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.

I am sorry –for leaving you so soon, for keeping you away from your father, and for not telling you the truth about the women in our family.