Review: The Henna Artist

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A strong independent single woman navigating a newly independent India tiptoeing between tradition and modernity - an ageless struggle.

Strong female protagonists are rare to come by and Alka starts on the front foot with that. Using henna as a common thread often associated with numerous occasions in the traditional Indian household -Lakshmi is able to swing in from home to home capturing a glimpse of various Indias of that time. Fending for herself after a disastrous marriage at 15, Lakshmi has done well for herself till her ex husband turns up with her sister she didn't know existed. Turning into a maternal figure dealing with a teenager was never easy , even tougher when it is thrust upon you. The interplay of her growth as an individual , the colorful mosaic of a changing India around royalty, caste system and westernization around her make for an interesting read.

The book is targeted at the non-Indian audience that wants a fast food take out version of the exotic India filled with its stereotypes coupled with the recipes of rabri and dal batti and also henna. There is a deeper story to each of the characters which we probably may get to see in the future but are left wanting in this edition. That said, it does feel like a heartfelt ode to the author's mom - a life the author imagines for her if she hadn't married so early to which I agree - this is a beautiful in depth journey of a woman figuring her place out in a superficially set up evolving India.

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