The way the women flirted, lying on their stomach, chin propped up with a hand, feet lifted up to greet the starry skies, and smiling at their lover’s face; then, overcome with shyness, letting their eyelids droop before fixing their gaze on the grass; and then laughing with abandon, their shoulders shaking—it was all exquisite! When they stretched one arm in front and lay their head over it, and when they gave the impression of being tired, their eyes growing languorous as they slid their body down gracefully—the feminine charm that shimmered in those fleeting new gestures was absolutely enchanting. I don’t think such gestures have ever before been within the reaches of ordinary femininity. Sometimes, in very much the modern fashion, the loose end of their sari slipped from their shoulder. No matter how often a woman pulled it back up over her left shoulder, the sari was far too mischievous to stay put! Young boys and girls walked around the park, selling sundal, roasted chickpeas, roasted green peas, and groundnuts. Women flirtatiously lit their husbands’ cigarettes. The bra straps that were prominently visible over their shoulders and on their broad backs through their translucent blouses held men’s eyes in thrall. Some of the new ways of casting sidelong glances were utterly merciless. They dragged your mind away in a fierce wave and crashed it against a rock until it shattered into a million glass pieces. You felt the urge to spit in the face of the spiritual disquiet that arose in that moment.