Chapter Thirty-One
For goddess earth draped in moss, deep in the ocean,
with no shame he took the body of a filthy boar.
Oh bright lord of Srirangam—the words you spoke then
—can never be wrenched from my heart
Nacciyar Tirumoli 11:8
‘Appa?’
Virudhunagar Junction seethed with passengers.
‘Appa—’ The voice was insistent and close. I turned to see a woman catch up to Vasur. She was a head taller than the panic of bodies around us manoeuvring copious pieces of luggage from a train to the platform against the wall of impatient passengers pushing to get on. She was handsome, the bone structure of her face like his.
‘It’s me, Roshina.’ She attempted to bend down before him, but he took her hands and they stood face to face, all the desperation around them disappeared, the moment cutting
