The men in the house consulted and though they were not convinced, it still felt safer to dispatch the women and children to a safer place.

Okay let’s take this one step at a time, said Rachna. First, we’ll make sure you are pregnant, then address the rest of the issues.

It doesn’t bog me down. In fact, I have come to believe, that maybe I was born to Mother, just so I could make her understand exactly this.

The monkey is not on your back. It is in your head and you are feeding him by giving attention. It would soon paralyze you.

Furthermore, if they sighted her, they might blame her for any calamity that would befall them during the entire day as the mere sighting of a widow was considered inauspicious.