How bad were the living conditions in which Mukesh and his family survived?

Mukesh’s house which was like any other house in the lane. A frail young woman was cooking meals on a firewood stove. Her eyes were filled with smoke. She greeted the author with a smile. She was the wife of Mukesh’s elder brother. She was respected as the daughter-in-law of the family. Mukesh’s father also came in. The daughter-in-law covered her face with her veil as the custom demanded. Mukesh’s father was old and weak. He had lost his eyes working on furnaces at polishing bangles. He had worked hard all his life. However, he could not afford to send his two sons to school. He could only teach them the art of making bangles. He had built the house but could not repair it.