A shadow detaches itself softly from one of the veranda pillars. It is Gangi. ‘Amma, Doddappa. There is no need for you to worry so much. I will dedicate myself to God and save Appa.’

Ajji looks at her with defeated eyes. ‘You don’t know what it means child. You don’t understand what you are saying. It is not possible.’

‘I do understand, Amma. I am not a child anymore. I know what it will be like. I should not marry anyone. I have to please the temple priest and every man who comes to the temple. I have to give them my body. I know. I will do it to save my father’s life.’

Her mother and uncle are speechless.

Ajji’s eyes fill with tears. ‘What about Kumaraswamy?’ she eventually asks.

Gangi just shakes her head. ‘Not meant for me,’ she says absently, more to herself than to Ajji. Then she looks up. ‘But I do have one condition,’ she continues determinedly. ‘Dedicate me to the Kamadeva temple, not the Ooramma temple. I will go to God Kamadeva, not to Goddess Ooramma. Annaiah will take much better care of me.’

At her words, Ajji feels a load lift off her shoulders. She thinks of Chikthayi, who would have given up everything if Annaiah had asked her at the right time. She thinks of Putti, who died because of her love for Annaiah. Maybe Gangi will come to feel some of that insane attraction? Women in the village still find Annaiah very attractive though, as far as she knows, he has stayed away from all of them. It is not the life she has dreamt of for her only child. But now she is helpless and this is the better alternative.

Will Annaiah agree? He did accept Putti and Chikthayi. Strangely, so far, not a single girl has been dedicated to Kamadeva, even though he is the god of desire. Annaiah is not the kind to take advantage of helpless lower-caste girls, so it is only Ooramma who demands such sacrifices.

Ajji determines that Annaiah should be convinced by whatever means possible to accept Gangi. The alternative is too horrible to contemplate. What Annaiah says is the rule at the Kamadeva temple. Perhaps he can come up with a rule by which no one other than he can touch Gangi. Perhaps they can even have some kind of marriage.

That is when Ajji remembers, with dread, the words that Annaiah said on the day of Putti’s seventh tithi oota. ‘Your blood will mingle with mine and that will lead to my destruction.’ Ajji feels a chill run through her. Is this what Annaiah meant? Should she not do this? What else can she do with her daughter? Abandon her to Ooramma and Dasegowda? No! No, let fate make its way, she decides. What has been written on our foreheads, be it death or life, it should happen. I have to look after my daughter’s welfare. Gangi will go to Annaiah. Not to Dasegowda.