Tuesday, November 12

We got up at 5:00 this morning because Sanu will collect Irma at 6:00 so that she can fly to Delhi a couple of hours later. After they leave I look round the garden, where a hundred or more people will eat a long breakfast meal, after Praman’s pooja, which begins at 8:30.

An awning now covers the back space. A kitchen has sprung into existence round the corner where the washing machine stands. The rest of the space houses chairs and tables which will, in an hour or so, get fitted into a space that appears too small to hold them.

I will refuse breakfast because the dentist has said I should eat nothing for 24 hours, and then only curd for two days. I will go indoors and Archana will phone to ask how I feel. Any bleeding? No. Any swelling? No. Any pain? No. I tell her that I have refused breakfast and she bursts into loud laughter.

“Go and have some right now. Have a lot, because you need to keep your strength up. Never mind what I said yesterday. Just avoid the spicy pickle.”

I go out and eat sambar and appam followed by payasam. I follow my new instructions and eat a lot.

Later I will stand on the terrace and notice the whole street blocked by parked scooters, motorbikes and cars. It will not clear until sometime in the afternoon, when the payasam runs out.