Confined to her tent, Maadhi’s thoughts now turn to the mother she never knew. All she knows is her mother’s name, Thayamma, which her father has grudgingly told her once. The strange thing is, Annaiah seems to know her mother’s family. The first time he came over the wall to meet them, he had seen Maadhi and said: ‘Why, you are the image of Chikthayi! Are you her great-granddaughter?’ Maadhi had looked at him, eager and bewildered, but her father had quickly taken him away. And Annaiah has never mentioned it again. Where is this great-grandmother? Is there anyone else in that family? Maadhi really wants aunts, cousins, relatives. She wishes for someone to talk to and ask why she is being punished for Rajegowda’s foolishness. Still, the other tent girls, for once, are being kind and supportive. They do not dare enter the leader’s tent without invitation, but they have all gathered many of the fragrant white flowers, knowing that Maadhi loves making garlands of them. They stand outside, throw small flower bundles into the tent and go away. Maadhi, after stringing some in her hair, makes garlands of the rest and leaves them, fragrant and glowing, at the entrance of the tent. The girls take them and put them on the wooden idol of the gumma that they worship through the year and burn on Kamanahabba day.

One evening, when she is sitting alone in the tent, weaving her garland by the light of her lantern, Rajegowda quietly enters. Maadhi is terrified. There is no one around as all the others, including her father, are away, performing at a neighbouring village. Her first impulse is to call out to Karia, who should have been guarding the tents. Then it strikes her that Karia might kill Rajegowda. She looks at the intruder with desperate eyes, crouches in her corner and signals him to go away.

He shakes his head and tells her, with great intensity, that he has come for her. Maadhi whimpers, fearful for herself, but also for him. Rajegowda picks up the half-woven garland of fragrant white flowers and puts it around his own neck. His head swims. Mad with sudden need, he reaches out to take her in his arms.

Maadhi fights him. In that silent battle, she pushes him, tears the delicate garland from his neck, scratches him, bites him. Then she senses that someone else has come into the tent. It’s Sundru.

19. Rajegowda Dies

19

RAJEGOWDA DIES