Seamlessly crafted and wholly erotic, this incantatory novel explores the depths of desire and makes palpable the rich textures, aromas and colors of Indian culture. Mandava's prose captures the lives of Indian and Indian-American women and girls, whose paths vividly intersect and gracefully glance off one another: There is Mrs.

Chitra, the class-conscious matriarch, Tara, a young lover whose desire transcends social dictates, Padma, who digs for gold in the countryside, and Sindhura, a pillow-maker who moves to New York City and must confront the realities of urban American culture.