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The Cave Woman of India: Tracing My Scars as an Immigrant's Daughter

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Sandhya and her mother at lookout point -- where you can see all the caves laid out across the surface of the rock.  (Sandhya Dirks/KQED)

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Most children of immigrant parents know what it's like to walk between two worlds. Many also know that the journey from one place to another can leave a legacy of scars.

In this encore episode, KQED’s Sandhya Dirks take us on a journey back to India — her mother’s homeland — to tell a story about inherited trauma, mental illness, and South Asian history.

"When I think of my childhood visits to India, I most vividly remember my mother’s caves. Well, maybe they are not her caves, not really, but for almost as long as I can remember my mother has been obsessed with — and has studied — a place called Ajanta."

Ajanta is a UNESCO world heritage site that Dirks' mother spent 30 years studying. The two return to those caves together in this week's episode.

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