His father, a retired bank manager, returned from his morning walk. Lunch was served on a stainless steel thali . No forks. Just the right hand, fingers acting as a spoon, mixing the dal, the bindi fry, the tangy Rajasthani gatte ki sabzi , and a dollop of ghee over steaming rice.

Ravi was trying to work from home. But "personal space" is a Western myth in India. His cousin arrived unannounced. "Beta, just for five minutes," his aunt said, pushing a box of kaju katli into his hands. "Your wedding alliance..."

"Life is fast," Ravi replied.