In the evening, Kalpana returned home to a sombre mood floating about the house. Tai-ajji sat in her favourite rusty chair by the window, with her eyes half-closed, muttering holy incantations as she turned the rosary beads fervently through her fingers. Aai rushed out of the kitchen, wiping her wet hands on her faded green nighty, only to meet Kalpana’s guilty eyes. “You got your period today?” Aai asked urgently and found her answer in Kalpana’s lowered eyes. “Go, go inside and have a head bath. You didn’t go to the pandals I hope!” added Aai, as Kalpana sprinted inside and straight into the bathroom.
The rest of the week brought wafts of agarbatti, steaming ukdichey modak and sizzling aloowadis. Every evening Sudya anna would regale the family over dinner about the unique Ganesha idols, the richly decorated pandals and the best prasads that were distributed across their suburb.
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