The law seems to be very interested in widows and lesbians. Both are hanging on to the edges of society, begging to be recognised. It's the end of a millennium. India has made tremendous progress in science and technology, but in these times of economic boom can a friendship between two women give them the power to defy society, and law, to reach for their dreams? Dipali, a young bride, is determined to make her marriage a success story. But her plans are cut short when her husband is killed by a bomb blast in Mumbai. Forced into a life of widowhood, her brother expects her to sacrifice her own independence for the sake of caring for her elderly mother but Dipali has other ideas. Moushumi, a school teacher, discovers that her attraction to women is not just a girl crush. As her parents discuss potential husbands, Moushumi escapes to her high-flying lover. But how long can she keep being a lesbian secret beyond the safe walls of glamorous art crowd parties? In the midst of communal riots and gay rights movements, India too has to make her own decisions about which traditions she must keep, and which she ought to let go. At the end of it all, who can decide what is the normal state of mind?

In recent years, there has been a revival of interest in the Buddhist tradition of Asia which has percolated into the realm of Buddhist studies in India. There is a gamut of ideas that focuses on the philosophical content of Buddhism and also on Buddhist texts. But Buddhism as a component of the cultural milieu and as a living tradition of Northeast India has not been integrated into mainstream Buddhist Studies in India. However, there seems to be considerable interest in the field outside-in the wide spectrum of Buddhist linkages often spread over maritime waters in the Bay of Bengal region. This volume On the trail of Buddhism in Asia: Reflections on Tradition and Practice seeks to integrate such ideas about Buddhism's aesthetic appeal, its regional interpenetrations and diverse traditions. The purpose here is not only to outline Buddhist presence in the Himalayan space and in the maritime belt of South East Asia but also to examine the relevance of Buddhism in the era of globalisation reflecting concerns about habitat, environment and heritage.