Late

Sahithi lost count of the time as she stared at the book, turning pages without really reading anything. She just wanted to get this over with.

“Tell me,” the professor asked suddenly. “what the author says in the first page.” She was startled by the sudden question. “Do you think you can fool me by turning the pages?” he was far more perceptive than what she had given him credit for. “Read the pages aloud from the beginning.”

She knew there was no escaping this time. As she read the words aloud her eyes grew wide in shock at the blatantly negative portrayal of the varna system. It was worse than what was given in textbooks prescribed by the board of education. “India is divided into four castes which are based on birth.” The book started. “It is a rigid system which cannot be changed. Lord .... was responsible for challenging this system and the Indians should be grateful that he removed o