The villagers go back to Dasegowda to ask him if this is all right. He is still dazed and uncomprehending. His grandson Mahadeva, one of Honni’s conquests, quickly steps in and decisively says, yes, let’s burn the wooden doll. Rajegowda’s body is cremated with a quickly made doll and Honni goes into her room, still trembling at the thought of her near escape.

She is not unscathed, though. Gossip is quick to brand her. Rajegowda never went near her ever since the tent people came. How did she get pregnant? And why hasn’t Ajji said anything about it? A baby in the house and no talk about it at all?

Along with ribald comments and sly speculation on the baby, there is genuine puzzlement in the village about some things. There are intense discussions on how did Rajegowda die? How did his body suddenly come to Ooramma’s temple? Why did the Being say Honni and Rajegowda should be burnt? Especially if she is with child!

Honni’s brother Venkatsamy makes it a big issue when he and his parents get back from town. He doesn’t know about the child and it is not his problem. But he declares that Rajegowda’s death is the work of those tent people and their magic.

Their daughter has obviously used some Vashikarna mantra to attract Rajegowda. After all, he is the son of the richest man in this village and, if he is in her snare, the tent people can make merry here. But something went wrong and whatever she did killed Rajegowda, he says. Venkatsamy stands outside Puttaswamegowda’s house and screams all this. Krishnegowda calms Venkatsamy down and suggests that, before things get out of hand, Puttaswamegowda should call the newly formed panchayat and decide about forcing the tent people out.

Venkatsamy, slightly drunk on saraayi, sets his facts before the elders at the panchayat at the arali tree katte. Puttaswamegowda listens impassively. The other panchas, whose villages are used to the tent people coming and going in their areas and who have listened to very accurate predictions from them, are not sure there is a problem at all. What is the proof of what Venkatsamy is saying? If Rajegowda was haunting that wall, how can that girl be blamed for it? If none of the tent people were in the village, how can they be accused of killing Rajegowda?

Besides, by now most of them are aware of the gossip about Honni’s child. There may be other people who have reasons to kill Rajegowda, they reckon. They don’t want to distress Puttaswamegowda further by digging in to find out precisely how Rajegowda died. Why, it may even be suicide. As for Venkatsamy’s claims … they dismiss the case and the panchayat breaks up.