A Garden In My Hands

Anything “Asian” sells – books by Asian authors, books with Asian characters, books with an Asian setting, and books about Asian food are in vogue – and ‘#ownvoices’ still remains popular despite the position statement by “We Need Diverse Books” to be more specific. But then again, not all books by Asian authors are of the same quality – it is not just the lived experience that matters, but its depth and that’s why a Meera Sriram book is always a delight to read!

“𝗔 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀” is a book about a mother applying henna/mehndi on her child’s palms in preparation for attending a wedding the next day. With lyrical text, Meera compares henna art to raindrops and paisleys and a shared time between mother and daughter that evokes memories. Embedded within the storyline, runs the narrative of the process of applying henna and keeping it overnight to avoid it from getting smudged. What really caught my attention is the spread on rubbing off the dry flakes of henna the next morning – a process familiar only to those of yesteryears who applied natural henna, before the advent of chemical henna that can be washed away in just a few hours. The beauty in the fear of staining clothes, and the rubbing away of dried henna are experiences that make the book a cut above the rest! A must-have in your collection!