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At the banyan, Arjun found Meera, twelve years his senior, teaching children rhymes in the shade. She had never left Wal; meeting hardship early, she became the village's healer and record-keeper—mending sores and stories with equal care. Her hands were stained by herbs, her voice threaded with patience. When Arjun told her of his city life, she laughed softly, then asked about his mother. The question reopened the ache he had left behind. wal katha 2002