Alka Joshi, the internationally bestselling author of The Henna Artist, returns with Six Days in Bombay — a captivating novel of identity, self-discovery and intrigue spanning Bombay, Prague and Paris. This sweeping tale unravels the mystery behind a renowned painter’s untimely death, immersing readers in a world of art, history and human connection.
Joshi takes us behind the scenes of her writing process, weaving together personal history, unexpected discoveries and the powerful connections that fuel her storytelling.
Your books are celebrated for their vivid cultural and historical textures. How do your memories of India, along with your move to the United States at age 9, influence the intricate worlds you create in your novels?
It wasn’t until I returned to India with my mother — after an absence of 40 years — that the sounds, smells and tastes of my childhood returned with ferocity: village women in lime green saris slapping wet kurtas on rocks with their henna-laced hands; camphor leaves sizzling in a silver pot of hot ghee as a bald pundit incanted ancient Sanskrit to bless a housewarming; the sharp bite of a whole clove in a spicy biryani. Once I began recording details like these on paper, I couldn’t stop, and before long, I had a set of novels: The Jaipur Trilogy.
Were there any surprising or particularly challenging aspects of the research for this novel? Perhaps a detail or discovery that changed the course of the story?
During my research into 1937, the year Six Days in Bombay takes place, I discovered that 5,000 Jews fled Germany, Austria, Bohemia (now Czech Republic) and other parts of Europe, to settle in a welcoming India during the interwar years. Later, on a tearful visit to Prague’s Pinkas Synagogue, as I scanned the names of more than 77,000 deported Jews on the walls, a piece of the story fell into place: With the looming threat of a Nazi invasion in Bohemia, Mira Novak’s Jewish father sought refuge for his family in 1937 Bombay and was using his wealth to establish a ninth synagogue to the city.
Your novels resonate with readers all over the world. What’s the most memorable feedback or interaction you’ve had with a reader that has stayed with you?
After The Henna Artist was released, I received a call from a single mother in Mumbai who said my protagonist’s life mirrored hers. She’d left an abusive husband only to find herself cut off from her family, who felt the unfortunate marriage was her fate. But she persevered, finding a job, an apartment and daycare for her infant son for whom she wanted to model a healthy home life. Now 12, her son insists on washing the dishes because she doesn’t do it properly. Puzzled, I asked what she meant. She laughed and said she was born blind, hadn’t she said? Her courage took my breath away!
Six Days in Bombay
Alka Joshi is the internationally bestselling author of The Henna Artist and The Jaipur Trilogy. Born in India and raised in the United States, her work explores themes of identity, resilience and cultural heritage. Her latest novel, Six Days in Bombay, takes readers on a journey through Bombay, Prague and Paris, unraveling a gripping mystery surrounding an artist’s life and legacy.
Bay Area readers can meet and hear from Joshi at Book Passage, Corte Madera, on Wednesday, April 23, at 6 p.m.
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Join Katy Hays at Book Passage, Corte Madera on Thursday, April 3, at 6:00 p.m. More details at bookpassage.com.
Boat Baby: A Memoir
NBC’s Vicky Nguyen shares a heartfelt, often hilarious memoir of her family’s daring escape from Vietnam, the chaos of growing up between cultures and her rise as a journalist.
Join Nguyen at Book Passage, Corte Madera on Wednesday, April 9, at 6:00 p.m. More details at bookpassage.com.
