Satyavan wants to immigrate to America. Shanti’s mother and sister are frantic. “Do you want to go to a foreign land and leave your family?” Her mother asks. “Why did he have to move seven seas away?” Ganga says. But Gaurav, Shanti’s brother—who happens to like Satyavan, declares this to be a great career opportunity. What does Shanti think? To find out, read The Immigrant Wife: Her Spiritual Journey, now available in print. ...
Read MoreGanga was sister of Shanti’s heart! Seven years older, Shanti admired everything about her. And Ganga loved her as much, if not more. A few months before her own wedding, Ganga purchased semi-precious jewelry sets, for herself and for Shanti. But there was a problem: Ganga did not like Satyavan. “What do you see in him?” She would say, “I tell you, something is not right with him!” Shanti was in love with Satyavan. What was she to do? Some of the jewelry pieces from Ganga's collection: [gallery columns="1" size="large" ids="41061,41062,41064,41059,41063,41058,41060"]...
Read MoreIntroducing Shanti and Satyavan Shanti Bamzai, the protagonist of The Immigrant Wife: Her Spiritual Journey, was born in the Valley of Kashmir. The valley is framed by the mountain ranges of Karakoram, Pir Panjal and Zanskar. The Jhelum River runs through it. Kalhana, the renowned eighth century historian writes, “Kailasha, the divine abode is the best place in the three worlds; Himalaya is the best part of Kailasha, and the valley of Kashmir the best part of Himalayas. . . . The valley’s saffron, iced water and grapes are rare even in heaven.” Shanti’s family often picnics at the garden Nishat Bagh meaning ‘Garden of Bliss.’ One Sunday, Satyavan, a houseguest accompanies them. The morning sun has colored the landscape gold. Luxurious mountains form the backdrop to the garden and the shimmering Dul...
Read MoreThe Immigrant Wife: Her Spiritual Journey is available on Amazon for pre-order. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CKCLD74 I am overjoyed, with a touch of nervousness, for the pre-sale release of The Immigrant Wife: Her Spiritual Journey. The novel is about a labyrinthine journey of Shanti, an artist, wife and mother towards her Self. It is filled with the struggles, the trials and the ordeals she faces. Each step stretches her as she hopes and feels renewed. The Immigrant Wife: A Spiritual Journey is beautifully written. I loved it! The story weaves many small strands into an intriguing tapestry, much like the paintings of our heroine, Shanti. And it paints a picture of life in two places--the beautiful valley of Kashmir and the beautiful hills of Western Pennsylvania. Shanti’s quiet determination to stay true to herself, her...
Read MoreGood Morning Readers! Last month I shared more information about the novel. Now I have created a group on LinkedIn to share passages from various chapters of the book. It is also a place for you to share your input and start a conversation about topics such as art, spirituality, cooking, travel or any other topic that would come to your mind as you read the novel. The Immigrant Wife: Her Spiritual Journey will be released in April. To begin, Login on LinkedIn Home Page Click on “Interests” Click on “Groups” Click on “My Groups” and search for "The Immigrant Wife: Her Spiritual Journey" “Join” OR Join the conversation by cutting and pasting this link in your browser: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8478377 Thank you!...
Read MoreDuring the early 70s in art school, I learned an adage that goes something like this: A painting is “done” when an artist signs and declares it finished but it is “completed” in the imagination of its onlookers. Since my passion for arts shifted from painting to writing I have often contemplated on this adage. I believe what is true of painting is also true of novel. The process of reading is as pleasurable as the process of writing. When readers read they let their fertile imagination and creative flow stream with that of the writer’s. In other words, in their imagination they coauthor the novel. A novel’s setting, scenes and narrative capture reader’s creative power. Each reader’s version is unique depending on her or his social, political, religious and cultural background....
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I wrote my first collection, Chance Meetings: Stories about Cross Cultural Karmic Collisions and Compassion and the final drafts of the novel, The Immigrant Wife: Her Spiritual Journey during the Mindful Writers Group weekly meetings. What a fine fellowship of writers! For almost thirty years I have begun my day with meditation and journaling. These two practices have dramatically improved my attention, deepened my insights, revealed ideas and enriched my imagination. Until 2010, I wrote alone in my study. I loved the room’s silence and solitude. Occasionally, I wrote in libraries, coffee shops or bookstores. There were days when writing in isolation was lonesome. But life of a writer is a lonely affair. I craved to write with fellow writers. Almost all writers groups available were critique groups. In absence of such...
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Why Behind The Immigrant Wife: Her Spiritual Journey The beginnings of The Immigrant Wife came from two sources: first, the two journals I kept in 1997 on Semester-at-Sea, University of Pittsburgh. I voyaged around the world with undergraduates sailing to Bahamas, Venezuela, Brazil, South America, Kenya, India, China, Japan, Vietnam and Philippines. I taught history of Indian, Chinese and Japanese Art and Architecture. The second source was the story of a woman I met in Toronto, Canada. I had gone to attend the cremation of my young nephew who died a tragic death. At the last family meal in his apartment I met a newly married woman. When she discovered that I was an artist she said she was an artist too and talked passionately about her paintings. So much so,...
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Its my pleasure to share with you the cover of my novel, The Immigrant Wife: Her Spiritual Journey. Forthcoming in April 2016, the book is about Shanti, an artist from the Valley of Kashmir. Her fervor for art and nature. Her constant battle between the pressures of social expectations and her own burning desire to be an artist. Her encounter with deaths in India and America. And finally, her spiritual renewal....
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Dear Readers, I am happy to finally share something that I have been working on diligently over the past decade. I am filled with anticipation and excitement to share its details with you next Monday. Stay tuned and have a wonderful week! On another note, while traveling around the world, I have had the pleasure of delighting in landscapes especially of the sun at dawn, noon and dusk. And the moon against the blue black sky. The sun, its rays and its light garb distinctive sceneries in magical colors. Whether the orange/yellow sphere peeks behind the fluffy white clouds or is sheer against pristine blue sky, it never fails to mesmerize me. Exquisite! Many a time, whether reflecting on the peaks of Grand Canyon or on the calm waters of the Caribbean Sea, I have soaked myself in its liquid golden light. So much so that I have tried...
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