C om i ng S o on S u m i t r a S e l v a r a j
Kalyani stood at the entrance to the hall; sweat prickled her palms and began to seep into the yellow cloth bundle that she clutched in her hennaed hands. The turmeric that was used to dye the fabric would stain her skin; she wondered whether the priest would notice the imprint of her perspiration as she handed him the coconut. Inside the hall, it will be air-conditioned, she reminded herself as she ran through the wedding planner’s instructions. Wait for the music. Enter the foyer and turn right. Proceed slowly down steps. Remember to smile. Remove sandals at the platform’s edge. Walk to Sanjay and sit on his left. Wait, or was it right? Panic careened though Kalyani before she reigned in the sensation. She would just sit on whichever side of the dais that was not occupied, of course. “Amma I’m thirsty, I want soda thanni,” whined a child from inside the hall. The parental response was muffled; Kalyani could
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