The father checks on his sleeping children. He turns off the fan if it’s too high. He pulls up the blanket. The mother applies a little Himalayan kajal (kohl) to the baby’s eyes to ward off the "evil eye" (a superstition that persists even among the highly educated).
They whisper about finances. “The EMI (loan payment) was deducted today.” “The school fees are due.” They look at the budget. They realize there is no money left for the movie they wanted to see. They look at each other, sigh, and smile. The mother says, “Chai bana doon?” (Shall I make tea?)
Take (the festival of lights). Two weeks before the date, the daily routine warps. The mother starts deep-cleaning cupboards at 2:00 AM, unable to sleep because she remembered she hasn't polished the brass diya (lamp). The father, who never shops for himself, spends an entire Sunday at a crowded market for LED lights, bargaining with a vendor for ten minutes over five rupees.