There whatever is sacrificed, chanted, given in charity, or suffered in penance, even in the smallest amount, yields endless fruit because of the power of that place. Whatever fruit is said to accrue from many thousands of lifetimes of asceticism, even more than that is obtainable from but three nights of fasting in this place. ---Tristhalisetu

The River Ganges is central to Banaras, India, one of the seven Holy Cities, the site where Hindus come to die, to be cremated upon its waters and bathe in Shiva's divine essence. The River is a place where the devout hope to have their sins washed away, a commonality that brings together the hodgepodge of Payne's characters in SISTER INDIA. A group of tourists have gathered at the Saraswati Guest House, whose proprietor, Madame Natraja, presents the backdrop of the story. A behemoth-sized woman, Natraja hides her past within her girth as well as behind the foreign, concrete walls of the riverside inn. Those walls will begin to crumble as violence erupts in the once peaceful city, forcing her to come to terms with her own demons.

Natraja's journey happens simultaneous to the pilgrimages of her guests. She scrutinizes each one from her secluded perch, and we come to learn more of her through her evaluation of the guests. The turmoil caused by Hindu-Muslim murders rivals the inner angst of each tourist, as the purposes of their trips come to fruition. As each one discovers that Varanasi is the end of their quest, they help Natraja realize that the city is not only a place to die, but also a place of rebirth.

Payne's in-depth knowledge of the people and the way of life along the Ganges creates a haunting and spiritual scene for her story to unfold. One can imagine themselves swaying to the chanting prayers and becoming intoxicated by the smells of incense and spices wafting through the crowded streets. It is a captivating tale with descriptions of the Ganges and India that would land these locales a spot on any adventurer's list. Natraja is an especially complex character that we come to find has taken residence in India to escape her past. She is the eyes and ears by which we come to understand the other characters and their reactions to the circumstances that surround them. Their personal mayhem intertwines with the political and social uprisings in the city and leaves the reader with an unsettling sense that our lives are more chance than destiny.