DESI AND DESIRE:
Sari & Sins
The chapter Saris & Sins looks at challenging the stereotype of the timid Indian bride.
Arranged marriage is a central theme within Saris & Sins, for instance the main character, Kareena has her marriage influenced by her parents. Minhas stresses how the tradition of arranged marriage is almost built into Indians, something that is not easy to break away from. “In Rome you must do as the Romans do, but in England, Indians do as the Indians do. And Indians have arranged marriages, and that means no hanky panky before wedlock”…
page 15 of Desire and Desire
Growing up in a town with not a single Asian friend, I came to find myself dividing my identity between being British and Asian. It was only through discovering the stories and tales told by other British-Asian authors that I became to embrace being both British and Asian. Desi and Desire is an extended essay focussing on the study of how Nisha Minhas portrays the British-Asian woman’s identity in her collection of romance novels concerning the idea of cross-cultural relationships.
Other chapters:
Chapatti or Chips
Bindis & Brides
The Marriage Market
Tall, Dark and Handsome
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