Pangaleechya Aathavanee By Shobha Chitre

In a way this is an autobiography; though it mainly reveals around the memories of in-laws of the author and mainly her father in law. Shobha, daughter of Mrs. and Mr. Pradhan, a typical middle class Maharashtrian couple was married to Dilip Chitre. Soon after marriage she realized that a girl does not marry to a boy. In fact, she marries to a family and is tied up with many people with many relations. One of such relations is that of a daughter-in-law. Throughout the book, we come across the values and morals that we ourselves have been taught and have adopted as well. Though she settled down in far away countries like England and America, her cultural base kept her strong and intact, come what may. The love from her family gave her energy to keep going every day. After a brief glimpse of her life after marriage, Shobha elaborates her time with her in-laws. No one notices the change in Appa, her father-in-law. Slowly, he starts being more and more forgetful. Initially, everyone puts the blame on his ageing. But when he is diagnosed, it becomes clear that he is suffering from Alzheimer. And then his health keeps on deteriorating more and more. Each line tells us more and more about the symptoms and consequences of this disease, yet in no way this narration is informative. It reaches the depth of our hearts. It casts a spell on our minds. It reveals the facets of the relationships. It makes us appreciate the feelings of a daughter-in-law for her father-in-law. It makes us ponder over our ties with our family members. It nourishes the Indian culture with all its good qualities. Every line is worth reading and then musing over.