La India en que viví

Of all the countries that this great lady traveled in a life devoted to study and erudite wandering, India unfolds like a world of boundless wisdom. There is no comparable case throughout the twentieth century, there is none among other travelers, explorers or scholars of her time if we stick to the complexity of her experience in situ and not in cold libraries. It was unique, singular, an unusual mix of courage, intellectual curiosity, intelligence, and physical and emotional stamina. The writer who appears in these chronicles is already a serene, cultured woman, sure of herself and her knowledge, which she refines by visiting and discussing with wise Brahmins -she spoke Pali, Hindi, Sanskrit, wrote in English despite being Franco-Belgian- earning their respect, and participating in ceremonies to which few foreigners were invited. She rubs shoulders with teachers and sadhus alike, with rich European maharajas or learned men; always discreet and wearing local clothes. She collects information about the gods, their cults and ceremonies, sacred texts, customs, and does not hesitate to unmask with humor and cunning false sadhus, sanyâsins and gurus of all conditions; he denies the caste system and provides valuable information on the lives of Indian women. Her account remains dazzling reading today.