This novel is set in mid-1950s India, a few years after the sub-continent gained its independence from Great Britain. The main character, Lakshmi Shastri, is a twentysomething woman who fled from her arranged marriage thirteen years ago.
Lakshsmi recalls, "I could no longer endure my husband's beatings; the wounds that made me bleed; the words that cut me open; the mornings I could barely get up off the floor. And all for what? For the child I couldn't give him."
Before Lakshsmi left, her beloved Saas (mother-in-law) taught her how to use spices, herbs, plants, potions, and teas - as well as specially prepared foods - to heal wounds, treat illnesses, lessen anxiety, induce relaxation, aid in conception, prevent conception, induce abortion, and so on.
During Lakshmi's subsequent travels she learned to be a henna artist as well, and was eventually invited to the city of Jaipur by a rich businessman named Samir.
Samir's sponsorship helped Lakshmi become the henna artist for high-caste women in Jaipur, including his wife Parvati.
Lakshmi brings her supplies, as well as homemade treats, when she visits 'her ladies', and is credited with helping Parvati conceive her second son.
Lakshmi's sponsor Samir also functions as a sort of business partner, introducing her to clients who need her help to get pregnant, grow their hair, lighten their skin, etc. In fact Samir himself is a client, purchasing sachets that prevent his mistresses from conceiving children.
Lakshmi has worked very hard for the past decade, and used her earnings to build her dream house, bit by bit. The home is almost complete now, and Lakshmi looks forward to moving in and planting a large garden with medicinal plants and herbs.
Ever since Lakshmi left her village, she has longed to see her parents, who - in accordance with Indian culture - would have been shamed and ostracized by her behavior. Lakshmi regularly wrote her parents and sent money, but they never responded. Now that Lakshmi's house is almost complete, she sent cash for train tickets.....so her parents could join her in Jaipur.
Instead of Lakshmi's parents, her estranged husband Hari shows up, with a thirteen-year-old girl called Radha.
Radha says she's Lakshmi's sister, born after she left, and that their parents are dead. Lakshmi takes Radha under her wing, and immediately starts to convert the 'village girl' into a 'city girl' who dresses and behaves in a sophisticated manner. Lakshmi also starts teaching Radha about natural medicines, and arranges for Radha to go to school when the semester starts.
I don't want to say more because of spoilers, but I think it's fair to say that Radha - being a strong-willed hormonal adolescent getting her first taste of freedom - causes her share of trouble.
There's quite a bit of drama as the story unfolds, and a wide array of secondary characters. Most of the Indian men in this book don't come off too well. We meet an alcoholic, a wife-beater, a disgusting lecher, a ruthless builder, an entitled youth, a flagrant philanderer, and more. Some of the women also behave badly, but - from their point of view - it's mostly self-protection. Indian women (in the 1950s at least) were relatively powerless, and had to maneuver as best they could to protect themselves, their families, and their position in society.
Two of my favorite characters are Dr. Kumar - who wants to add natural remedies to his medical practice;
and Malik - a clever, hard-working, 8-year-old boy who makes himself Lakshmi's assistant.
Malik calls Lakshmi 'Auntie Boss' and skillfully maneuvers and manipulates (in a good way) to help himself and his employer. With an education, Malik could probably be Prime Minister of India.
To me, the information Alka Joshi includes about Indian customs, dress, food, marriages, ceremonies, castes, etc. is fascinating. Cerebrations that require women to be painted with henna include things like marriage, pregnancy, birth, baby naming, baby's first solid food, visits to a temple, moving into a new house, death, funerals, etc. This provides plenty of work for henna artists, especially talented ones with original designs.
The author also touches on castes in India, and I learned that high caste people aren't supposed to do jobs that require touching people's heads or feet; and high caste contractors can't built bathrooms, because of the 'unclean' association.
Brahmin wedding
The author doesn't say too much about lower castes, which aren't the focus of the book.
I enjoyed the novel, my major quibbles being that the plot is somewhat predictable and the book has too much of a fairy tale vibe. Still, this is a good debut novel, highly recommended.
Rating: 3.5 stars
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