‘Now, if there are no further questions, enjoy your playtime with the elephants, and please make sure you are wearing closed shoes. The orphanage is a charity, not a commercial enterprise, and we cannot accept any responsibility for injuries incurred while you are here. Welcome to Lanka.’ He clicked his heels together sharply and smiled graciously at the crowd.

The gates of the stall opened and the babies rushed towards them. Smrithi reached her arms out to one, but a mahout stepped forward and tapped it away with his stick.

‘You like touch elephant?’ His smile was stained yellow. He held one hand out to Smrithi and, with the other, raised his stick at the baby. He never took his practised gaze or smile from her.

‘Yes, I like touch elephant,’ she replied, pushing dirty notes into his hand. He lowered his stick and the baby rushed towards her, its trunk rapidly searching her body for food.

She laughed as the gentle prodding became more insistent and daring. ‘Stop that!’ She pulled the trunk away as the baby tried to lift her shirt. She reached into her bag and retrieved the tamarind pods she’d been saving.

‘Here, try these, but don’t tell anyone,’ she said, leaning down to play with the leathery flap of its ear.

‘You are beautiful,’ she whispered, catching the sticky, brown jam that slipped out of its mouth. ‘That’s the best bit, don’t waste it.’ She offered the tamarind paste back to the baby’s trunk and rubbed the forehead between its almond eyes.

‘Are you trying to mother that elephant? I heard you telling it to eat more,’ Prashanth stood between Smrithi and the mahouts who were circling for more ‘gratitude’.

‘I can’t help it, they’re so beautiful. Even when they’re young, their eyes look so old, so knowing.’ The baby wrapped its trunk around her and pulled her closer. She bent down and put her arms around its enormous head. She could smell crushed coconut and jackfruit.

‘It’s the Ganesha in them,’ Prashanth said, bending down so Ahalya could reach forward and touch the animal.

‘Good morning, could I please pat your elephant?’ Sunhat Lady joined them.

‘Of course, although it’s not my elephant,’ Smrithi replied.

‘Thank you, those mahouts won’t leave me alone.’

‘Are you enjoying your holiday here?’ Smrithi asked.

‘Is it that obvious I’m not a local?’ She wrinkled her peeling nose.

Smrithi burst out laughing. ‘We’re not locals either. We’re from London. My family is originally from the north of Sri Lanka—Jaffna—you wouldn’t have been there.’

‘No, we’ve been to the tea estates in Nuwara Eliya though. And Sigiria of course. We climbed to the top of the mountain. It was exhausting, but the palace was worth it. The view was spectacular.’