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Unearthed: The Lies We Carry & The Truths They Bury
In this searing memoir, Chanchal Garg reveals the spiritual and sexual abuse that shattered her sense of self and forced her to question a life defined by duty and sacrifice. Raised as a devoted Indian daughter, she was taught never to question authority-until a transformative moment during a yoga class, while pregnant with her daughter, awakened a truth she could no longer ignore.
That realization set her on a solitary journey, as she lost her faith, community, and the life she had always known. Without the support she had once relied on, she had to learn to trust herself, reclaim her bicultural identity, and redefine what it meant to be both Indian and American-on her own terms.
Unearthed is a powerful call to every woman who has ever felt silenced-an invitation to trust your inner voice, reclaim your story, and return to yourself.
PLEASE When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
That realization set her on a solitary journey, as she lost her faith, community, and the life she had always known. Without the support she had once relied on, she had to learn to trust herself, reclaim her bicultural identity, and redefine what it meant to be both Indian and American-on her own terms.
Unearthed is a powerful call to every woman who has ever felt silenced-an invitation to trust your inner voice, reclaim your story, and return to yourself.
PLEASE When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
302 pages, Paperback
Published June 2, 2025
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12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 9, 2026
The name bestowed upon her at birth was Nirmal, a name meaning purity. Nirmal was Indian by birth, but spent her formative years in the United States. She longed to feel closer to her heritage and learn more about Hinduism, as she was quite taken with the wisdom and teachings found in Ramayana. Nirmal was told early on in her life that her “body was a temple” and that her virtue was essential. She also felt the need to be protected and pined for the husband who would fill that need when she grew up.
As she grew up, Nirmal would be betrayed by a charismatic religious leader who violated her trust while fulfilling his own needs, and her first marriage would crumble as her husband proved abusive and untrusting. To reclaim agency over her life, Nirmal would need to confront the abuse she suffered, and once she did this, she was on the path towards becoming Chanchal.
Chanchal Garg’s transfixing narrative in her memoir, Unearthed: The Lies We Carry & the Truths They Bury, is told with a bold frankness from her humble beginnings to an empowering conclusion. In the story’s early stages, Nirmal attempts to strike a balance between her life at home and school, but the restrictions her father places on her allow for little social life. In the vivid recall of her adolescence, Chanchal’s anger and hurt at her father’s stubbornness are clearly imparted. Her desire for freedom and a chance to enjoy life resonates on a level that transcends the usual parent-child clash. There are moments of palpable poignancy when the disapproval of her father cuts deeply and deprives her of joy.
Faith became important to Nirmal (Chanchal) when she was in her impressionable years, and yet her faith was tested when she was subjected to multiple instances of abuse by the spiritual guru, Babaji. The ordeal she experienced was exacerbated by those who initially refused to believe her or blamed her for the religious leader’s actions. The judgment and contempt she was subject to by those closest to her serve as one of the most poignant aspects of this memoir. Chanchal’s resolve in not relinquishing her faith and sharing her story with other women marks a pivotal moment in the book.
Unearthed: The Lies We Carry & the Truths They Bury is a triumphant memoir about reclaiming one’s identity amid years of exploitation. While her life has been filled with tribulations & achievements, Chanchal’s reflections on her life are unvarnished and genuine. Author Chanchal Garg has penned a book that is moving and inspirational, a story of spiritual and psychological healing.
As she grew up, Nirmal would be betrayed by a charismatic religious leader who violated her trust while fulfilling his own needs, and her first marriage would crumble as her husband proved abusive and untrusting. To reclaim agency over her life, Nirmal would need to confront the abuse she suffered, and once she did this, she was on the path towards becoming Chanchal.
Chanchal Garg’s transfixing narrative in her memoir, Unearthed: The Lies We Carry & the Truths They Bury, is told with a bold frankness from her humble beginnings to an empowering conclusion. In the story’s early stages, Nirmal attempts to strike a balance between her life at home and school, but the restrictions her father places on her allow for little social life. In the vivid recall of her adolescence, Chanchal’s anger and hurt at her father’s stubbornness are clearly imparted. Her desire for freedom and a chance to enjoy life resonates on a level that transcends the usual parent-child clash. There are moments of palpable poignancy when the disapproval of her father cuts deeply and deprives her of joy.
Faith became important to Nirmal (Chanchal) when she was in her impressionable years, and yet her faith was tested when she was subjected to multiple instances of abuse by the spiritual guru, Babaji. The ordeal she experienced was exacerbated by those who initially refused to believe her or blamed her for the religious leader’s actions. The judgment and contempt she was subject to by those closest to her serve as one of the most poignant aspects of this memoir. Chanchal’s resolve in not relinquishing her faith and sharing her story with other women marks a pivotal moment in the book.
Unearthed: The Lies We Carry & the Truths They Bury is a triumphant memoir about reclaiming one’s identity amid years of exploitation. While her life has been filled with tribulations & achievements, Chanchal’s reflections on her life are unvarnished and genuine. Author Chanchal Garg has penned a book that is moving and inspirational, a story of spiritual and psychological healing.
October 20, 2025
Unearthed by Chanchal Garg is a book that doesn not just tell a story but bares a soul. This beautiful memoir is raw and luminous in equal measure. It traces author Garg’s painful yet empowering journey through spiritual and sexual abuse, her loss of faith, and the reclamation of her identity as both Indian and American. The book’s greatest strength lies in its honesty as Garg doesn’t hide behind polished prose or distance herself from the pain. Instead, she invites the reader into her unraveling and rebuilding, offering a voice that feels courageous, vulnerable, and deeply relatable.
Garg’s writing is tender but unflinching. Each chapter feels like a confession whispered into the dark. She shares moments of doubt, grief, awakening, and slow healing stitched together with lyrical precision. What moved me most was her ability to explore trauma without letting it consume the narrative. Unearthed isn’t a story of victimhood; it’s a story of reclamation. Through her awakening during a yoga class, while carrying new life within her, Garg begins to question the doctrines and power structures that once defined her, and in doing so, she creates space for other women to do the same. The narrative feels spiritual, but not in a religious sense, it’s about returning to oneself, trusting that quiet inner knowing that so many of us are taught to suppress.
The memoir also shines in how it navigates bicultural identity. Garg’s experience of being both Indian and American resonates profoundly. Her journey is personal, but her insights are universal. By the end, you’re not just reading about her healing; you’re reminded of your own capacity to listen inwardly and rebuild. Unearthed doesn’t promise easy closure but offers something rarer: authenticity, compassion, and permission to begin again.
Unearthed is a beautifully written, soul-stirring memoir about pain, awakening, and self-trust. Perfect for readers who loved Educated by Tara Westover or When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill, and for anyone seeking a reminder that healing is not linear, but always possible.
Garg’s writing is tender but unflinching. Each chapter feels like a confession whispered into the dark. She shares moments of doubt, grief, awakening, and slow healing stitched together with lyrical precision. What moved me most was her ability to explore trauma without letting it consume the narrative. Unearthed isn’t a story of victimhood; it’s a story of reclamation. Through her awakening during a yoga class, while carrying new life within her, Garg begins to question the doctrines and power structures that once defined her, and in doing so, she creates space for other women to do the same. The narrative feels spiritual, but not in a religious sense, it’s about returning to oneself, trusting that quiet inner knowing that so many of us are taught to suppress.
The memoir also shines in how it navigates bicultural identity. Garg’s experience of being both Indian and American resonates profoundly. Her journey is personal, but her insights are universal. By the end, you’re not just reading about her healing; you’re reminded of your own capacity to listen inwardly and rebuild. Unearthed doesn’t promise easy closure but offers something rarer: authenticity, compassion, and permission to begin again.
Unearthed is a beautifully written, soul-stirring memoir about pain, awakening, and self-trust. Perfect for readers who loved Educated by Tara Westover or When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill, and for anyone seeking a reminder that healing is not linear, but always possible.
July 8, 2025
Compelling and enjoyable read. For me, it was a look at the cultural memes we carry with us and what we do to make others happy. Then what we do once we awaken:) Chanchal is a brave author, and this is easy to read even if you carry your own trauma because of how she has written it. I would recommend for anyone.
November 28, 2025
Touching, heartbreaking and redeeming look at one woman’s journey through her reckoning with her cultural heritage and identity while processing her traumas and moving forward with courage.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews