When Kamala Das and her elder brother came home, they heard the sound of the gale within an hour. The wind tore through the coconut palms in the southern compound with a frightening roar. The dry leaves that had collected around the pond swirled upwards aggressively. Branches shook and the seat of the swing that hung from the ilanji tree fell down. The lights grew dim. A cocount palm crashed down due to this heavy rain. Thekkini and the central hall were flooded with water.
