SUMMARY FOR CHAPTER 5-8

CHAPTER 5 Ramu-bhai, the black sheep of the family who has the bad manners, arrives at Umas house. He comes in and Uma invites him to stay at her familys home although her parents seem quite reluctant to do so. Ramu talks to the parents although he is neglected. Uma try to serve Ramu with the best things at their home such as eating Puris during breakfast. One day, he asks Uma to have a dinner with him at a hotel with a bar. He takes Uma to the hotel although her parents do not give their permission. Uma is drunk because Ramu persuades her to drink the shandy. They come back quite late that night and Mama said that Uma is a disgrace to the family. Mira-masi visits again. She has lost her Lord, the familiar brass figure which has been rubbed smooth over the year. She vowed that she will travel to every place and try to find her God. As she is getting older and falls sick, she wants Uma to assist Miramasi during her visit to the ashram. They stay together but Mira-masi always with her praying while Uma enjoyed her freedom. As she was talking with the aunty, she suddenly cannot breathe. All in the sudden, one of the pilgrims come and save her from choking. One day, Ramu comes to the ashram with Arun to bring Uma back to their house. Ramu and Mira-masi quarrel about Uma, who does not come home for more than a month. At last, Ramu has win the battle and Uma was sent home with Ramu and Ramu. CHAPTER 6 Ramus sister, Anamika, has achieved the right age to get in a marriage. Anamika, who is the blessed one from her family, has all of the contrasting properties of her brother. Anamika is not only pretty, and good, but an outstanding student as well. She won a scholarship to Oxford but she has to put it away because her family wanted her to be married as she was in the age to marry. She has won a husband, who had

qualifications same with her, by using her qualification. It seems clear that he will the perfect match for her. Unfortunately, the man is a proud man and has kept everyone out of distance from him. Uma, Aruna and the other cousins think that she is marrying a wrong man, who was totally impervious to her beauty and grace and distinction. After the marriage of both of them, Uma and Aruna has heard gossip that Anamika has been beaten by her mother-in-law while her husband stands by and approves. She has spent her entire life at the kitchen and doing all the chores without any rest. In addition, she has had to go to the hospital because she has had a miscarriage at home and she cannot bear any child anymore after the beating. Uma wants Anamika to be sent home again but her mother said that it will be a shame for the family as people will say bad things about her. Uma protests and Mama scolds her back. She says that Uma has learnt bad things at the convent as she hates the convent and wants Uma to be married rather than be in the convent. CHAPTER 7 Uma has been a messenger for her mother through the neighborhood. She goes to Mrs. Joshis house and eats ice-cream very fast. Mrs. Joshi makes a statement that Uma is still like a child of six and she pities her very much. After Anamikas marriage, all the relatives say that Uma has achieved the marriageable age and no need to continue her study. They has sent the photographs ofmlikely known young men known to aunts and cousins in distant towns. One of them has been picked and the family invites the mans family to visit them. Uma was dressed fully and was told about how to answer the question in the interview. The interview goes well without any problem. After that, they still do not receive any return invitation from the Syals family. Then, a message has been sent by Mrs. Joshi that the Syals family wants to ask for Aruna, not Uma. Mama has been mad and scolds Mrs. Joshi. Aruna is an attractive daughter. When Mama still searches Uma a husband, there are families that have making enquiries about Aruna. However, Uma must marry first. MamaPapa have found a man who was advertised in the paper and made a deal

with the family. A negotiated sum was made over as dowry and the engagement ceremony arranged simultaneously. Mama invited the family to come to her house but they refuses every invitation. Then, the family says that their son has decided to go to Roorkee for higher education and asks for the engagement to be postponed. If Mama does not want it, she is free to break it off. Papa was worried about the dowriy that he has paid. When Mrs. Joshi knows about this, she scolds Mama because she does not consult her first before making the decision. The Goyal family has played the trick before to the desperate family like Umas family. Then, Mrs. Joshi calls Uma to sit by her side. CHAPTER 8 Mama screams at the guavas thieves when Uma is still sleeping. She tells Mama that everybody is still sleeping including mali, the guard. Mama scolds her and said that everyone comes and takes what they like because all of them are sleeping. There are so many wedding proposal for Aruna but Uma is still does not get married. Mama has worked hard at trying to dispose Uma and has sent her photographs around for everyone who advertised in papers but it was always returned with the comment that they want someone taller /fairer or more educated than Uma although the photograph has been carefully touched up by the local photographer. The man who finally approves Uma is in the pharmaceutical business and not so young. He is just a man with no issue. Mama and Papa have decided to proceed with the negotiation. When the bridegrooms party is on the way coming to their house, Uma finds herself richer by a dozen saris, a set of gold jewellery and another pearls. The mans family comes by train and the bridegroom mounts on a horse. After the man has arrived, the ceremony starts. While the ceremony wound on at its own ponderous pace, the bridegroom breaks in and tells the priest to cut the pray short. The priest seems offended. After the wedding ceremony is over, Uma follows her husband to go back to their home. When they arrive at home, her husband tells Uma to take a rest first because he is going to Meerut to work. Then, the sisters have come and go through the contents of Umas trunk. She does all the chores together with the

members of the family. At night, she lays awake the whole night waiting for her husband. For several weeks, Uma keeps writing home to tell the family that Harish is away in Meerut for work and had not returned. Uma has learnt a lot about the kitchen chores. One day, Papa has come to the house in angry. He says that they has been duped. Her husband was married already and has four children in Meerut, where he runs an ailing factory to save which he had needed another dowry which has led him to marry again. Uma was so frustrated and wraps her sari over her head, around her ears and mouth and eyes, till it is over. Uma follows Papa to the train station. Papa has lost his control of himself and act insanely in the train. When they arrived at their station, Papa has turned to normal. Mama has checked all the trunks that Uma brings home while Papa has managed to retrieve her jewellery by threatening the family with legal action. After all of these failed marriage, Uma is considered as ill=fated by all and no more attempt are made to marry her off. When Mama tells Mira-masi about the incident, she tells Mama that Uma is blessed by the Lord. Uma, who heard the conversation, was shocked. Then, she imagines how to have the Lord Shiva for a husband.