Sunday, January 26

We have come for Lekshmi’s brother’s funeral pooja. I photograph the huge poster of Shivan at the entrance to the alley that leads to the house where he lived and died.

Paul and Simi arrive and when the pooja has ended everyone drives or walks to the beach where the ashes and flowers get thrown into the sea. The tide means that they float back again and it takes several attempts before they go out to sea and join the ocean.

We both leave with nothing but admiration for Lekshmi and the way she composed herself while taking charge of the situation. While not formally in charge, it became clear as soon as we arrived that she had taken a leading role and others deferred to her.