Prologue, 1975 Summary

Ishvar Darji and his nephew, Omprakash, or Om to his uncle, are traveling by train from their village to the city when the train jerks to a stop sending Om hurtling into the arms of his uncle, and the textbooks of Maneck Kohlah, another passenger on the train, crash onto Om's bony back. Maneck winces as the books hit the frail-looking seventeen-year-old, who laughs with his uncle about his size after picking himself up. None of the three know where they have stopped, but while they are waiting, a comb seller passes through the thick crowd of passengers, and Om stops his to buy a comb, as he had sat on his old one.

The passengers are informed that they have been delayed because the train has hit someone on the tracks. The passengers on the train wonder out loud whether or not...