Mina is born towards the end of the construction of the Taj mahal. With the significant public investment, the economy was booming, not just for those involved in the project, pushing wages up.
~1655
As the economy settled, Mina’s parents became unable to support their family. Brahmin (hindu) priests, looking to replenish the ranks of the Devadasi, Offered to purchase their girls. Mina was the second one. As her younger sister was already being trained for service locally, she was sold again further away from home. She actively resisted training, try to escape her confinement with temporary success, when it became known she was able to significantly- but not completely- change her appearance.
Evenentually it’s found she was most easily manipulated by impressions of responsibility. Keep her busy being needed, no time to run away. This in itself was difficult.
~1656
Mina is sold off to some Traveling Brahmin – not priests dedicated to a particular temple, but sponsored to reinforce norms among temples. While leadership isn’t truly centralized, the Hind establishment is trying to maintain enough order to be able to jump at regaining power from Muslim rulers when possible.
At first as a servant, and the realizing how much more Mina was capable of with training, she soon became the Brahmin’s primary source of income, rather than their sponsorship, impersonating gods at different temples and festivals. Over the years, the original set retired, and younger Brahmin bought their way into the scheme. Eventually the fact that Mina was a Dalit was forgotten by subsequent handlers.
1720
Last of the Mughal Empire collapses
~1790
Sardari born. Having shown limited control over spacetime as a child, she is quickly declared an incarnation of a local goddess of doors. She lives her early life confined to temple grounds, or otherwise restricted and monitored by temple priests.
1818
Last of the Maratha Empire collapses
~1820
Sardari and Mina meet at Sardari’s old temple.
~1840
Mina is run off by an uncontrolled mob; a Brahmin with a recent buy-in had learned of her Untouchable caste, and the potential for profit was less powerful than the potential for… personal fame? Fear of some karmic stain?
Mina laid low for a while, then posed as a busker, locating her stashes buried over the years. She was rich after 175 years, she just had to locate her riches. And put them in a British bank – banks – where they cared for money not caste.
1840-1860
First potential encounter with encounter with Peredharna, who dealed more with “Monsterous children” then. Did spend time learning about Christianity, mostly as bid to better understand the British – less English, at Shimla was not the summer capitol of the Raj yet. Did use the convent as a rest stop in her trips to recover old alms stashes.
1858
British Raj Established, ending company rule
~1860
First husband, Mail runner. Died from injuries during work, after Mina stepped in for him for a while.
~1870- ~1910
Second husband. Filipino sailor, Only lasted a few months, before sucumbing to disease (as anticipated when they married).
~1914
Mina in Dhaka, caught up with establishment of University. Known to be an assistant Historian and translator.
~1930s – ~1940s
Governess in what would become West Bengal.
“Farthingsworth” family was one of the righer families she served during this time.
1947
India independence, Pakistan independence
Sadari’s temple is claimed by India, and finds itself in an enclave within East Pakistan. Finding the border on her doorstep, she aims to be seen as a god of borders as well as doors.
General British pull-out, much less Governess work.
1971
Bangladesh independence
Sadari’s temple is claimed by India, and finds itself in an enclave within Bangladesh.
1980
Mina moves to the Jharkhand village house, after rumors that a planned highway was directed closer to another vilage. Joins Saree weaving collective, which is a mixed experience.
1983
Jyoti born
1985
Reddy sisters (Riya, Nisha, Isobelle) born
1988
Sardari’s temple is destroyed in flooding. The is able to borrow money, mostly from Mina, to fund rebuilding of a more modern (and hopefully less offensive to Muslims) structure.
Mina officially starts saree weaving independantly. Not because she strictly needs the income, but it’s a way to occupy herself.
Uddyam goes back to work at tent cinema after a year away.
1999
Kshitij and Jyoti marry
2000
Usha born Reddy sisters identified by SAMMANA
2001
Virika born
2002
Reddy sisters hired by SAMMANA
2011
Bangladesh ratifies simplification of the border.
2015
India finally ratifies simplification of the border, Sadari’s temple is in Bangladesh. Riya Reddy promoted to office manager, after retirement of previous manager.
First of India covid shutdowns. Uddyam is caught on the road. He contracted Covid while trying to make his way home. He was cremated. His last communication was a final letter to Mina, which she received in April.
Jyoti gets Covid, but recovers. Mina’s abandoned house is used as a shelter for subsequent infections, Jyoti appointing herself nurse. Virika forced to step in to take care of her younger brothers and sister.
2024
Mina reappears at Usha’s apartment in West Bengal.
Indus Autonomous Zone recognized, centered on the Ninety East Ridge, near the Equator. Hundreds of thousands already lived here, given the ongoing damage to relatively close island nations.
2141
Indus I construction officially begins.
2171
Indus II construction officially begins
2185
Indus 3 ‘we’ve got to build space elevators to be refurbishable’ begins
2187
Second Radio Event occurs. (Yeah this is crossover with Goo Aliens, first event happens while Alice is on board – so this is the 4th chime of peace)
While not expected, significantly more data can be collected, triangulating a point of origin.
2230
A majority of human population has migrated to space elevators and orbital colonies. Significant work being put into ‘restoration’ of old cites to a natural state, rather than leaving them as polluted ruins.
While colonies outside of Earth’s gravity well exist, a majority of their inhabitants are children of the original settlers. Travel is extremely time-costly, if nothing else.
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