Chapter 39: Mahanavami Opens

Mahanavami always began the same way, whatever else was different in the world outside the Hall's doors — with the aarti, the whole room gathering close around the mandap while the priest circled the flame before the image of Durga, the sound of a hundred hands clapping the same simple rhythm, the smell of camphor smoke curling up toward the string lights. Meera stood near the front with Kamla's...