3 Review(s)

A novel about sexual duplicity and intrigue with a charismatic godman at its centre n ashram in northern India becomes the arena for a tale of love and intrigue, against the backdrop of communal Achants and exaggerated paraphernalia of public spirituality. It begins with the appearance of a traumatized young woman, Diamond or Ma Vidhyadhari, at the doorstep of a rookie journalist, Farrukh Dhondy. She has been banned from the ashram, but her daughter, Sapphire, has been held hostage to ensure her silence. She seeks justice and the return of her child; he is an idealist who wants to get to the truth and help the woman in distress. Thus begins an adventure that pits them against the might and concealed horrors of a bigoted world where bodies and minds are equally dispensable. Will their quest end in triumph? Or will the writ of the guru prevail? Centred on the fictional Bhagwan Saket, this is a novel that dares to explore the corridors of spiritual power in India.