First published in the literary magazine Paris Review in 1994, "Dharma" was reprinted as one of the five stories in Chandra's collection, Love and Longing in Bombay. The collection as a whole was received with enthusiasm. "A brilliant work," declared Kirkus Reviews, and the reviewer also commented that "Each [story] recounts a quest of some kind, and all are distinguished by unusually detailed and persuasive characterizations."

Shashi Tharoor, in the New York Times, declared that Love and Longing in Bombay "stands out as a considerable accomplishment, one in which the author marries his storytelling prowess to a profound understanding of India's ageless and everchanging society."

Publishers Weekly offered the following general assessment, which certainly can be applied to "Dharma": "Impeccably controlled, intelligent, sensuous and sometimes grim, Chandra's timeless and timely book is remarkably life-affirming, considering the dark areas of the heart he explores."

The verdict of Aamer...