ITHE KUNI NAHI

THE WRITER HAS PRESENTED THE STORY OF A YOUNG WOMAN`S SEARCH FOR HER IDENTITY. HE DEPICTS IT ON A WIDE BACK-DROP OF TIME AND SPACE. THE STORY BEGINS IN KARACHI MUCH BEFORE INDIA`S PARTITION AND ENDS IN MUMBAI. VALIMOHAMAD AND VAJUBHAI, THE ERSTWHILE PARTNERS OF A RENOWNED JEWELRY FIRM CLOSE DOWN BUSINESS AND COME TO INDIA. VALI BRINGS UP HIS SON SULEMAN AS A GOOD HUMAN BEING AND GETS HIM MARRIED TO SAKINA. BUT THEY HAVE NO CHILD. SOMESHWAR DUTT, A JEWELER FRIEND, ALSO A SOCIAL WORKER, INVITES THE COUPLE TO VISIT CALCUTTA. THEY RETURN TO BOMBAY WITH AN ADOPTED CHILD- BHAVANI. SHE IS THE HEROINE OF THE STORY. A PRETTY COLLEGE-GOING GIRL, SHE IS TO BE MARRIED TO YASIN. HIS FAMILY WANTS TO CHANGE BHAVANI`S NAME BUT SHE DOES NOT WISH TO DO SO. THEN SHE LEARNS ABOUT HER ADOPTION FROM HER ADOPTIVE PARENTS. NOW BEGINS HER SEARCH FOR HER REAL PARENTS. IT TAKES HER TO MANY PLACES. HER UNWED MOTHER WHO DESERTED HER IN AN ORPHANAGE IS NOW A WELL-MARRIED RESPECTED SOCIAL FIGURE WHO DOES NOT WANT TO ACCEPT BHAVANI. THE IRRESPONSIBLE COLLEGE BRAT IS NOW A SUCCESSFUL ADVOCATE BUT A DIVORCEE LEADING A LONELY LIFE. HE NOW OFFERS TO BE HER FATHER AND WANTS TO SHOWER HIS AFFECTION AND WORLDLY RICHES UPON HER. BHAVANI REFUSES. BHAVANI RETURNS TO HER PARENTS READY TO CHANGE HER NAME AND MARRY YASIN. IT IS TOO LATE... HE IS ALREADY MARRIED TO ANOTHER. BHAVANI FINDS THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ‘WHO AM I’ BUT REALIZES THAT AN INDIVIDUAL`S LIFE IS NOT THE RESULT OF HIS OWN ACTIONS. HE HAS THE FREEDOM TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP... LIFT ONE FOOT OFF THE GROUND... THE REST OF THE LIFE IS SPENT IN TRYING NOT TO FALL OFF... EVERYBODY IS ALONE... NOBODY BELONGS TO ANYBODY... EVEN THE SKY!