I particularly enjoyed the travel tales, because the previous books told us so much about India, but the colour photos and descriptions of richly coloured saris and lush gardens show us plenty of the original setting too. Anu experiences many personal triumphs and sees far-flung locations including Ireland, the Middle East, America and dining aboard a US aircraft carrier with her daughter and her husband.īut Ireland, where Shabnam has come to work, is the next destination for this brave and inspirational woman on her retirement, because she sees an India becoming violent and dangerous towards vulnerable women. We see that greed and bitterness are long lasting and corrupting. For instance, one good husband and father decides that he has to convert to Hinduism if his children are to get good jobs. Correspondence becomes her lifeline as she is increasingly alone but for visiting friends, although she is well looked after by 'her boys' a group of students, while her extended family becomes, tragically, more distant. As they leave India, I was pleased to see that Anu gets to visit them in turn, a reward for all the sights she showed them as they were growing up in an Army family. The three independent daughters decide that they must be well educated and earning to be self reliant, and each pursue different careers with regard to Indian culture, art and travel.

In this tale the separated wife has moved to a new area in India and continues to work despite growing political and religious unrest locally and nationally. I have been following the fascinating biography of Anu Vasisht, student, mother, teacher and school principal, as told by her daughter Shabnam.

Anu by Shabnam Vasisht