CONTENTS Foreword vii Contributors and Translators xii PART I BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Family Tree 2 1.Introduction 3 2.Social Milieu and Family Background 11 3.Education and Development 20 4.Travel and Marriage 39 5. As a Writer 48 6.Family Life 61 7. Afterword 74 8.Reminiscences 82 A Chronology 91 Sources 93 Photographs between 97-112 PART II TRANSLATED WORKS Journalistic Writings 9.Who is Akhanda Saubhagyavati? 115 10. At the Bedside of the Sick 118 11. An Educated Daughter 121 12. Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks? 124 13. Geetabai 128 14. Who Is Poor? 130 15. Rites and Rituals: At What Cost? 134 16. Mutual Charge Sheets 137 17. As Good as a Son 140 18. Lalita 143 19. The Daughter: A Millstone? 146 20. She Deserted Her Baby 150 21. The Daughter-in-law Is Always the Culprit 153 22. The Curse of the Dowry System 157 23. From Beggar to Business Woman 161 24. Mudra Puts the Train Back on Track 163 25. Social Service 166 26. Rejoicing in Death? 171 27. Wild Flowers 174 28. Long-faced Wife: Why Am I So? 177 29. Jamnabai Finds a Vocation 182 30. Mother-in-law Becomes Self-Reliant 185 31. A Unique Courthouse 187 32. Sumitraben: A Unique Mother-in-law 190 33. Snap Judgments 193 34. Crying Over Spilt Milk 196 35. The Gandhian Couple 200 36. A Daughter Has Her Revenge 202 37. Selfless Love 205 38. Two Sides of the Same Coin 208 Essays 39. The First Glimpse 211 40. Kashmir 217 41. Dalhousie 221 42. The Splendour of Spring 223 43. Sabarmati in Spate 226 44. The First Day of April 228 45. Nostalgia - 232 46. Yearnings 233 47. The Day 235 48. The Ultimate 237 A Chapter from the Novel Kndaleevan 49. Hasmukhbhabhi 239 Short Stories 50. The Noble Heart 245 51. Bakarild 252 52. Wild Winds 258 53. The Witch 268 54. The Chameli Flowers 279 55. Som and Mangal 285 56. Luckily 293 57. Vibhavari 298 58. A Bird of Two Nests 306 Complete List of Published Works 315 Index 317