Sheela continued stirring the Mysore Pak. After ensuring the sweet's consistency, she carefully upturned the homogeneous mixture on a plate and cut it into pieces.

"Why did you cut the pieces immediately?" Sheela's sixteen-year-old daughter, Niddhi asked.

“It gets difficult to cut if the Mysore Pak turns hard," Sheela explained.

"Hard like the heart of people in our house?"  Niddhi's words jolted Sheela. She could guess that her daughter was no longer the same Niddhi who had come hopping to Sheela for the past two years and asked her why Sheela was not participating in the Haldi Kumkum ceremony. The girl never expected a reply, though.

Navaratri was a festival for ladies to celebrate with Haldi Kumkum. Earlier, everyone used to visit every other house during the nine days without any tight schedule. However, inviting ladies on a particular day became a widespread practice later to suit working ladies.

So today, it was at Niddhi's place. Sheela was an expert at making the Mysore Paks. Her mother-in-law had instructed her to make them to be given along with the traditional Haldi Kumkum, to as many as twenty ladies she had invited.

"You are also participating in the Haldi Kumkum today," Niddhi said, holding her mother's hand.

Sheela's lips quivered in exasperation.

"Shhhh, be quiet," she said fervently, hoping no one had heard Niddhi. But Sheela wasn't fortunate enough to escape her mother-in-law's vitriolic lecture.

"I thought your daughter was big enough to understand that widows are not supposed to participate in Haldi Kumkum. If she hasn't, then teach her."

"Paati," Niddhi thundered. "May I know who has formulated this rule?"

The commotion brought Niddhi's grandfather to the scene. 

"That is how it is. You will invoke Goddess Durga's wrath by bringing such revolutionary changes." He jeered.

"Was it my mother's fault that your son drove the car in a drunken state and  died in an accident?"  Niddhi's outburst elicited horrendous looks on the elderly couple's faces. Their second daughter-in-law joined them.

"Your mother's sinful act of participating in the Haldi Kumkum will dampen your Chittappa's opportunity to strike a lucrative deal today. The prosperity is going to fade from this house." She whimpered about her husband's impending downfall.

Niddhi shrugged. "It looks like you all have conveniently disregarded the 'sin' if a widow makes the sweets to be distributed at the Haldi Kumkum."

A long argument ensued. Sheela desperately tried to hush her daughter but in vain.

"Do whatever you want. The ladies will laugh at us." Grandmother hit her forehead.

Niddhi, not ready to give up, forced Sheela to participate.

‘Only a miracle can save me from this tight situation.’  Sheela prayed fervently.

It was an awkward evening. Ladies rolled their eyes in disapproval.

Niddhi's Chittappa entered at that moment. "I have struck the deal worth crores." He beamed, touching his parents' feet.

"Goddess Durga wasn't upset, Thatha; She was only pleased to see the change in our house today."

Nidhi saw the relief in her mother’s face.