The Storyteller's Secret

It is Holi in Jaya’s time as well. Ravi takes her to the temple where Amisha once prayed. After her miscarriages, Jaya lost all faith in religion. Ravi maintains his faith through the kindness of other people. What matters in life is the way you treat the people you love: “All that was left of the person was bones” (230) while the influence of their kindness lives on.

Only recently has India attempted to dissolve its caste system, allowing Ravi and his relatives to use the temple. Though Ravi and other Untouchables are legally allowed to enter temples, they still face social stigma from the rest of the community: “laws are slow to change what is in people’s hearts” (233).

During the feast of Holi, Jaya and Ravi discuss the Hindu pantheon, focusing on the goddess Durga, which Jaya is indescribably attracted to. Durga was also a favorite of her grandmother’s. Jaya meets Ravi’s great-granddaughter, Amit’s sister Misha. The girl suffers from polio and must wear braces around her legs and torso to help her walk.

The next day, at the school garden, Misha tells Jaya a story that Ravi told her to explain her health struggles.