New York City

Most of the novel takes place in New York City, where Kailash attends graduate school. Kailash arrives in New York City around 1990, and he quickly finds life there enjoyable. He studies at the university and begins dating for the first time in his life. However, he struggles with a sense of guilt, for he feels that, in enjoying life in American so readily, he is forsaking his Indian heritage.

India

Kailash was born in India, and he completed his undergraduate studies in Delhi. He developed a friendship with a female student there, but it never progressed into romance. While in the United States, Kailash worries that he is neglecting his Indian heritage. He decides to focus much of his research on Indian art, culture, and history; these studies help to further develop his love and appreciation for India. Additionally, Cai Yan decides to spend a semester...