Situated amidst an eroded landscape, the village of Sukhomajri looked uncared for. All the houses were made of mud. They were old and cracks showed, as a new coat of cowdung had not been applied for the last two winters. The monsoon had only added to the problems of the villagers, as the roofs of the low mud huts had begun to leak. The lanes and bylanes outside their homes had pools of dirty rain water.

Panting and red in the face, he shouted as he ran, "Chachaji, Chacha, Masiji, come quick." It was not easy running through the slush of Sukhomajri, but the thought of his friends lying buried in the mud kept Pratap going till he reached Sonu and Monu's hut.