In the bonesetter’s waiting room

Aarathi Prasad

This book by the science writer Aarathi Prasad investigates India’s pluralist culture of medicine, paying particular attention to the tension between technological developments and ancient traditions. Prasad’s journeys take her to a variety of specialists—from bonesetters in Hyderabad, to plastic surgeons catering to film stars in Mumbai. She writes about many different therapies as well, including a popular asthma treatment that involves swallowing a live fish. In one of the book’s most striking passages, Prasad investigates a mental health initiative in the Mumbai mega-slum Dharavi.

Hachette India, 256 pages, Rs 499