One of the pleasures of reading this translated version of a Hindi classic is that it does not read like a translation. It happens often that the translator is comfortable with one language and not the other. Happily, Poonam Saxena is at ease in both Hindi and English and has steered away from a literal translation of Dharamvir Bharti’s famous novel. Instead, she has captured its spirit and essence in her own words. It’s a delightful read.