‘I had gone to visit my aunt, my father’s younger sister. I have another cousin there, who has just matured. So, I had made a jewel for her as my gift and had taken it with me.

‘My wife didn’t approve of this. She could have told me that she didn’t like it. Had she done so, I would have stopped.

‘It wasn’t as if I was doing this for a stranger. I am obliged to make this gesture. It’s my duty, isn’t it? Of course, she wouldn’t agree with me. She had doubts about me and from the moment I returned home, the problems started.’

Achari’s voice suddenly rose up, in defence. ‘May I speak the truth? If my wife’s spirit is hovering around here, may it hear me too. I have never laid a finger on another woman in all these years; nor have I even thought of one.

‘Only this wench wouldn’t believe me. We had been married for five years, and she became pregnant only a few months ago. I am my mother’s only son. I was hoping to have a son, and now of course she is not going to be the mother of my son. My house is doomed to remain dark forever.

‘I have been crazy about her ever since she was a child. She loved me too. She’d threaten me when we were young, “Mama, if you fail to marry me, remember I’ll throw myself into a well and die.” What a pity that even after marrying me she had to die in the same water. Oh god!

‘I poured all my love into those earrings when I made them for her. And those became her Yama too.’

Achari stared at the ground intently, shook his head and sighed. ‘It’s gone … everything is gone.’ He rose and started to walk away.

‘Where are you off to?’

‘Where can I go? What recourse is left to me?’ Sobs wracked his entire body. ‘Will you please remove the cloth so I can have one final look at her face?’

They took him aside; spoke gently till he calmed down.

The gathering proceeded to address other matters.

Govindappa Nayakkar scanned the gathering once again and finally his eyes came to rest on the murderer. People looked up at Nayakkar expectantly.

He in turn looked at Parthasarathy and asked, ‘Anna, what punishment do you recommend?’ Then he looked at the others and said, ‘We have no elected government.’

The members of the meeting tried to get the murderer to confess, but failed.

‘Dey,’ said Govindappa Nayakkar, ‘don’t think that by staying mum you can escape. Tell us your thoughts. Open your mouth and talk. We need to know.’

The crowd was maddened by his adamant silence. The elders had to intervene often to control the excited youngsters.

Finally giving up, the villagers moved on to discuss his punishment.

At first they wanted to chop off one leg and one hand; then they changed their mind and decided to impale him on a stake.