Devout Hindu Jayamma was the eighth daughter of the family so had no dowry and never married. Instead for forty years Jamyamma had to clean and cook in other people's houses. She was now the cook of the advocate but initially had heated arguments with the other Christian servants... Day Five (Evening): The Cathedral of Our Lady of Valencia George D'Souza worked by the cathedral spraying mosquitos, he was then noticed by Mrs. Gomes who asked him to be her gardener, and then her chauffeur. He then convinced her to take his sister Maria to be her cook. Then one evening George got drunk with arrack and he and his sister were dismissed. Day Six (Morning): The Sultan's Battery Ratna sold white pills, showing photographs of disabilities caused by venereal diseases. He then discovered that his potential son-in-law also suffered from the disease. Ratna revealed that the pills did not work, and then tries to find a cure for him... Day Six (Evening): Bajpe Giridhar Rao and Kamini were childless and lived at the edge of the city. Every week their friends visited as Kamini always prepared lavish food. The group was eclectic but every week when they left they worried about the couple. Day Seven: Salt Market Village Comrade Thimmu was the leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Maoist) in Kittur. An old woman's husband had hung himself, and she asked if the party could provide her daughter with a dowry. 50-year-old Murali was the deputy of the party but realised that he may be able to marry the girl... Chronology: marks the years between the two assassinations. References https://web.archive.org/web/20100913072217/http://www.tehelka.com/story_main40.asp?filename=hub270908Takingheart.asp Books by Aravind Adiga 2008 novels Novels set in Karnataka Novels set in the 1980s