Ten years ago Ranga, the son of the village accountant, had gone to Bengaluru for studies. Those days very few people in the village knew English. They talked in Kannada and rarely brought in English while talking. Ranga came back home after six months. His homecoming was a great event. When the news of his arrival spread, there was a great stir in the village. The people flocked to his home in a large number. They were eager to know what changes had occurred in Ranga. When they found that it was the same old Ranga who had left six months ago, they were greatly disappointed. An old woman who was standing close to him ran her hand over his chest, looked into eyes and said, “The Janewara is still there. He hasn’t lost this caste.” She went away soon after that. Slowly the other people also melted away.
