It starts as a whisper. Dasegowda tells his wife Bachchamma that Putti’s death was unnatural and that she was at least five months pregnant when she died. Naturally, Bachchamma tells her neighbour and soon the news is all over the village. The villagers put two and two together, count the number of days and weeks and months the brothers have been away in search of the dream rishi.

They sagely nod their heads – the count tallies. Putti has died in childbirth, giving birth to Gowra, the child the two brothers have brought back with them. It does not escape them that Annaiah too disappeared from the village at exactly the right time, which would make him the father of Gowra. What about the white skin? Well, who knows what Annaiah’s ancestry is, say the villagers. Maybe he is an inglees gumma too. Dasegowda refuses to talk about it publicly and the issue fizzles out to remain the village’s best-kept open secret.

For about three years after this, the people of the village watch Chikthayi turn into a recluse, depressed and morose, even as Gowra captivates everyone in and around the headman’s house. Chikthayi spends all her time in the headman’s house and does not go home. She sits for hours beside the closed-up well, combing her long, lustrous hair. The village elders decide that the only way to bring the girl to the everyday world is to get her married. They also suggest this to Kalegowda and Doddegowda.

Doddegowda goes a step further and tells Dyavamma that they should find a groom outside the village and send the girl away. As long as she remains in the village, she will remember Putti’s death, he says. Dyavamma reluctantly agrees. Doddegowda sends out feelers far and wide. Finally, through the offices of Dasegowda, an interest comes from a distant village and it is the perfect match for Chikthayi. The young man’s antecedents look good, the family is well off, his mother is said to be kind, he has no sisters to plague her and Chikthayi will be very happy: this is what Doddegowda tells Dyavamma and Kalegowda.

The village folk are unsure and suspicious of this distant village bridegroom, but Doddegowda tells them that he had a dream about Chikthayi’s wedding too. He says that he saw Ooramma bless it and that this marriage would bring prosperity to the village. Isn’t the wedding happening right after her jathre, six days before Kamanahabba? Ooramma is happy, Chikthayi will be happy and all will be well with the world, Doddegowda says.

Chikthayi does not say anything. Nor is she asked. Ningamma, Dyavamma and Ajji do all the planning. The bride-to-be passively submits to everything. On the day of Ooramma’s jathre, when all is abuzz and the temple girls dance in front of their house, Chikthayi sits near Putti’s grave. As she pensively combs out her hair, lost in dizzying memories of Annaiah, she hears Putti’s voice whispering, ‘Don’t go there, Chikthayi. Be happy.’ And this time, Chikthayi tries to listen to that advice.