An Orchid Sari

In 1968, Cynthia, an American mother, and Suresh, an Indian father, accompanied by their two-year-old son, Ajay, travel to India to present themselves to Suresh's relatives for the first time. Cynthia faithfully captures in her personal diary all that she experiences and her honest reactions to it. From impossible toilet situations to mysterious family relationships; from snake-charmers to fire-breathers; from soul-crushing bureaucracy to fouled-up reservations; and from beggars with matted hair to the Taj Mahal, Cynthia takes us on her adventure while gamely keeping her son entertained and out of danger in a society that is like nothing she could have imagined.