In the first part of *The Hungry Tide*, we can see that Piya has this internal conflict that revolves around her identity and her relationship with her cultural and ethnic background. As a marine biologist who was raised in the U.S. by Indian parents, she grapples with these feelings of disconnect from her Indian ‘identity’/heritage. This struggle seems to be heightened by her journey to the Sundarbans, where she feels almost drawn to the landscape while also feeling somewhat out of place with her surroundings.

This passion Piya has for studying the river dolphins shows this dedication she has to the environment, which might sometimes seem indifferent to the local community’s traditional ways of practice. While she is enthusiastic to understand the natural world and understand its complexities, she is also aware of her outsider status and not being able to fit in very well. This seems to create a tension between her scientific objectives and her desire to connect with the culture around her.

Piya’s interactions with Fokir shows this strong desire she has to connect with him and better understand his perspective. However, their communication is lowered by the language barrier, which stops her from being able to fully engage with him. Fokir reminds Piya a lot of her father, mostly because of their shared cultural background. This resemblance heightens her yearning for a deeper connection, as she grapples with her identity and the cultural ties that bind her to the region. 

When Piya is first introduced in The Hungry Tide, it’s clear that she experiences a disconnect between her identity and her culture. It seems like she grew up in an environment where she was unable to fully express or connect with her Indian heritage contributing to this struggle. As the novel progresses, hopefully Piya will learn more about her culture and come to accept and embrace it. Her experiences in the Sundarbans offer her valuable opportunities to actually reconnect with her roots, pointing towards a potential journey of self-discovery and a better understanding of her culture.