It was a normal day. The sun was shining brightly in the sky. Neelu climbed upstairs for her daily worship. She offered water to the tulsi plant and dug a bundle of incense sticks under the banana plant. It takes approximately an hour to complete her worship. She closed her eyes and prayed silently to all her Gods for the well-being of her family and to ward off the evil eye. She returned down to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her brothers. Suddenly, she heard a loud shrill cry of a female voice. She rushed out of the kitchen with a ladle following the heavy commotion. She peeped out of the door to see what she could see. She was startled at the sight. She rushed outside to protect her brother who was being attacked by her cousin sister residing next door. She was beating him ruthlessly with a stick. Unable to understand the situation, Neelu raised the ladle and threw it high up, aiming at the girl who fled inside her house, omitting slang upon Neelu and her brothers. There was a rain of abuse for about an hour. Each one throwing curses and counting each other's sins. The aunt also left no stone unturned in insulting the family. She would go to the extent of accusing them for murdering their own parents. They never entered each other's house as if they had taken a rigid vow. The passersby stopped for a moment. The neighbors peeped from their windows and doors but nobody intervened to solve the matter, neither anybody was interested to find out what actually happened. The reason was that this type of fights had become their usual chore. People had freely accustomed themselves to it. Everybody knew it was their family matter. They raised their voices day and night without any hesitation. None of them bothered about the peace and sanity of other citizens residing around them.

Neelu was living with her three brothers. Her elder sister was already married. Her parents had left for their heavenly abode when they were small children. The brothers and sisters raised themselves supporting each other. The elder sister raised her siblings. When she got married, she handed over the charges to Neelu. They had a small house consisting of two rooms, one small verandah and a small kitchen. It was situated between two houses, so there was no space for the sunlight to enter. Luckily, there was a terrace to bask under every weather. The brothers and sisters were living happily among themselves. Next to their house lived their paternal uncle and aunt with their three daughters and two sons. There was a long term enmity between the two families. They were all popular for their fights, squabbles and abuses. They never lived peacefully. The aunt threw curses on Neelu because she was not getting married and Neelu insulted her daughter for having affairs. When Neelu finally got married, she used to stay with her brothers most of the time to defend them from the aunt. It so happened once Neelu was in her in-laws place and accidently there occurred a serious fight between her brothers and aunt's family. There was regular bombard of abuse after abuse. Whenever the fights started it lasted for over a week. Neelu was called upon immediately to take part in the fights. Even a police complaint was launched. The visit of inspectors was not a new deal for them. They have got habituated to them. It should be noted that Neelu's uncle didn't enter into any arguments and fights. He was always a silent observer when in the house. He chose to be silent in all matters. Maybe they were his dead brother's children, so he valued the relationship silently at heart.

The two families were never at peace as if they had taken a lifetime promise to trouble each other. Then one day Neelu's uncle became sick. His drinking habits destroyed his liver and kidney. Eventually, he lost his life to cancer that remained untreated. Neelu's brothers were the first ones to offer their condolences. They took part in all the rituals ready to assist the grieving family. Neelu touched his cold feet and hugged her lifeless uncle crying inconsolably as if to repent for all her mistakes. Losing a parent was the unhappiest moment for them because they could feel it personally. From that day onwards the family united. They began to talk, visit each other's house and lived peacefully. Neelu's aunt became the guardian of their family. They contacted her on every trivial matter. They even went to seek solutions. If ever there was a misunderstanding between brothers and sisters, Neelu's aunt solved it quickly. Her brother's wives also respected the aunt and obeyed her commands. It was all because of Neelu's uncle's internal wish to see the family together. Although he couldn't do that in his lifetime, after his death he made them united forever.