Readers, literary enthusiasts, and history buff s are invited to the launch of Six Days In Bombay, the latest novel by globally acclaimed author Alka Joshi on April 29th, 2025. Hosted by Santa Catalina School in Monterey, the evening event includes an author talk, musical performance by Sunkiss’d Mozart, a book signing, and refreshments.
Six Days in Bombay is Joshi’s fi rst standalone novel since her breakout New York Times bestseller, The Henna Artist, and her Jaipur Trilogy. Inspired by the 1930s scandalous Hungarian-Indian painter Amrita Sher-Gil, “India’s Frida Kahlo,” Joshi wrote Six Days as a tribute to the many extraordinary, free-spirited, talented women history has forgotten. “Sher-Gil was the youngest member and only Asian admitted to the prestigious Paris Salon in 1933. She deserves to be a household name as much as Gaughin, Cezanne or Modigliani.” she says.
Set in 1937, the novel follows Sona, a young Anglo-Indian nurse, as she travels from Bombay to Istanbul, Prague, Florence, Paris, and London to uncover the mystery behind a famous painter’s death. Novelist Kate Quinn calls the book a “sparkling travelogue and a poignant story of self-discovery all in one. Alka Joshi is simply the best!” Violinist Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu and cellist Tanya Tomkins of Sunkiss'd Mozart will perform pieces inspired by Six Days in Bombay. “As an artistic director looking to create deeply moving and enriching experiences for audiences, I felt an immediate resonance—visually, culturally, emotionally, and philosophically—to Alka’s work,” Wu said. “Pairing her story with pieces of music it evoked was a natural fi t.” Head of School Dr. Barbara Ostos says, “Joshi’s ability to bridge cultures through creativity and storytelling is impressive. Santa Catalina School is proud to support her and other community members whose mission and vision aligns with that of our school—preparing our diverse student body to lead lives of meaning and purpose.”