This novel, first published in 1951, is set in Hyderabad in the early part of the twentieth century. It is the story of a young high-class Muslum woman, who is forced to marry and thus put aside her natural inclination to read and write and lead an independent life. It evokes a period of civic unrest that preceded Indian independence. This new edition includes a critical and historical foreword by the author's daughter.


About the Author
Zeenuth Futehally (1904-92) grew up in Hyderabad in a Muslim family of high social standing. Fond of writing from a very young age, an early marriage took her to Japan, where Zohra was conceived. Zeenuth Futehally lived most of her life in Mumbai with her husband, son, and two daughters. Rummana Futehally Denby is Zeenuth Futehally's daughter. She has taught art and worked at the Tate Gallery in London. Her main interest is medieval history, and she is the editor of Christine de Pisan: An Autobiography of a Medieval Woman by Anil de Silva-Vigier.