Pearl S. Buck first adapted Hilda Werhner's book My Indian Family for a 1945 stage production at Stanford University.

[4] Oscar Lerman and Martin B. Cohen later tapped Buck for a musical stage adaptation which they hoped to present during the 1957–1958 Broadway season.

[6] The musical follows some of the broad strokes of the book, but with significant changes including a love story between the mother-in-law (Christine) and the widowed son-in-law.

The show was directed by Jerome Chodorov, with set and lighting design by Jo Mielziner, costumes by Alvin Colt, choreography by Hanya Holm, and dance and vocal arrangements by Trude Rittmann.

The cast featured Maureen O'Hara (Lady Christine FitzSimons),[8] Nancy Andrews (Auntie), Laurie Archer (Amora), Bhaskar (Rainath), Steve Curry (Krishna), Leslye Hunter (Jaya), Daniel Keyes (Dr.MacGowan), Phil Leeds (Uncle), Morley Meredith (Dr. Rashil Singh), Jonathan Morris (Mohan Roy), Janet Pavek (Sita Roy), Augie Rios (Rajendra), and Barbara Webb (The Matchmaker).