Giligadu: The Lost Days, by the 2018 Sahitya Akademi Award winner Chitra Mudgal, is a multi-layered novelette short in length, yet deep in meaning and messages for urban India. It is unique in the subtle way it conveys, both to the aged (who chafe at the apparent loss of respect and control) and to the not-so-old (who deserve to live their life on their terms), through the pen of a creative genius, a dignified way out of this two-pronged dilemma: a bold break with traditions and setting new societal rules. It can prove a relief to the mini-wars waged within families and be a recipe for lasting peace and amicable relations. Set in a time frame of 13 days, with two old men as the main characters, it analyses the relevance of older values in present day life and the need to change with the times. A page-turner that leaves the reader satisfied and encourages introspection.