Parashu stuck to the place, as both needed each other. The temple needed a priest and he needed a shelter. He was extremely surprised that the people of this village of Dusadhs and Musahars suffering extreme poverty, starvation and contempt had so much faith in the God even now, whereas he was disillusioned due to these very reasons and had started refuting the existence of any God.

Now what could he make out of this paradox that despite his disbelief in God he got shelter in the house of God, the temple. He had to perform those very hippocritical acts with his own hands, which he disdained so much. Washing the Shivling (phallus), worshiping it with flowers, chanting mantras, Arti, putting tilak on the foreheads of the devotees, giving them prasad…! Tularam's daughter Jagani used to wash and clean the temple. Parashu saw that while doing the work of the temple, Jagani got overwhelmed with devotion as though instead of cleaning she was offering prayers with true devotion. He felt that Jagani was more eligible to remain in the temple than he is.

Tularam had become middle-aged and after his business hours, he used to spend most of the remaining time in meditation sitting in a corner of the temple. Tularam had a mutton shop in the bustling market place of the township. The shop was doing brisk business but seeing the routine killings and blood & flesh of the animals he used to feel an aversion and repentance. To get rid of this feeling he used to go to the shelter of the temple. There were many others in the village that had no happiness in life and were living in severe hardships. They also spent many hours in prayers and worship in the temple. Parashu was dismayed to see that these people, oppressed and cheated in life, considered all these hardships to be the wish of the God, and lived in the hope of good days.

As Parashu, despite being a BrahmIn, did not consider himself a Brahmin; he never considered himself a priest either despite living in a temple and performing the functions of a priest. Similarly, he never thought that Jagani, Tularam and others of the village were anyway inferior, rather he regarded himself a man of their class. He had no reason to consider himself superior to them. Thus, affinity with Jagani and his family gradually grew.

Seeing Jagani, once again his dying hope of getting a wife started blooming in his heart. Both of them felt that they were made for each other. Jagani told him that if her father consented they could lead a worry-free conjugal life.

Once again Parashuram went to the refuge of Madhok Majhi. Madhok was surprised to hear this. He knew that Parashuram has to fend for himself; he was not fortunate to have somebody worry for him. He also knew that men like Parashuram did not belong to any caste. Mdhok moved the issue with Tularam. Tularam had good rapport with Parashu and he considered him a good man, but it was natural for him to get astonished to hear the proposal due to the big gap of caste. When Madhok reasoned it, it did not take much time to rid him of the hesitation and he agreed.

Jagani and Parashuram were married in that very temple. Now Parashu became a proclaimed member of Tularam's family.

Jagani and Parashu lived in harmony. Both extended plenty of love to each other. They gave birth to two children, Ramhit and Samdev. Despite Parashu's disagreement, Jagani appended Pandey surname to their names. The children were enrolled in the school as Ramhit Pandey and Samdev Pandey. Parashu never blocked any wish of Jagani. Whatever Jagani said was acceptable to him. As it is, he never had the arrogance of belonging to a high caste and he always explained that a man like him could not do any good to himself by putting himself in the frame of caste. However, Jagani, perhaps, had some block in her mind on the issue of caste and so she was interested to give the Brahmin identity to her sons. Or may be, her love for Parashu played a role behind this act of hers.

Jagani or Parashu had no knowledge that this act of theirs would have any long-term consequences.

Both of their sons were educated and grew up.

Ramhit and Samdev, with the Pandey surname started appearing in competitive examinations but, having been mediocre in studies, they continued to fail. They knew that it was not easy to get a job and they also knew that if they failed in this endeavour they would have to ultimately opt for running the mutton shop only. Their grandfather Tularam had become very old and he had no other heir except Jagani. The shop was a good source of income and all the household expenses were met with it. It was obvious that in case of remaining unemployed Ramhit or Samdev would have to take charge of the shop.

Suddenly, an idea struck Ramhit's mind as to why not make use of mother's lower caste status. When both the men and women are equal in the eyes of the law, why not the offspring adopt the caste of the mother instead of the father. He knew that caste is a label once stuck will not be easy to get rid of. Yet, he started his attempts. He knocked at the doors of SDO and DM offices and ultimately the matter went to court.

Parashuram was mystified that the ghost of caste, which he had always been shoving away, continues to chase him. Despite his scorn for caste, he got shelter in the temple on the basis of caste only. Despite his being an atheist, he had to act as a priest. He disregarded the caste status and married beyond his caste, but again the caste got prevailed over his children. However you try it is not easy to get rid of it. It was a paradox that instead of escaping from the dragnet of caste, he was being drawn into take the cover of a caste as a tool for material gains.

Well, decision was given in favour of Ramhit. The court permitted him to adopt the scheduled caste status on the basis of his mother's caste and claim reservation in jobs. Now declaring himself legally a Dusadh by caste he could apply for any reserved post.

Ramhit's trick succeeded. He got the job as a teacher in the first attempt in a government school from the reserved quota. Tularam was happy for Ramhit got rid of the mutton shop. He wanted in his heart that let his children not get engaged in this business like him.

After Ramhit's objective was fulfilled, now similar way out was opened for his younger brother Samdev too. He too was to take court's permission to adopt mother's caste, Dusadh, as his brother did. Parshuram Pandey was happy that surely something would be done for this son also on this basis. Once something is done, except him there will be no other Pandey left in this house. Even if one remains it will not have any significance.

Meanwhile, Tularam fell ill. Servants were running the shop and income was reduced to half. Now the responsibility of looking after the shop came on Samdev. He started fulfilling this responsibility just by settling accounts every evening though one should have sit at the shop all the time. One had to keep a watch on all the activities - how many goats were being truncated, how many kilograms of mutton was being sold, how legs, head, intestines, skin and tallow were being disposed of, and how the customers were being treated.

One day Tularam expired. Now a permanent solution for the shop was to be made. Shop's income was certainly many times more than the salary received in any job. Both the options were open before Samdev but both Parashu and Jagani wanted that Samdev should pay attention to running the shop only.

When Parashu saw that nothing was done for many days, he asked Samdev one day, "What happened Sam? What do you want to do? Decide quickly. It is not proper to half-heartedly run the shop in a haphazard manner. Reputation will go down and it will become difficult to put it back on the track."

With a serious dilemma on his face, Samdev said, "Dad, it is not possible for me to run the shop. I cannot bear to see the butchering of goats, their flowing blood, torsos being cut into pieces… I cannot bear seeing all this. I know business is going well in the shop and all of us are surviving on its proceeds, yet I am unable to mentally prepare myself for this task. I also know that if we turn it into some other type of shop there will not be scope of similar success. Only mutton can be sold here profitably because "Tularam Mutton Vala" shop has become a brand name for good and reliable mutton".