The mother who never pursued her career because the family needed her hand. The father who rides a scooter in the rain so his son can take the car. The eldest daughter who gives up her seat in the hall to the younger one. These sacrifices are rarely discussed; they are just "what you do."
At 5:30 AM, as the sky over Delhi turned a bruised purple, Geeta Sharma was already awake. The first sound was the heavy iron tadka pan clanging against the gas stove, followed by the sizzle of cumin seeds hitting hot oil. This was the signal for the rest of the house to stir. The mother who never pursued her career because