Anju filled the bronze lamp  with pure castor oil and a thick cotton wick setting it under a copper plate balanced on tumblers. After the black soot cooled off she combined it with a little camphor and ghee, there was enough kajal made to fill her own and her daughter's silver kohl boxes.

The weekly skin treatment began as soon as her daughter returned from school, the routine remained unchanged for the past three years. She was made to sit on a low cane stool in her camisole and the home-made herbal pack was smeared over her face and the exposed parts of the body. Besides taking care of her complexion it was a mother's way of keeping tabs on her daughter, Anju scanned every square inch of her body to look for any telltale marks that needed explanation. Back in her own childhood a cousin had invited disgrace by giving away her honour to a neighbourhood boy, she was rapidly dealt with by marrying her off in another town before the scandal could break out.

Sanyukta was well aware of the objectives of the spa routine; she let her mother indulge her with the care she was told she would sorely miss at her in-laws'. She knew her mother kept a diary to track her periods but she was fairly regular and her virtue was obviously safe, she'd rather perish than experiment with the ragtag bunch of boys in her neighbourhood.

Besides it was just home to school and back in a chauffeured car, the only other place she visited was Vidushi's room. Indeed she hardly ever spoke to Randhir who was her first and only crush, her secret was safe. She had not been anywhere near his room and what little banter she had with him was in his sister's presence. No man had access to her; she even maintained a respectful distance from her own father and brother.

A warm oil massage all over and foot scrub was followed by a cleansing bath. Her mother put a tiny dot of kajal on her daughter who was now glowing like the lustre of a sea pearl. Only then she let her snack on the makai and moong dalia cooked with methi dana and a spot of desi ghee. She made sure she had only wholesome food- bajra roti or light phulkas with subzi and dal or dahi. She could have rice only once a week, with her favourite kadhi.

No sugar, no fried or processed foods for her anymore. Even an inch of extra fat could lead to hormonal imbalance, mood swings and reproductive issues later in life so a girl needed looking after. She began and ended her day with a glass of milk and could nibble on dried or fresh fruit and nuts if she felt peckish between meals. Sanyukta never complained, she knew her mother's efforts had paid dividends; she looked like a million bucks and felt the same way, never falling sick for even a day!

Snack over, she rushed to Vidushi with her little parcel of coconut khoya laddoos she had made herself and a wrapped book as a birthday and going away present for Randhir who was due to leave shortly to join IIT Bombay for his engineering degree. She knew he would not be home; he was out celebrating with friends.

Vidushi handed him the gifts at breakfast the next day. The confection was delicious, the siblings agreed unanimously. As he opened the wrapper on the book he was amazed to see it was a copy of 'Aircraft in Warfare: Dawn of the Fourth Arm' by Frederick W Lanchester, a rare title that he was hoping to collect. Sanyukta had picked it up during her trip to Kolkata, as she spotted it on College Street she just knew how happy he would be to have it. It was a collector's copy in original print, she had spent most of her allowance on it, leaving just enough to pick a stole for Vidushi.

Randhir whispered a plan to Vidushi about how they should be spending his last day in town together, and what he told her brought a smile to her face.