In this retelling of Govardhanram Tripathi’s sprawling magnum opus, Saraswatichandra, Sameer Acharya makes accessible and brings to life for a modern readership one of Indian literature’s great classics. Set in late nineteenth-century India, this is the story of an educated and spiritual young man whose life is at a crossroads. Betrothed to and in love with Kumud, he nevertheless breaks off their engagement due to escalating familial tensions, and leaves Bombay to learn about his country and seek enlightenment. A series of events leads both Kumud, now married, and Saraswatichandra to an ashram, where they must decide how to go on with their lives … At its heart, this is a novel about an India where tradition and modernity are locked in battle.