‘Oh,’ says Annaiah, ‘be sure that Thimmakka does not do anything to the garland, that she never gets her hands on it.’

Ajji looks at him, shocked. Thimmakka stifles a whimper of anger and rushes into Chenni’s sickroom. Ajji comes in, avoiding Thimmakka’s eyes, and puts the fragrant flower garland around Chenni’s neck.

The smell and the feel of the flowers seem to immediately calm Chenni. Her labour goes smoothly and a daughter is born. Ajji ensures that the garland is immediately put around the child’s neck. She holds the baby herself the first hour, keeping it safe from one and all, evil spirits or Thimmakka.

Chenni herself is beyond redemption. Her body is still shuddering, like a puppet being pulled in all directions. She takes a long lingering look at her daughter and mutters something, which sounds like, ‘At last, my heart’s desire.’ But that could just be Thimmakka’s feverish imagination working overtime. The other women are trying to calm her down, but Chenni’s strength is ebbing with each jerk. Thimmakka is genuinely rattled – she doesn’t want Chenni to die. She makes a big show of running out to Annaiah and begging him to come in and save Chenni. She knows the old tale that Annaiah will die if he ever enters the headman’s house. Perhaps this is her way of trying to kill two birds with one stone.

It doesn’t work. Only one bird, Chenni, goes over the wall. And Annaiah goes back slowly to his temple, leaving Thimmakka unhappy and still unfulfilled.

15

THE ATTACK ON BANGARI

jji takes Annaiah’s advice to heart: she always keeps the garland with her, wrapped in her seere and tucked at her waist, and diligently ducks all of Thimmakka’s demands to at least look at it, if not handle it. Soon the villagers know that Ajji is nearby when they smell the garland that never withers and the sudden swimming sensation that accompanies it.

Thimmakka again stays away from the headman’s house after Chenni’s death. She is drained, and not particularly bothered that the garland protects Chenni’s child, named Parvati by popular consensus. It is perfectly natural for Annaiah to safeguard his own child. And she wishes the newborn no harm at all.

But she does want the garland because Annaiah asked Ajji to keep it from her. Why? Would it transfer its powers to her? Would she become what Chenni was to Annaiah? She has no answers and she badly wants some.

One day, she impulsively decides to see Annaiah again, now that Chenni is dead and she has no competition. Maybe he will explain to me why I should not touch Parvati’s garland. Maybe he will give me a garland of my own. At least, maybe this time he will look at me and grant me my wish, garland or no garland, she thinks. Just as dawn is breaking, she enters the temple grounds. Annaiah is already up and sweeping out the temple. He nods at her and continues sweeping. She patiently waits at the entrance for him to finish. Annaiah puts away the broom in one corner of the temple and comes out. Quietly, the two make their way to the sprawling banyan tree near the wall and sit down.