The Stepmother & Other Stories carries a small introductory note on Laxmibai Abhyankar’s life and times. The temporal nature of the book transports the reader to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the absence of a rooted, critical introduction, it might be difficult to place and advertise the book for modern readers. Here, Ranjana Kaul, the translator, was comparatively in a better position to carve out an introductory biography of Abhyankar—more, for Kaul also happens to be the granddaughter of the writer.
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