ALO-ANDHARI

WHEN SHE WAS VERY YOUNG, BABY HALDER WAS ABANDONED BY HER MOTHER AND LEFT WITH A CRUEL, ABUSIVE FATHER. SHE WAS MARRIED OFF AT TWELVE TO A MAN TWICE HER AGE WHO BEAT HER. AT FOURTEEN, SHE WAS A MOTHER HERSELF. HER EARLY LIFE WAS MARKED BY OVERWHELMING CHALLENGES AND HEARTBREAK UNTIL, EXHAUSTED AND DESPERATE, SHE FLED WITH HER THREE CHILDREN TO DELHI, TO WORK AS A MAID IN SOME OF THE CITY`S WEALTHIEST HOMES. EXPECTED TO SERVE HER EMPLOYERS` EVERY DEMAND, SHE FACED A STAGGERING WORKLOAD THAT OFTEN LEFT HER NO TIME TO CARE FOR HER OWN CHILDREN. BUT SHE NEVER COMPLAINED, FOR SUCH IS THE LOT OF THE POOR IN MODERN-DAY INDIA.

WRITTEN WITHOUT A TRACE OF SELF-PITY, A LIFE LESS ORDINARY IS A SHOCKING LOOK DEEP INSIDE A WORLD OF POVERTY AND SUBJUGATION THAT FEW OUTSIDERS KNOW ABOUT—AND AN INSPIRING TRUE STORY OF ONE REMARKABLE WOMAN`S STRENGTH, COURAGE, AND DETERMINATION TO SOAR ABOVE HER CIRCUMSTANCES.