“Kalua lived in the Chamar-basti, a cluster of huts inhabited only by people of his caste. To enter the hamlet would have been difficult for Deeti and Kabutri, but fortunately for them, Kalua's dwelling lay on the periphery, not far from the main road to Ghazipur. Deeti had passed that way many times before and had often seen Kalua lumbering about, in his cart. To her eyes, his dwelling did not look like a hut at all, but had more the look of a cattle-pen; when she was within hailing distance of it, she came to a halt and called out:”
The caste classification emboldens bigotry towards individuals who are reckoned to members of unworthy castes. It would be impracticable to find a landowner residing at Chamar-basti since the structural caste organization is systemized to set the restrictions of exchanges between superior and low-grade castes. Based on the imagery of the locale, and Kalua house, the residents dwell in extreme deficiency to the degree that they cannot construct decent abodes.
“By pulling on his halter, the men forced Kalua to his feet and pushed him stumbling towards the mare's swishing tail. One of them stuck his whip into the fold of Kalua's cotton langot and whisked it off with a flick of his wrist. Then, while one of them held the horse steady, the others whipped Kalua's naked back until his groin was pressed hard against the animal's rear. Kalua uttered a cry that was almost indistinguishable in tone from the whinnying of the horse. This amused the landlords: . . . See, the b'henchod even sounds like a horse . . . . . . Tetua dabá dé . . . wring his balls . . . Suddenly, with a swish of its tail, the mare defecated, unloosing a surge of dung over Kalua's belly and thighs. This excited yet more laughter from the three men. One of them dug his whip into Kalua's buttocks: Arre Kalua! Why don't you do the same?”
Here, landowners assault Kalua for failing to triumph in a wrestling conquest they had sponsored. Although Kalua is resilient, it would be difficult to confront three men who are intent on dehumanizing him. The men have an edge over Kalua because they are affluent. Kalua’s situation demonstrates that even tough men can be fatalities of violence. Kalua’s social class puts him at a disadvantage because he lacks the material wealth to safeguard himself.
“Two years had passed since then, but far from fading, the events of that night had attained a guilty vividness in her memory. Often, as she lay beside her opium-dazed husband, her mind would revisit the scene, sharpening the details and refreshing certain particulars – all of this without her permission and despite her every effort to steer her thoughts in other directions. Her discomfort would have been greater still if she had believed that Kalua had access to the same images and recollections – but she had, as yet, seen no sign that he remembered anything from that night. Still, a nagging doubt remained, and since then she had always taken good care to avoid his eyes, shrouding her face in her sari whenever he was near.”
The visualization of Kalua’s degradation by the land owners lingers in Deeti’s memory because she perceived it. Deeti’s unconscious has not obliterated the recalls because they impacted her emotionally. The manifestation of the memories when she is with her husband hints at a possible sexual attraction to Deeti which could be ascribed to her perceiving his naked body. Perhaps, her unconscious longing is for Kalua’s naked body which could be a perfect substitute for her husband who has literally failed in making her gratified and fulfilled as a woman.
