The car slowed down at the signal. A barefoot half naked boy thrusted Limbu Mirchi at my face.
He said ‘ nazar nahi lagegi”!
I looked at his eager face and gave up all my beliefs.
I am no superstitious woman, but I wanted to believe this.
The fact that he was not begging and selling gave hope.

The limbu and mirchi were bringing ‘the flavour’ to their bland life. It was giving them two square meals.

I threw my beliefs out of the window and brought limbu mirchi in my life.

Everyday I take it not to ward off evil but to count the blessings of those little entrepreneurs whose hunger pangs are satiated because I became superstitious.