Status: Widow

This is what happens:

__ You look at all your silk saris, those gorgeous weaves and colours that you picked out so carefully, and wonder if you'll ever go to a wedding again.

__ It's Varalakshmi Puja, and kolu is only a matter of weeks away. There has been, so far, one invitation from a lady who believes she is radical for having issued it. The others have one year in which to redeem themselves.

__ You never liked that colour that is like watered down kaavi or perhaps chandanam with a touch of kaavi. Now you see it everywhere.

__ The girl's basket has a high spiral of jasmine. You automatically take out ten ruppes as you come out of the vegetable shop and then you stand, looking stricken. When you come back to the car, I ask what happened. "It's become more expensive. I'm not buying malli at that price," you say. I don't look at you in the rearview mirror.

__ At night the bed feels too heavy on one side. No wonder you don't sleep well.

__ Your grandson says:

I Nani is a widow.

Yes.

D Pati is a widow.

Yes.

Periya Nani is a widow?

Yes.

Dadi also.

Yes.

And now you're a widow.

(beat) Yes.