Knot -Untangle the Knots The book titled ‘Knot - Untangle the Knots’ presents the trajectory of lives of Tasha, Zana and Lena and those around them through various life situations; handling those in their diverse commitments which create complexities in their own lives and those around them. These life situations are reflected through story situations in ‘UNFORGIVEN’ (Tasha), ‘INTRIGUE’ (Zana), ‘RESTLESS SOUL’ (Lena). These reflect how all the actors ‘Untangle the Knots’ of Life. These are blend of reminiscences, discomforting observations about marriage and family life in Indian society moving towards blend of traditions and modernity. It is darts and thrusts of life throughout against US and THEM narratives. The stories develop on four narrative arcs: Problem is of marital discord; a woman’s struggle to live an independent dignified life against all odds. A late realization that if woman is financially independent, she has the ability to live life on her own terms. No matter what life throws at you, you should have the ability to take care of yourself and the people you love. Second narrative arc of the story develops on the complexities of remarriage of a woman in Indian society. Apparently society profess being liberal but actually rejects the person and the sanctity attached to the second marriage. No acceptance. The third arc is Clash of personalities, the mad cravings to suffer, hedonistic Vs sadistic trends which are other predominant scenarios around which story develops. The fourth most significant arc focus is the path of empowerment of Tasha, Zana and Lena who have taken diverse routes to achieve it. They grew up as ordinary women with aspirational dreams. Strength they gained from these pushed them to achieve higher for Others. They believed ‘If we want to walk fast we walk alone. If we want to walk far we walk together’. Together they wanted to EMPOWER other WOMEN Their life stories have envisioned and are actual reflections of who they are and what choices they could make. Strength they gained from these push them to achieve higher for Others. v These multigeneration stories are of Nurture and Torture; Life of Sorrows and Regrets; Perspectives and Memories. Their stories conjure the pain of broken dreams, the power of myths and the strength of love that enables them to revive in memory what they have lost in grief. Life story can be transformative, healing and comforting. Memories are relived, lessons learned, and family Legacies and Aspirations are talked about. Life moves back and forth many times. There are persistent ways, characters in the book squander love, hatred, and pain when life moves back and forth. The trajectory of empowerment of three women Tasha, Zana and Lena in Unforgiven, Intrigue, Restless Soul narratives, anecdotes and storylines have taken diverse routes to achieve it. They grew up as ordinary women with aspirational dreams. Their life stories have envisioned and are actual reflections of who they are and what choices they could make. Author persuades the audience - the readers to concur with situations and emotions depicted in the book. An evaluation of the relative emphasis given to each of the characters in this human drama highlights motive for the behavior of its characters and suggests his/her worldview and the ensuing behavior. Knot - Untangle the Knots presents the compelling stories and characters of mixed genre. Entangled in the web of events, there was no safe getting out of the tangles. More, they tried, more they were pursued, more they were being pushed down in the mud slush. It delves into both the richness and plurality, conventional and modern practices within Indian society and the urgent need for better understanding of its conflicts as it is impossible to live without failing at something without treading on them. It narrates the lives of women growing in 1920’ in 40’s, 60’s, 2000 and further decades. The life of women in 1920’s though touched briefly in the book shapes the background for aspirations and dreams for 60’s women. For 60s women life is about solving problems, and every obstacle is the way forward by untangling knots of life through reasons and unreasoned voices. Probably the change in social values happened more due to social structural changes around the world though education and economic independence of women supported by both national and global media. There are three protagonists in ‘UNFORGIVEN’ story who interact to create challenging conflicts by their mental travesties of distortion and paradoxes of reality to self and others. vi First protagonist Tasha is happy in her aspirational middleclass family. But suffered because of the 2nd Protagonist Neil’s emotional blockades and her own empathetic penchant for sufferings for others. She suffered because of 3rd Protagonist and anti-Protagonist Yug’s opportunism and family complexities. All said and done she was too innocent, vulnerable and immature for this kind of deceptions in marriage; and to deal with Neil and Yug characters. Tasha experiences the social boundaries, but through rosy lens she wants to experience the life changing and transformative strategies. She fails miserably because of two main male counter characters Neil & Yug who put spokes to her dreams, aspirations, and freedom for life. The mental traps created by them clouded her judgements. She could not forgive THEM as well their ACTS. In ‘INTRIGUE’ story, Zana is looking back at her life; enmeshed with Tasha, her very close childhood friend. Both are growing in upcoming middleclass aspirational family. Zana achieves the heights of life because she is bold, risk taking; whereas Tasha suffers to the end in love, marriage and life because she is not bold. She realized this at the end –and that is too late to mend life. The rising actions in a series of events in Zana and Tasha life complicate life events for both of them but in different ways since they venture into diverse paths to live those lifetime events. Point of greatest tension in Tasha life happens when she chose to steer into different actions to mend her life with voices of reason and unreason. Whereas, Zana is tense when she realizes at the end of life; she has failed to inspire family values in her children. Every one of her three children is selfish to the core and plans to deceive other siblings. That is the sad turning point of her life but in few moments she will be no more. In ‘Restless Soul’ story, Lena craved for domestic bliss and happiness by marrying Raj, but she has to go through nightmares of everyday drama of violence - physical and mental tortures which goaded her to seek divorce and the human dignity of life. But in the long run she felt cheated by life. The layers of depressions covered her mind because of violence and mistrust. Her emotionally charged stories, life experiences act as portals into her inner world and her spiritual quest as a powerful tool in understanding her personal challenges. Restless Soul is a deeper story of transcendental journey for Lena. In the story, her spiritual quest and spiritual communication is highlighted, it is addendum to her life story since it is through these she manages the challenges of her life and also empowers other women through it. The practical applications of spiritual philosophies opened a new vista to end restlessness of her Soul. vii Lena’s life highlights contemplative life, demystifying religious life which brought stability to her identity. Lena’s Carefree soul transpired to Restless soul in search of Truth, Happiness and Compassion, Peace and Calm. Through Spiritual Quest and Psychic Visions – Restlessness was managed well and gone. Lena’s ways of empowering women is different from Tasha and Zana. She seeks to empower the women through spiritual quest. She focused on building her own capacities to receive the spiritual ways and helping others to build such receiving capacities. ‘Be with me steadily, patiently, tread gently to share my spiritual quest.’ It is an Endearing Celebration of life -Tender, Insightful and Surprising; a Spiritual Quest that turned incredibly traumatic. A thoughtful but jolting reminder that Sometimes the person who loves us most Knows us better than we Ourselves. That is how Lena Celebrated her Life to the End Author wants Readers to go through arduous journey of Tasha, Zana, Lena Life. For Zana, Tasha and Lena events unfold in different directions to untangle the multiple knots of life which started with a single Knot. Some can forgive an Act but cannot forgive the Person. But some cannot forgive both the Person and the Act as the hurts are too deep. This power thread runs through the relationships and create Knot & Untangled Knots Tasha of ‘Unforgiven’; Zana of Intrigue, and Lena of ‘Restless soul’ reflect how they ‘Untangle the Knots’ of Life. Yug & Neil & Tasha, Dev & Zana, Lena & Raj created those knots. A KNOT is created through traumatic agendas of life, pain darts and thrusts. But to UNTANGLE it though Voices of Reason &Unreason; more KNOTS get created. This is how book moves on Book presents the trajectory of three life stories enmeshed in Intrigues, Unforgiven, Restless Soul woven together with Knots. The inspiration is from real life but no semblance with anyone living or dead is written intentionally.