‘You wretched dog who feasts on waste!’ his uncle hollered. ‘Taking pity on you because you were a fatherless child, we carried you on our shoulders, we raised you. And this is how you show your gratitude to us! The moment you see a little money, you forget all that we have done for you? You call this a marriage? I will break your head open! Go away! Go die, like your father did. We have cared for our widowed sister so far. We will keep doing that even if you are gone.’

Kumaresan stood motionless. Somebody dragged his uncle away. A few people also tried to nudge Kumaresan, to send him on his way. In the meantime, someone had gathered the plate and the things that lay scattered, and handed all of them back to Saroja.

As they walked back home, pushing the bicycle along, the clamour of the festivities followed them for a long time. Kumaresan and Saroja did not say anything to each other. In the oppressive silence, they could hear each other breathing. When they reached the rock, Kumaresan broke down.

His mother, who was lying on a cot on the rock, chastised him. ‘You should have expected this! What were you thinking?’

His whimpers ceased immediately. The rock and the fields lay spread out in all directions, but there was no spot where he could go and cry out his grief. He could not expect any support now from the mother who had raised him lovingly all these years. She did not have one kind word to say to him; instead her tirade continued unabated. Her words tore into him like a dog ripping away flesh from bone. He kept quiet and did not respond while her angry comments became louder and more vigorous.