The family stood up. Buta Singh stepped in front. He shut his eyes and raised his face to the ceiling. With his hands joined across his navel he recited the names of the Ten Gurus, the important shrines, and the martyrs. He thanked the Guru for his son being elected President of the Students Union and invoked special assistance for his daughter and blessings for the rest of the family. They all went down on their knees, rubbed their foreheads in front of the Holy Book once more, and sat down in their places. Shunno stirred the pershad with a dagger.

‘Last night it was like an oven,’ commented Sher Singh. ‘I could not sleep at all. I must have drunk at least twelve tumblers of water but the thirst would not go.’

‘It can’t last very long. The monsoon has broken in Bombay and it should be reaching the Punjab in another fortnight. As a matter of fact, Mr Taylor, who is a keen bird watcher, told me that he had heard the monsoon bird calling. He said this bird comes all the way from Africa with the monsoon winds and wherever it goes the rain is sure to follow. Now the college is closed, why don’t you go to the hills for a few days? Sher, you should take Champak and Beena to Simla. You can rent a house for a couple of months; your mother and I will come over later.’ Buta Singh cupped his hands to receive pershad from Shunno.

‘I have just taken over the Union and even though the colleges are closed, there is a lot of work to do. Madan said his father has rented a large house in Simla and only he and his sister are going for the present. He suggested our sharing it with them. It may not be a bad idea if Beena and Champak went with them now; I will take off a few days in September before the colleges re-open.’ Sher Singh took his share of the pershad in his cupped hands.

Before Sabhrai could say anything, Buta Singh agreed that it was a good idea. ‘Of course, I will have to stay in a hotel—Cecil or Clarke’s. In Simla one meets many senior officials of the Punjab Government and the Government of India, and a good address is most important. You come to some arrangement with Wazir Chand’s family: take half the house and pay half the rent. I will see Taylor and discuss summer plans with him.’