Madras - Raman. Summary

Madras:

Vidya and her family board the train and make the journey to Madras. They are welcomed by her thatha, her grandfather, at the door. No one met them at the train station and they walked to thatha's home alone. Vidya is surprised thatha has come down from upstairs. He usually is too busy to greet them. He seems surprised that no one met them at the station. Vidya's brother escorts his father to their living quarters upstairs with the other men. Vidya and her mother will live in a communal bedroom with the other women. Periappa's wife, periamma, and the other two aunts Chinni chithi and Sarasa chithi. There is an obvious hierarchy inside the home. Thantha is the patriarch. Periamma is in charge of the women and she is not pleased to have more people under her...