Summary

Deeti goes to find Kalua, the lower-caste man who drives the oxen cart, to ask him to pick up her husband from the factory. Ghosh delves into Kalua’s backstory, revealing that three landowners used him as a wrestler and a strong man when they heard of his unusual size and strength. They took him to matches that others bet on and promised him an ox cart if he won. He won the first match and the ox cart. When he refused to fight anymore -- he is shy, timid and not that bright -- the landlords threatened him. Then Kalua went to Benares to fight the strongman of the Maharaja of Benarnes. He lost, but later people learned that he was taken to a brothel to mate with a woman. When the woman saw Kalua naked, she cried that he should mate with...