Parvati Patak

Parvati Patak is a young woman in Prabaker’s family circle whose sudden, severe illness makes her one of the human stakes of the cholera epidemic. First seen through Prabaker’s unmistakable, bashful attention, she later becomes the focus of a desperate effort to keep her alive. Her survival leads to an intimate aftermath: Prabaker cares for her through recovery, and Sita assumes her place in the family’s work.

Identity and Introduction

Parvati is the petite daughter of Kumar and Nandita, and the sister of Sita. She appears while preparing food in Kumar’s kitchen, where Prabaker’s glances repeatedly betray his attraction to her. Lin notices her thick black plait, small figure, and dark eyes; the description conveys both Prabaker’s idealized desire and the narrator’s own attention to her appearance.

The view of Parvati is framed by the household around her. Nandita watches from behind her daughter, combining a fierce expression with her interest in the men’s custom. Parvati is introduced not in isolation but within a family and a busy neighborhood setting, where affection, daily work, and social scrutiny meet.

Illness During the Cholera Epidemic

When Parvati falls ill, Prabaker rushes to Lin for help. She is in acute distress, clutching her stomach and curling into a ball before convulsions fling her limbs outward. Her fever is high, sweat slicks her body, and the smell of vomit and diarrhoea fills the deserted chai shop. Kumar and Nandita try to care for her but are helpless; their fear is so great that they allow her to be examined in a flimsy undergarment.

Sita, terrified in a corner of the hut, understands that her sister’s sickness is no ordinary illness. Johnny Cigar addresses her harshly, telling her that Parvati’s life depends on her and condemning her fear. His words help draw Sita out of her paralysis: she crawls across the floor and wipes Parvati’s mouth with wet towelling. The small act marks the beginning of the family’s fight to care for her.

Survival and Aftermath

Parvati survives the epidemic, which kills nine people, including six young children. Her recovery is not immediate: Prabaker nurses her for two weeks, sleeping outside her hut beneath a flap of plastic at night. His care gives concrete form to the devotion hinted at in his earlier, shy attention to her.

While Parvati is recovering, Sita takes her sister’s place at their father’s chai shop. The change shows how the illness reaches beyond Parvati’s suffering, altering the sisters’ daily responsibilities. Sita’s attention also turns toward Johnny Cigar, whose intervention during the crisis has brought her out of fear; whenever he enters or passes the shop, she follows him with her eyes.