The third-floor mini auditorium in the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre is already quite full. Sharada's popularity has been growing steadily. Her last concert was at the Dadar Matunga Cultural Centre where she had performed only for an hour and a half before a flautist took the stage. Even then a crowd had gathered around her at the end to congratulate her. They had been captivated by her powerful voice and style. A connoisseur told her he had called his wife halfway through her bada khayal to drop everything and come.

Anima looks around the little hall. Shekhar is sitting right up front, next to Madhavrao Sabnis, a disciple-devotee of Sharada's guru. Farther down is Urmilatai Mahajan who taught six-year-old Sharada her first basic bandish which described the qualities of Raag Yaman. She had been pleasantly surprised by the little girl's innate sense of tune and rhythm. In a corner at the back of the hall sits Haridas. He is wearing a Peshwa-style twelve-string shirt over voluminous pyjama trousers.

Anima settles down next to Shekhar with Janaki on the other side. ‘Janaki,’ Anima introduces her to Shekhar. ‘She wants to learn from Sharada.’

Janaki smiles at Shekhar. He returns the smile, showing his small, straight teeth. She notices that his eyes are light brown and his other features well placed and suitably proportioned—ears aligned, chin firm, no major mess-up. ‘What do you do?’ he asks Janaki.

‘I work for the Mumbai Observer.’

‘Janaki Patil?’

‘Yes,’ she answers, surprised.

Anima cuts in hastily, addressing Madhavrao on the other side. ‘How are you?’ Madhavrao moves his head in quick half arcs down right, down left, like a ding-dong doll to say he is well. He prefers not to speak.

Anima turns towards Janaki and whispers, ‘Sorry I cut in. He's read the interview. He can’t stand Haridas. Didn’t want to upset him.’

Sharada's accompanists arrive on the low, brightly covered platform, their tablas and tanpuras in hand. She follows to a scatter of applause. While the announcer introduces her, she sits with eyes closed. The accompanists tune their instruments.