Awaken

Foreword xi

Prologue xiii

Chapter 1 Roots 1

Life Without Papa 1

From Kesur to Canada 3

Sidebar: The Rajputs 6

Papa Returns 11

Reflections 14

Chapter 2 Changing of the Guard 17

A Whole New World 17

Bewildered in Barbados 18

Serene in Salinas 20

Confused in Canada 24

Reflections 27

Chapter 3 Return of the Native 29

The Ratlam "Suar" System 30

Sidebar: The Caste System 31

Objects of Curiosity 33

Hard Landing 34

School of Horrors 36

Innocence Lost 40

Home Base Indore 41

Reflections 45

Chapter 4 Return to Kesur 47

The Darker Side of Kesur 50

Trickle-Down Tyranny 54

Reflections 55

Chapter 5 No Time to Dream 57

My Luck Runs Out 62

Grim Survivor 65

Political Awakening 66

Bombay Bound 69

Back to the Future 72

Reflections 74

Chapter 6 New York, New York 77

Marketing Mecca - or Mayhem? 78

Ivy League Ivory Tower 79

An Accidental Academic 81

Dowry Drama 83

Dissertation Dilemma 85

Escape from New York 87

Reflections 90

Chapter 7 Boston Blues 93

Out of Africa 98

An Unblessed Marriage 104

Nightmare on Commonwealth Avenue 107

Reflections 109

Chapter 8 A New Beginning 111

The "Prodigal" Son Returns 114

A Mentor at Last 119

Standing Up for Myself 122

A Growing Family 125

Awakening My Creative Side 127

Reflections 128

Chapter 9 Back to Boston 131

New Millennium, New Challenges 133

My Winter of Discontent 136

Good Thing, Bad Thing - Who Knows? 138

Following My Heartbreak 140

The Shame of Marketing? 141

Reflections 143

Chapter 10 Purpose in the Poconos 145

Tears of Joy 145

Metamorphosis 146

Becoming an Instrument of Evolution 148

Renegotiating a Relationship 150

Doubling Down 152

Sliding Doors 153

Birthing a Movement 155

Growing the Movement 157

Reflections 159

Chapter 11 Searching for Inner Peace 161

Seeking Spiritual Solace 163

Sidebar: Art of Living CORE TEACHINGS 164

Could I Be Happy? 167

Growing and Sinking 171

Reflections 173

Chapter 12 Conscious Awakening 175

The Wise Women 178

Twin Bombshells 184

No More Denial 186

Reflections 187

Chapter 13 Healing the Father Wound 189

The Father Wound 189

My Arc with My Father 190

Seeing the Whole Picture 192

Innocence Lost - and Reclaimed 193

Grief or Relief? 195

A Two-Time Destroyer of Families? 196

Healing My Son's Father Wound 197

Last Words 198

Reflections 200

Chapter 14 Honoring My Mother and Becoming Whole 203

Who Was Usha? 206

Portrait of a Marriage 209

Passages 210

Bringing My Mother to My Father 212

Reflections 212

Chapter 15 Discoveries 215

Stay True to Yourself 216

Be Open to New Adventures 219

Be Your Own Best Friend and Coach 220

Challenge Orthodoxies 220

Choose Your Life 221

Embrace Seeming Opposites 222

Acknowledge and Heal Your Traumas 223

Be a Peaceful Warrior for Truth and Love 225

Stay Awake! 226

Epilogue Healing the Patriarchy 227

The Need to Heal Kesur 228

My Duty and Destiny 229

A Healing Circle 231

The Path Ahead 234

Acknowledgments 235

About the Author 239

Index 241