Unseasoned

Chapter 1

Hema's sister Divya was doing her homework when Hema entered her room. The girls shared the room with their ten-year-old brother Deva.

'You are late today also,' said Divya.

Hema sighed and did not answer.

'Amma is not fair. She does not allow me to play football after 6'o clock and lets you come so late,' complained Deva.

Hema didn't pay heed to them. She wanted to sleep. Divya has again carelessly placed her polio shoe on her bed.

'Do I have to tell you every day not to keep your shoe on my bed.' said Hema.

'Oh, sorry.' said Divya in an unapologetic manner.

Hema was too tired to argue. She was always a loser when it came to her sister.

Hema was good to her siblings. She took care of them when her mother went to work. She was very careful while dealing with Divya.

Deva was boisterous. His life's aim is to become a famous football player. He spent hours watching boys play in the football ground at the foot of the hillock. He knew they wouldn't include him now. He wanted to grow up quickly and join them.

Hema changed into her night clothes, sat on the bed and read a verse from the Bible. She then sank into her bed. 

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Next day morning Sabnir was busy in the kitchen. Hema helped her with household work.

'If not for Hema, I would never go to office in time,' thought Sabnir as she packed lunch boxes for her children and herself. Her husband Onadj was a police constable. He was still sleeping after having come late last night.

Working days went on well. But when schools declare holidays, it would get difficult for Sabnir.

The following three months were hectic for the entire household. By the end of March, Hema completed her Board exams. She was free of academics for the next two months. She was an average student. Sabnir wanted all her children to complete their graduation. Being a Toda, they had special privilege of quota system that provided government jobs allotted for near extinct tribes. Toda is a small tribal community living in the hills of Nilgris in the southern part of India.

The dwindling Toda population is a concern to anthropologist around the world, However, there is little impact of the tribal tradition in the present generation of Todas. Many have moved out of the mund, the Toda village and have adopted the mainstream lifestyle. Economic independence provided by the special quota system and conversion to Christianity has made many detach themselves from the tribal lifestyle.

Sabnir's sister Teitnir married Albert Muthu, a Tamil missionary priest against the injunctions of their village. She was the first to move out of the mund. Sabnir kept in touch with her sister all through. Sabnir was deeply attracted to the Gospel. The Dairy Temple and beliefs connected to it seemed hollow to her after she attending the Sunday mass conducted by Albert Muthu.

Onadj, on the other hand, was a Toda in the real sense. He had served as a 'diary man', the high priest in the dairy temple in the mund before he married Sabnir. He believed Takesh, his Toda God would protect him. 

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The toil of exam preparation was hard on Hema. She felt free like a high flying bird after completing her exams. It will take some more time before she starts worrying about the exam results. For now, she didn't want to think of anything else.

Hema enjoyed doing household work. She swept and mopped the floor every day after her mother left to work. She washed the dishes and tried to cook evening snacks. Divya and Deva would fight the whole day over a misplaced pen. Hema ignored them most of the times but would interfere if they went overboard.