At times there's something so precise and mathematically chilling about nationalism.Build a dam to take away water AWAY from 40 million people. Build a dam to pretend to BRING water to 40 million people. Who are these gods that govern us? Is there no limit to their powers?

If you are happy in a dream, Ammu, does that count? Estha asked."Does what count?""The happiness does it count?

The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you're alive and die only when you're dead.

Ammu's tears made everything that had so far seemed unreal, real.