The Conversion Chiaroscuro

didnt get the second part. But re the conversions - first of all it is an extremely touchy topic. Second just discussing the matter makes born again believers/practicerers out of atheists.
What you sister/cousin did is in fact commendable but should have been reciprocated by her husband to even things out.
If you are not broadminded enough for this - should stick to the girls your mother picks out.
Personally I dont understand why marriage has to have this conversion business attached to it. What purpose does it serve?? You are marrying the person and inheriting the inlaws (or outlaws depending on your outlook) - why should religion be involved>

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Some of the interacts from male respondents are quite interesting in their rush to label the writing and characters as `emotional`` and ``irrational``. To these respondents I would request the textual evidence to back up their ``emotional`` and ``irrational`` claims.

........ it is really beyond me why anyone would want to change their religion and swap one set of ridiculous superstitions for another load of kaka .......... sounds like a lot of work, pain and grief for nothing ......... so you give up believing in angels, jinns and men flying off to heaven on a winged horse and start believeing in gods and godesseses shamelessly copulating in public ..........actually, the latter sounds like a lot more fun, but i don`t think hindooism allows you to imitate its lecherous gods............... instead you might end up having to give up eating steaks and kababs and your body being barbecued on a smoking pyre on the banks of a filty river ............. no siree! .......... it just doesn`t sound like much of a bargain .......... now, if hugh hefner started a religion which involved debauchery and rituals at the mansion it would be another story .......... or if somone offered a lifetime annuity of a couple of thousand a week, it might be worth considering it ..........there was a rumour that ahmedis paid handsomely and would also marry off their beautiful daughters to converts - not true ......... christian missionaries are more generous, but who needs glass beads and a turkey dinner ..............

............ should christians convert muslims? ... that is the cover story in the latest issue of time magazine .................sounds like the evangelical missionaries are descending on iraq armed with the bible, cookies and the blood of christ and bent upon saving the muslims from satan ............ no wonder poor satan has a persecution complex!......... everyone is out there trying to get him ..........muslims throw rocks at him, christians are showing him the cross and giving him the finger, hindoos are trying to smoke him out............ you have to root for the underdog, so i think i will convert to satanism ...........

Farzana,
I really enjoyed reading this. Going by what others have had to say so far, I wonder if you could have been clearer. But I also wonder how.
Your letter to Kamala Das (whose poems I had read occasionally in the Illustrated Weekly) is superb. Did you receive a reply from her? From what I read after her conversion (same as what you`ve quoted) she was trying to synthesize something new, trying to ``sufify``. In addition to the points you bring up, her conversion also is unusual in that most convertees are young, searching for something different.
Your cousin, on the other hand, sounds like she is trying to be holier than the Sankaracharya. I cannot see myself carrying on a relationship if she were my relative and had undergone conversion. You could try brainwashing her kid!
A sort of power play goes on in inter-religious marriages. The stronger side imposes its will in return for relationship as a favor. By hinduising so completely (and going beyond) your cousin is making sure of marital harmony. Sounds very one sided though. Wonder if she resents it.

Hmm...I`ve recently finished reading ``Life of Pi``... and now this. Interesting contrast...

Parts of the story were a bit confusing. I had to re-read certain sections a few times to determine if ``she`` was your cousin or niece.

An interesting story. I can see several interactors could not fathom the emotional/intellectual issues related to conversion, deprivation of preconverted state and then reconversion. Versey did not help the reader by not describing the factual summary information. It is usual woman/emotional description. For a coherent and cogent discussion fancy flights need to be kept within the framework of factual developments.

Versey`s desire to dicourage conversion back should be more solidly grounded in rational discussion. Right now it is not in a reviewer friendly mode. More information about the initial conversion and the reconversion needs should be provided. It is more desirable to represent ``Didi`s`` mental condition than to present one`s own woes and dilemmas.

I appreciate nazrhayatkhan`s reaction and advice. That has greater relevance than the life-circumstance under consideration.

This has a lot of potential but is in great need of editing.

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well said brat #4

Ferz, what happened to her subsequently...and where does she (kamala das/soraya) stand now?

bspnd,

...t

farzana,

to put it simply your didi is a nut case who needs to get friendly with a psychiatrist. that`s the gist of the whole mess. dont worry over it, medications should fix her.

Farzana
I have read two are thre articles of you before this. I am not clear about the footnote which is at the end of the article. As concern to this article it is realy worthy and provokes to think a lot. Majorly. as i think to adopt any philosophy or religion base on human euality is mostly depends upon the romance. With out know the core of that philosophy or religion to accept that only the salogns which lead masses to the heavely life. Reality is that mostly the generator of that thought mostly bitray and exploite the real thoughts. You have very nicely in indirect way has pointed out this hidden phenomanon.

Furzy madam,
It was an interesting read. Making it little concise would have helped a lot.

I didn`t get it. I know the authoress is whining about something but I can`t put my finger on it.

The only interesting aspect of this highly emotional outburst is a Muslim conversion to Hinduism and back.

Farzana, judging from your writings, I couldn`t tell you were capable of asking such naive questions. You come across as a good writer but a thought process of an adolescent.

Farzana:

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. You narrated the two shadows really well, the accounts are gripping and it leaves one with thoughts about exactly what does conversion mean to a person. The public and private viewpoints from which you saw this was also a great structure for the article. (All of this from someone who doesn`t see themselves as a critic and hesitates to talk about how something was written!)

It is a very interesting issue and I hope to learn from reading other interactors.
Cheers!
Brat