Summary

The prologue opens in Ajar, India in September 1955, a girl named Radha carries a jug with all of her belongings. Her mother died a week prior and her father abandoned her six months ago. Her sister also left her husband 13 years prior and the people of the town call their family disgraceful. The girl tracks down her brother-in-law and stops by the temple, begging that her curse be removed. She then finds her brother-in-law along with a woman who has a broken arm. He calls Radha Lakshmi.

Chapter One begins in Jaipur India on November 15, 1955, as the narrator (later revealed to be Lakshmi) heads to an appointment at the Singh estate. It is revealed that the city has recently been freed from Europe. She sees the Singh’s nanny Lala but is called away before they can talk. Lakshmi...