It is an interesting subject to write on for a first time novelist. Ashwini Abhyankar consciously chose to write about what she feels is an issue that youngsters are grappling with. The result is a story about two youngsters and their myopic thoughts regarding something that one can only term as 'marriage of convenience'. The book revolves around the subsequent understanding of the bigger picture that a married life paints for the two individuals involved. There is this callous and casual air that is permeating through the rank and file of the younger generations these days,wherein they tend to view marriages in the light of it being something easy and convenient, says Abhyankar,adding,it was this very attitude that troubled me and in fact even inspired me to write this book. The book was launched by actress Mrunal Kulkarni on Monday at the Pathfinder store. At the heart of the book are its two characters Atul and Asmita,who decide to get married to one another because they feel that in the immediate future they would be able to live up to each other's expectations. However having a very short-sighted viewpoint about the institution of marriage,they end up sailing through rough waters only to finally learn the hard way that getting married is not an investment plan or a short term compatibility gauge that a person uses to fulfill his temporary social needs. The dimensions of a prospective wedding these days are changing. And what is ironic is that youngsters who are very clear about their lives and careers,are decidedly unclear about an important decision like getting married, she adds. So what does she think is an ideal way out? Abhyankar says,Two words are very important,compatibility and sustainability. One cannot get married without taking the long term picture of being compatible with one's spouse into consideration. More importantly,one also needs to be able to reinvent one's wedding to ensure that it sustains. As far as her future endevours are concerned,the architect-cum-writer says that she would love to write something on the issue of liberalisation and empowerment of women. Of course there are plans in the pipeline,but right now the most important thing that was on my mind was the issue of youngsters shying away from marriages. I managed to write about that so we can save the rest for the future, she says optimistically.
