Parvati’s visit breathed new life into Radhika. Invigorated, she tried to make the

best of her meagre surroundings with the money her sister had given her. For the

sake of her baby son, who was her world, she would make things right.

She swept the mud floors of their humble house, laid new rush matting down

that she had woven and made an effort to magic nutritious meals from the small

vegetable patch adjacent to the house. Seti was doing her best to also help her

daughter-in-law and grandson but her means were limited: she quite simply

didn’t have the strength or the financial backing to support the vulnerable mother

and child. Radhika, in turn, felt awful that she couldn’t help Seti more.

By the time Rohan was a year old, Radhika was showing the same signs of

severe exhaustion that she had displayed during her sister’s visit. Poor nutrition

coupled with the impact of living with one kidney and the aftermath of a

traumatic labour had left her feeling exceptionally drained and very weak. She

was desperately in need of help and also was lonely.

One day two men, 28-year-old Krishna ‘Purne’ Pariyar, and 35-year-old Rajan

Pariyar, turned up at the house, claiming to be her husband’s cousins. She

opened the door and saw two clean-cut, handsome and well-spoken men. During

their subsequent conversation, she convinced herself that these men were made

in the same mould as the ones with which she had grown up, that they were

decent men, not like Murari Pariyar or her husband.

They explained that they had come to the village in search of work, but told

Radhika that they had lost track of time. Finding themselves stranded in the

village at night, they remembered that Rajesh and his wife lived there. The men

knew that they had to pay them a call or appear discourteous. The men’s

explanation did strike Radhika as slightly odd, even though it was true that

darkness was setting in. She quickly dismissed her misgivings. They were family

after all, but even though she was living in a small village where it was common

for people to show hospitality to weary visitors, she was aware of the proprieties

and quickly made it clear that there was no room for the two men to sleep in her

house. They agreed that they would find accommodation with other

acquaintances in the village and promised to return in the morning.

They duly returned the next day and after further discussion expressed great

concern at Radhika’s situation. After some consideration, they informed her that they would escort her to Parvati’s house in Kathmandu. They couldn’t in all

conscience leave her here to fend for herself in such circumstances.

Radhika recalls, ‘I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. Parvati

hadn’t seen Rohan for months and I desperately needed a hug and some

reassurance from my sister, too. I was aware that there was an issue with me

staying with my sister Parvati longterm. She would have been happy with the

arrangement but her husband was unhappy with me marrying beneath our caste

and had forbidden me entering the house. But I hoped that once I arrived on their

doorstep with Rohan, he would warm to my little boy and change his mind.

‘I wasted no time in gathering up the few belongings [that] Rohan and I

owned and strapped him to my back with a scarf. We were leaving this hard life

behind and heading to the city.

‘I was happy for another reason. It was always my dream to make sure Rohan

received the education I had been denied and being in Kathmandu would

hopefully make that possible.’

And so Radhika and Rohan joined the Pariyars on their journey to

Kathmandu. Once again she was putting her faith and trust in a couple of

strangers. She spared little thought for the life she was leaving behind.