Nectar in a Sieve

Nectar in a Sieve Summary | Part 1, Chapter 1 Summary

Nectar in a Sieve is the story of an Indian woman, Rukmani, who begins the story by recalling the life she and her husband, Nathan, led as tenant farmers in India. Nathan is now dead and Rukmani lives with her children in a small town where the people still make their living from the land.

Rukmani and Nathan's families arrange their marriage, and the two young people do not see each other until the day of the wedding. As the fourth sister in the family to be married, there is no dowry for Rukmani. This forces her to marry a man below her own social class. At the age of twelve, Rukmani is given to Nathan, a poor tenant farmer. Rukmani's family feels deeply humiliated, as does Rukmani herself until she realizes what a kind person Nathan is.

After traveling many miles after the wedding, Nathan and Rukmani finally reach the home Nathan has prepared. At first, Rukmani is startled and panics because the two-room hut is below the standards to which she is accustomed. Between the lowered living conditions and the sadness of leaving her family, Rukmani is despondent until Nathan soothes her, and they begin their life together at the edge of a rice paddy field that Nathan farms. Rukmani later finds out that Nathan built the house especially for her, and while she is happy and grateful, she is also ashamed of her initial feelings of disgust.

Soon after her wedding day, Rukmani begins to establish herself as a new bride in the small community and meets some of the other women at the stream as they wash clothes. Kali, Janaki and Kunthi welcome Rukmani with differing levels of graciousness, choosing to watch this new girl before they accept her fully. Soon Rukmani adapts to life with the women and with Nathan, whom she comes to regard as a kind and gentle man.

Nathan's skills at harvesting rice provide an adequate living, allowing Rukmani to purchase sugar, curds and ghee (clarified butter) from some of the merchants in the village. Rukmani also develops some skill at planting and harvesting, and Nathan notices her efforts and considers her a very clever woman. Rukmani and Nathan share a happy beginning to their marriage and are able to eat well and even save some money and rice in reserve.