The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi is set in the 1950s and follows the life of a woman named Lakshmi Shastri. After leaving behind her abusive marriage and village life, Lakshmi seeks refuge in the city of Jaipur, where she works tirelessly to establish herself as a well-regarded henna artist. Her clients include the city's wealthy and elite women, and she often becomes privy to their deepest secrets while maintaining her own.
Lakshmi lives a disciplined life, adhering to a strict routine to save enough money to pay off her family's debt, thereby securing her independence. However, her calculated life is disrupted when her estranged husband, Hari, appears in Jaipur with a thirteen-year-old girl named Radha. Hari introduces Radha as Lakshmi's younger sister, a shocking revelation since Lakshmi did not know of her existence.
With the arrival of her family, Lakshmi's professional and personal life becomes more complex. She takes on the responsibility of caring for Radha while dealing with the new set of challenges that her sister's presence poses. Despite this, Lakshmi continues to provide her services, including secret herbal remedies she develops and distributes discreetly.
As the novel unfolds, it emerges that Radha is not Lakshmi's sister but rather her daughter. This unexpected revelation comes after Radha becomes pregnant and almost dies from a self-induced abortion. This ordeal leads to the truth coming out: Radha was conceived when Lakshmi, still married to Hari, had a brief affair with a wealthy man from her village. Unable to keep the child, Lakshmi had given her up without knowing that Hari had kept her alive and raised her as his own.
Simultaneously, Lakshmi's henna business faces a serious threat when her friend Malik begins to sell her herbal remedies independently. The consequences of his actions put her reputation at risk, leading to a deep sense of betrayal.
In the face of these trials, Lakshmi considers leaving Jaipur to start a new life. However, Radha's health crisis forces her to reconsider her decision. Instead of running away, she decides to stay and rebuild her life in the city.
The novel concludes with a resilient Lakshmi continuing her henna business while also taking care of Radha and maintaining a cordial relationship with Hari. She finds a renewed purpose in her aspiration to open a school for girls, where she plans to teach them about the art of henna and the knowledge of herbal remedies. Lakshmi, Radha, and Hari form an unconventional family bound by their shared experiences and a sense of mutual care and respect.
