Darbar-e-Dil is one of the most popular books by renowned author Umera Ahmed. The novel is about how one serious mistake separated two lovers and in the process ruined their lives. It reminds us about the importance of our actions in shaping our lives. The novel begins with expectations of a brighter future for its main characters but ends on a tragic note. The two main characters of the novel are Mehr Sami and Murad Ali. Mehr is a deeply religious individual who is against ‘modernism’, meanwhile Murad is entirely opposite in his values and moral code. One day Murad makes a bet with his friend Monas that he will make Mehr fall in love with him. With Monas’s cooperation, Murad begins to talk with Mehr on the phone and is eventually successful in making her fall in love with him. After that, Murad pretends to die in an accident. Mehr is devastated by the news as she was in love with Murad, even though the two had not met. As a result of her distress, she changes her lifestyle and becomes a ‘modernist’ like her lover. One day, Murad sees a girl in a bookshop and falls in love with her, without realising that the girl is Mehr. Both are unaware about their past connection and start a new relationship and eventually get married. The two are living a happy normal married life when suddenly one day Monas, who is invited to their house for dinner tells Mehr about the bet he and Murad had made when the latter had made a fool out of a girl by making her fall in love with him. After this conversation, Mehr realizes that her husband Murad was the one who had killed her dreams by his rude actions. She questions whether to leave him for his past actions and for making a fool of her. Although, Murad assures her of his love she leaves the house and is met with an accident and dies. Murad’s past actions result in him being left alone and to mourn for his lost love. What inspired me the most about Darbar-e-Dil is its message about being careful in all our relationships and to not hurt others as there is such a thing as karma. The novel also emphasises the need to be truthful to those that we love and cherish.
The writer teaches at DELTA Academy and can be reached at [email protected].
Published in Daily Times, September 6th 2018.