Very, very bad omens.

3. Snake in the house.
Snake is in Animesh's room. Panic! Mentor's driver runs outside to ask the neighbor's driver to come over. Together the two drivers use broom to try and get rid of snake. Neighbor's driver injures snake and successfully gets it out of the house. You cannot leave a snake half alive because it will come back and haunt you and your family. Must cremate snake. Very bad omen that snake was in house. Mentor's driver must leave to go home and take a bath and cleanse himself post cremation. Mentor and her family will break coconut to bless the house and give offering to all those present. God, please bless this house.

2. Born in the time of Mool.
Attending meetings with my mentor in Durg and have 30 minutes before we can meet with Accountant. Decide it's best time to visit a futurist to find out my destiny. Sit cross-legged in his "office" which consists of a room full of Hindu prayer materials and a computer connected to broadband with a printer. Have my horoscope printed out for me after explaining how to find "America" (aka U.S.A.) in the drop down menu. Excitement! Will marry a man from the corporate sector in America (all of a sudden Priest is America expert). Oh no, there's more. Lots of head shaking by Priest. Told I was born in the time of "Mool." Very bad. Must have 2000 Rs. peace ceremony asap to rid all evil omens and restore peace. Mentor says she will pay for ceremony from another Priest who charges a lower rate. Then she asks, "Were your parents in a crisis when they had you?"

1. All I want for Diwali is a baby boy.
Search for days for a good press-wala (a person to iron my clothes). After driving 3 km from house and asking dozens of street vendors, finally find a nice husband and wife duo. Husband asks me what I do in Bhilai. I tell them I work for an NGO. Wife freaks out. Quickly motions for me to go to the back of the shop and asks "You work for an NGO, right. Can you bring me a baby? About this big (she gestures with her hand for a baby about 2 years old) and must be a boy. Don't tell anyone! No one can know, otherwise it will be a bad omen and my husband will become upset. Go!"


(Note: I have since then checked in with Mama Bhatia regarding the peace ceremony in #2. Apparently, Mama Bhatia does not believe in futurists or horoscopes. She only believes in palmists. My bad. Also, because I was a C-Section baby and my time of birth was pre-planned by Toledo Hospital and the appointment secretary on duty, we have decided that the point is null and void. I will spend that 2000 Rs. on diet coke and muesli. period.)