Mrs. Satyavati lives in this house, but most of her day unfolds outside its walls. The verandah is where she spends her time sitting, talking, and laughing with her friends, often sharing meals with them or with her husband as the day passes. Between the trees around the house, she ties ropes to dry her clothes, letting the wind do its work. Cooking happens outdoors too, at the chulha, where she prepares fish and meals over fire and smoke. The inside is used sparingly, only when she needs to sleep or change her clothes.

 

Of the two rooms inside the house, one is used to store kitchen utensils, though no cooking takes place there. The other room holds her clothes and small personal belongings, used more as storage than as living space. Life gathers around the house rather than within it, shaped by daily routines that flow through the open, shared spaces outside.