Summary

Amisha celebrated Holi with her family, the villagers, and British officers, including Stephen. Amisha’s friends badmouthed Stephen behind his back but Amisha defended him. She was embarrassed that Stephen saw her in a servile position after spending so much time with him at the school. Soon after, Amisha found out Neema set herself on fire to escape her marriage. Her face was deformed. Amisha blamed herself for making Neema crave freedom through writing. Neema burned herself during prayer while lighting The Agni, a fire representing a deity that acts as a messenger of the gods. She explained, “As the fire burns, it becomes our link with the supreme gods.” It was the reason diyas [cup-shaped oil lamps] were lit before every prayer session and why the temples had dozens of diyas burning at any given time. It was also why bodies were...