Ladies Coupe- Anita Nair.

Oh Boy.....the Title of the book...does give a sneak preview of what it must be all about. Yes..its a story of 6 women who by circumstances are travelling in a ladies compartment. All 6 strangers to each other,leave after telling their life's turning point. The main lead of the story is Akhila whose name is Akhilendeshwari. She is the one who listens to all other women...and tries to apply their views and justifications in comparison to her own life.
The start of the story is a little slow, as it took time for me to gain interest and not keep the book down. But As soon as all the ladies started speaking up .....my interest rose until I was done with the whole book.

Akhila was from a humble family where she grew up amongst her parents and other siblings. She being the eldest, she was most looked upon. Her father was a humble man who did not get into office politics and diplomacy, hence did not grow in terms of financial standing perhaps. But, that is why Akhila Appa could sleep peacefully even on cemented floors, instead of other beureacrats who were wolfish in their wants in office and also had cozy mattresses to throw their weights on!Appa's death was what changed Akhila's life and that is when she somehow lost her identity as a woman and started living as a daughter, sister, colleaugue and an aunt later on. She started working in an income tax office. Her siblings studied and got married at the age they were suppose to. But Akhila's mother never bothered to mother her like her other daughter. Akhila too, in her daily quest to earn a living and forgot her womanhood, and just lived until she made friendship with her herself and neverending wants. In the compartment she heard stories on 4 different women of a variety of demographic and social backgrounds. Each one of them told their stories to Akhila to help her decide if a woman has the right and courage to live alone...or Not!

Jaanki- A typical house wife, who is caught between her husband and son's clashes. She takes her husband's side most of the time.

Sheela- A fourteen year old girl who does not like her father's way of approaching towards problems. At this tender age, she understood many things whereas..people around her never knew that.

Margaret- A lady who tells her story to make believe that it is not so..that women do need men to live their lives. She was married to somebody she chose and still their marriage did not work. Infact when her marriage did not work, people thought they were doing good, and when Margaret mended things her way....it went even smoother. She was loved by her husband just as an object to fulfill his desires. That I say, as he made her go through an abortion just to maintain her bodily beauty and physique. Until Margaret knew his intentions, it was too late...He had his own attitude, which he threw not only on her but others too. In her own way, she planned a way to make Ebby (her hubby).....so dependent on her..that he would need her in every step he takes. She was successful enough!(Read the book ..how ambushed Ebby:-))

Prabhadevi (PD)- This lady was a typical house wife married to a man to later on settles abroad. She tells Akhila how she got fascinated with the western culture where a woman was as liberated as a man. chaah"PD chaahti new york ki mahilaaon ki tarah vo bhi baal jhulaati huyi, aatmavishwaas se chale. Jaise unhein pata ho ki unehin kahaan jaaana hai aur vahaaan pahunche par unhein karna kya hai. Unke jeevan par unka adhikaar hai, kisi aur ka nahin. Aisi chaal...aisa aatmavishwaas, zindagi aur khubsoorti ka aisa gathjod, PD yehi ti apne liye".After coming to India she did live her life like the para above. But soon due to conservative attitudes in India, she came to GRAHINI Prabhadevi. And that too she enjoyed. Many incidence in her westernised way of living shows that her husband too appreciated her western approach towards life. Living like the intended way, she pondered on a wish of learning to swim. And decided anyhow she will accomplish it. And to my amaze..she does!......In this process she rediscovers her old carefree self who does not bother of what people will say. She is happy to meet herself again...:-)

Maarikolantu/Mary- 31 year old single parent, speaks about her journey from an innocent girl to a woman where she faces many hurdles and has been a rape victim. She is good friends with Sujata Akkaa.. a lady who is unhappy with her husbands behavior. Mary and Sujaata Akkaa....while sharing each others suffering....get close enough to fulfill each others physical needs which were left unsatisfied by their better halfs

.....Lastly ....Akhilaa....in the novel...she does have a pink state of emotions. She falls in love with a boy, Hari, who is as old as her youngest brother. They both do take their time together and enjoy the time that they had alone. I felt happy for Akhilaa....that she did find someone who made her feel like a woman and cared for her. But somehow, she thinks she has commited a sin by letting a boy as old as her younger brother enter her emotional and physical state. She maintains a distance from her love and lust of life. Perhaps, Hari got married in the meantime.Again she comes back to her normal routine life where she eats, drinks and breathes just bacause she is the breadwinner to her family.

After hearing the stories of all these women from the train....she goes and stays alone in a hill station....and checks in a hotel. Must be her loneliness or her desire to feel happy and wanted again.....that she starts a relationship again with a stranger who is younger to her. Mere company of that boy and then the extended act of togetherness destresses her. She feels as if she is released from the hands of despair.In the last para of the book..her present mood..strikes a chord...of Hari.....she has a telephone number...which Hari had given her.....calls him up ....Hari picks up the phone....she answers.."Hello I am Akhila....Akhilendeshwari".

I found the book gradually impressive. Keeping in mind the cliche picture..of a woman...who always has to do the right thing...follow the tradition and keep her self limited, this book gives a vent to Akhila even though she is from a rural Sount Indian vertical...and still does things even after beleiving hat she has already commited a sin. She again delves herself into a trap which she thought she has rescused herself from. Unlike other majority women, Akhila did not surpress her desires and feelings...just because she had reached a certain age. Maybe for her....that must be oxygen to live her life alone thereafter. Just hope that Hari is not married when she lastly speaks to him!