 Ashapurna's mother Sarola Sundari came from a very enlightened family and was a great book lover.It was her "intensive thirst" for reading classics and story books which was transmitted to Ashapurna and her sisters in their early age.Due to shortage of space, Harendra Nath shifted his family to a new house at 157/1A Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road (beside the Khanna Cinema Hall), which provided freedom to Sarola Sundari and her daughters to read according to their heart's desires.