Summary

Part One, “Teetarpur, 2017” takes place in the fictional Indian village of Teetarpur in 2017. It is the eight birthday of Munia who lives with her father Chand in a small hut on the outskirts of the village, next door to Chand’s brother Balle Ram and his wife Sarita. Their only other neighbor is the wealthy Jolly Singh whose luxury villa is next to Chand’s hut and overlooks his fields. Munia and Chand are very close. Chand sets off to work on his fields, leaving Munia to play alone near their home.

Munia witnesses a meeting between a man and a woman. The narration does not name the man but specifies that he is not a stranger to Munia. The woman complains to the man that he never has time for her anymore. The man strangles the woman to death before carrying her body...