Maadhi’s father looks at her in shock. There is a growl from many young men behind him. Send one of their women to the headman’s son? How dare they! The men surround Parvati menacingly. The women melt away into the background. All that stands between Parvati and the men’s beastly anger is Maadhi’s father.

Parvati suddenly knows what is expected of her. She swallows and kneels. Maadhi’s father’s eyes are burning into her forehead. ‘Please, sir, I have to save my brother. He is a good man. He has never harmed anyone in his life. Your daughter has the power to save his life. Please. I also have to save my village. I will stay here, I will do whatever you want. Let Maadhi go in my place.’

Maadhi’s father remains silent. The men around look at her in anticipation.

Parvati, fearful and desperate, looks up to see a young woman coming towards her. Her hair is braided through with white flowers, and she carries a garland exactly like hers, the one that Ajji carries. How does she have such a garland? And who is she?

‘Yes,’ says the girl in a soft voice, answering the unasked question. ‘I am Maadhi.’ She turns to her father and says, ‘I must go with her, father. Annaiah is right. This man who is ill needs me more than anything else. I will put this garland around him and be with him. I accept him as mine in accordance with our customs.’

Her father stands stock-still, unable to say anything. Maadhi walks into the circle of men, takes Parvati’s hand and the two walk out, holding hands all the way to the wall in absolute silence.

24. The Revenge Begins

24

THE REVENGE BEGINS

t the headman’s house, Thimmakka, who has been guzzling the paanaka, suddenly and ferociously attacks Annaiah. She tears at his hair and beard with her hands. Before the old man can recover, she screeches that he is the gumma and bangs his head hard against the door of Sundru’s room.

The other women rush forward. With superhuman strength, Thimmakka stops the whole lot. Slowly and surely, she tells them that Annaiah has to be destroyed to save the village. The other women, stilled by Thimmakka’s burning eloquence, listen fearfully.

As she speaks, lightning blazes outside, as if in a stream. Thimmakka is strangely illuminated. ‘You do not believe me? We all know the story of how this man destroyed Putti who loved him. How he destroyed Chikthayi, Gangi, Chenni. I have seen them … walking around with their hair loose, crying and wailing, unhappy, disturbed … all because of him!’

Ajji, reeling with shock that it is Thimmakka and not Bangari who has attacked Annaiah, whimpers at this. ‘No, Thimmakka, you don’t understand … He saves them –’