Summary

Chapter 4 begins with the anticipation of Moorthy’s arrival home. He is excited to see his mother but “she pushed him away and told him he should never show himself again, not until he had sought prayaschitta from the Swami himself” (40). Narsamma initially mourns his excommunication but realizes that this is just “passing rage” (41). She is nevertheless distressed by the community’s response to her son. As she is attempting to recover from her grief, Bhatta comes to visit Narsamma and explains that Moorthy had been “very angry with him for having said the Swami was going to excommunicate him” and that the Swami would only refrain from this punishment if Moorthy stopped with “this Pariah business” (41). After this day, Moorthy and his mother no longer spoke to one another. This was further compounded by his continuted visitation to the Pariah quarters, even...