Sketches from my past

by Maha Devi Varma

Now available in English for the first time, Mahadevi's poignant memoir-tales bring to life the degrading experiences of the faceless and nameless multitudes. Whether it is Binda, the lonely orphan girl victimized by her stepmother; Bhabi, the emotionally and physically abused child widow barred from any contact with the outside world; or Sabiya, the poor sweeper woman deserted by her husband shortly before the birth of their child, the subjects of Mahadevi's memoir convey her universalist vision to resurrect the inner dignity of "these wounded and mauled lives." Through her recollective tales, Mahadevi connects the exploitation of her characters with the subjugation of all women, indeed of all oppressed people. Her compelling memoir transcends the borders of culture and time.