He now wonders about the consequences of not having an affair. Months pass and Amaya still will not go away from his mind. And lies would be piled upon more lies until he becomes an inauthentic human being. But then he thinks, what if we keep the affair a secret? As he mulls over it, he realises that keeping it secret would mean that he would have to lie. And he instinctively recoils at the idea. The most immediate consequence would be that he would hurt the person he loves the most in the world, his wife. He is tempted to get in touch with her but before he does, he thinks about the consequences of an affair. But it’s clear to both of them that they might have an affair.Īs the weeks go by, Amar realises that he cannot get Amaya out of his head. At Pune station, they say goodbye and go their separate ways. Clearly, there is a chemistry between them and by the end of the journey, their exchange becomes more intimate. Slowly, however, the conversation becomes more personal. Like polite passengers, they exchange pleasantries, talk about the weather and other impersonal things. One day, on the Deccan Queen from Bombay to Pune, he finds himself seated next to an attractive stranger, Amaya.

He is now in his mid-40s but the hard work of climbing ladders at his job and bringing up children at home has taken its toll: physical desire has waned in his life. He is happily married, has a lovely wife and two children he loves them all dearly. Gurcharan Das: My new book tells the story of Amar. 'Artha': The former corporate honcho feels that India needs a second wave of reforms for an economic rebootĪkrita Reyar : In your latest book Kama: The Riddle of Desire (the third volume in your trilogy), there is a conflict between duty to another versus duty to self.

India unbound by gurcharan das