from the family's point of view it was heartening that when the itme came for Aloka to take over the tea estate, the experienced and capable Pranab would be there to see that the operation ran smoothly. What better person for the job? Sujata rankled that there appeared to be no place for her in this blissful picture." (30)

The more opinionated and reserved Sujata is marginalized by her society, whereas Aloka fits in perfectly-- her expertise in music does plenty to help. While music gives Aloka freedom, it seems to suppress the less musically able Sujata. But at the same time, as Aloka is raised to be the perfect Indian wife, music truly serves as a more traditional and almost superficial role into the lives of the characters.While that emphasizes the importance of music to Indian culture, it forces Aloka into a specific role that she is expected to play to maintain her status-- a requisite that she soon dismisses later in the book.