In Search of Shobha  (Paperback, Brinda Crishna)

The discovery of an unexpected cache of letters dating back to the early 20th century, as well as a notebook of diary jottings and poems, suddenly brings a largely unknown, rarely-spoken of grandmother into focus, and sparks off an intimate journey of discovery by the author. As she pieces together the portrait of Shobha, a remarkable woman living in pre-independence Bengal, Brinda Crishna simultaneously journeys deeper into herself and her family history. Together with the author, we slowly begin to discover an unconventional, courageous woman who quietly faced life's challenges head on, carving a reputable career for herself out of forbidding circumstances. This was a period when the newly formed Brahmo Samaj was defying many of the restrictions, taboos and superstitions that trapped women into circumscribed domesticity, subject to the diktat of male members of the extended family. Unique and yet indicative of many women like her living in an age of rapid social change, Shobha was part of the dynamism of the times, pursuing education, finding her own path and making her own choices. Her invaluable contribution to the emancipation of Indian women through education of the girl child is a lasting legacy. This volume offers a deeply personal family history embedded in the social history of the times, enriched with facsimiles and vintage photographs that bring the story alive.