 During her college days, she again falls in love with Rohan, a teacher of the college. She is emotionally engaged with Rohan. But this relationship is finished within a few days. Rohan refuses to marry her after passing time with Astha.
Finally, she decides to be settled in an arranged marriage and accepts one of her mother’s approved suitors. Her marriage is settled with Hemant who is America returned, educated and solvent. Hemant is the only son of his parents, except that he has two married sisters Seema and Sangeeta. Astha’s mother thought that it is a nuclear family like them. Besides, Hemant is a nice boy holding a position in society and self-governing business and property.
The wedding ceremony held after Astha’s MA exams. In her in-law’s house, Astha submerged herself in the role of daughter-in-law and wife. Her husband trains her to follow marital routine. Something like love develops between them, but gradually it starts to reflect a power structure where one is dominative and another is dominated.
They became the parents of a daughter. But like a traditionalist husband, Hemant wants a baby boy. Astha conceives again and gives borth to a son, Himanashu. Astha is honoured with heavy jewellery and all the family members think that the family is complete now. After Himanshu’s birth Hemant changes from an American father to an Indian father. Taking care of child goes to Astha and she is their both father and mother. In contrary, Hemant is busy with his business.
Astha’s love for painting and composing poems are always encouraged by Hemant. As life advances she becomes involved with Theatre Troupe run by Aijaz, a local political activist. All things run smooth. But problems appear when Hemant observes that his wife works for social movements in collaboration with a man. Hemant is liberal regarding Astha’s teaching profession and her art works. But he does not like his wife’s outside activities. Like a traditionalist husband, Hemant is not happy with her social and political awareness with Aijaz Akhtar Khan. Hemant wants that his wife will perform family duty, teaching career and gallery work and beyond these she has no works.
Next, their married life is disturbed by Hemant’s careless view about her good potentials. She has been claimed by her husband for mismanagement, wastefulness, inefficiency and incapability about her family duty. Like an Indian woman she does not want to turn her face from the familial responsibilities of a wife, daughter in law and a mother but she wants to participate in all the decisions of the family. She cannot find the same care, attention and affection from her husband as before. Drawing and painting are the source of relief for her. By writing poems and drawing sketches, she expresses her pain, suffering, anguish.
Next, Astha comes to know about Pipeelika Trivedi, a Hindu girl who marriages this Muslim Theatre activist Aijaz Akhtar Khan out of love by breaking traditions. But Pipeelika becomes a widow after some days of her marriage. Aijaz died by a communal riot. He has left behind a young widow. Now Pippelika Khan is a NGO worker and works for social welfare.
Hemant according to his style accuses Astha on the ground that she spends much time in art and painting than her family duty. Astha says that she wants something of her own. Astha suffers from a serious headache nowadays. Besides her gallery work, she takes care of her kids’ homework, kitchen work with her restless mind. This time Astha sells two paintings and earns thirty thousand rupees. Hemant is happy now. Hemant proposes that they have passed fifteen years married life. So on the occasion of their present anniversary, they should go for a holiday. They decided to go for Goa. This tour is arranged from Astha’s money that she earns from painting.
As the days are passing, the anniversary of The Street Theatre Group comes. Astha is busy with her secular activities. Astha’s mother-in-law is complaining now that she neglects her household duties. She spent two days and three nights for Ayodhaya Andolon. During this time Hemant g