'The summit is near and my legs are heavy with fatigue.' So Lady Yashodabai Joshi told her daughter Manikbai Bhide on her deathbed in 1948. She little realized that the journey she had taken would become a classic Marathi narrative, published by her daughter, her amanuensis, who was prevailed upon to disregard the author's wish that the account be kept only for private circulation. The classic Marathi narrative is now retold by her grandson in English, 55 years ...