“There’s a seizure at Purushya’s house, a commotion!” The children came running from the school, chattering to Purushottam and the others. He hurriedly took leave from the teacher and rushed home to ask what had happened. The adults simply widened their eyes and said, “What is there? The school is over, that’s all.” Purushottam stood there, confused. I found it hard to explain everything to him.

My brother had taken a loan from a Marwari moneylender. The burden of that debt, along with the mounting interest, had become too heavy for my brother to bear. For some days, the Marwari’s men had been coming and hurling harsh and insulting words at my mother, demanding repayment and accountability from her. Shyam, unable to bear this humiliation, once confronted them and asked for an explanation. The Marwari grew furious and began to threaten us with legal action.

The Marwari would not relent. Finally, he filed a complaint in court. Including the principal and the interest, the sum had reached four thousand rupees. He submitted a petition to the court demanding that the amount be recovered from us. The court accepted his plea and ordered that all of my brother’s property and possessions be seized.

With the threat of seizure looming, we were on the verge of being thrown out of the village. When this news reached Shyam’s mother, it struck her like a bolt of lightning. She lost all desire to eat even a single morsel. Two...

She neither ate nor drank anything. She did not sleep. She kept repeating the name of God without pause.

A peaceful death seemed good to her. She prayed to God, “O Lord, grant me only this: let me be able to see with my eyes and hear with my ears until the very end. After that, take this life of mine. I have no desire to live in this world any longer.”

Purushottam went to school. His mother, gathering her strength, must have waved him off with her hand. Tears welled up endlessly in her eyes.

Around nine in the morning, the village drum began to beat, announcing the seizure of property in the village. The drum-beater stood at different places, beating his drum and making the announcement: “Today, the property of Bhaurao’s house will be seized!” Hearing this, Bhaurao’s family felt deeply pained. But there are always those who take pleasure in others’ suffering; such people were secretly delighted.

As the drum-beater made his rounds, he came near the school. The children heard the announcement. The children began to tease Purushottam. Purushottam was still very young. He did not understand the meaning of all this. The whole place was filled with chaos and confusion.

It was ten o’clock when school was dismissed. The children gathered around Purushottam, teasing and mocking him. The fate that befalls a goat caught among wolves now befell Purushottam. Crying, he ran home. Standing before his mother, he began to say through sobs, “Aai, the other children are teasing me.