Mother and daughter had only each other to cling to. The girl trailed along behind her, unable to break away, unable to summon the strength to live on her own. She uttered harsh words that dashed like stones against the heart of the woman who had promised her refuge but could give her none. Saradha’s mind shattered like those Venetian glass beads falling from their broken strands onto the hard pavements of the world. She was still tall and dignified. Her hair was cropped short. She no longer wore the traditional jewellery of rubies and brilliants. All that had vanished. Days of her past glory and beauty remained only in those rare beads of amber, of lapis lazuli and the mottled glass that swung against her throat and breast.

No one was prepared to pity either mother or daughter, to rescue them from their wretchedness. Not even Saradha’s own kith and kin. She would stand at the gateways, at the doorways of her people, begging for alms. And that was all they were prepared to give. They would not welcome her into their houses. There was fear too in their attitudes for she was still a strong and intimidating presence, one who reminded them of feelings and emotions that they would not, dared not, allow themselves to even envisage. So they let her go … they would not take responsibility for her. she would die and the daughter would survive. They would be forgotten.

Regrets

Radha remembered. She would not make such mistakes. For her, rebellion would have been calamitous. she could not have been a survivor like Saradha. Like Lucia. Her destiny was the acceptance of inherited roles, traditional roles, handed down from generation to generation. She would pay heed to her parents’ wishes, to the wisdom of the family guru and the family choice of a bridegroom. That had been her life with all its predictability. There had been nothing to escape from. She had entered the fortress voluntarily, never to leave it. She had diversions, parties with laughter and trivial conversations. Cocktail parties, birthday parties, anniversary celebrations. These were the important landmarks in her life.