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The other woman character in the novel is Brinda, the wife of Balu. She is seventeen years old. She is said to be 'extremely fair'. Her father is the owner of a tea estate in Mempi Hills. He ekes out an annual income of two thousand rupees from his tea estate. Margayya considers her to be a good match for his son. He induces the priest to declare the horoscopes of the two as compatible on a temptation of payment of extra fee. Hence, Brinda and Balu are married. She gives birth to a child. While at Margayya's house, Brinda lives in peace with her mother-in-law. She remains confined inside her room with Balu for the most part of the day. They lead a happy married life. She is equally respectful to her father-in-law, Margayya, when he visits them in their new house in Lawley Extension at night after his tiff with Balu in his office during the day. He finds her alone there. She keeps on standing as a mark of respect to him while talking to him. Margayya has to ask her to sit.
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| Brinda |
Inspite of her good qualities, Brinda falls a victim to idle Balu's evil habits. The company of Dr. Pal spoils Balu thoroughly. Dr. Pal puts into his mind the notion of demanding fifty per cent share in his father's property. A quarrel occurs between the father and the son over this issue. Balu goes daily with Dr. Pal to a theatre where they play cards, drink and freely mix with some women and return home very late at night. Brinda discloses these movements of Balu to Margayya when the latter insists upon her to expose the facts to him. Margayya is just out of the main entrance of the house when Balu gets out of Dr. Pal's Baby Austin car at 2 o'clock in the night. There is some woman also in the car. Margayya loses control over himself and assaults Dr. Pal. He is put to harsh beating. Brinda does not feel agitated over this incident. She calmly opens the door to let her husband come in and puts off the light of the house. She is tolerant towards undesirable conduct of her husband.
Brinda shows a remarkable capacity for adaptability to changing circumstances or to ups and downs of life. She moves to the new house without making any fuss about it. Similarly, she views Balu's wrong activities with accommodating attitude so that the peace and normalcy of their household is maintained. She goes through mental suffering for thee sake of peace at home. Moreover, when Margayya goes bankrupt and the new house has to be sold off, she returns will Balu to her in-laws house. She shows no signs of agitation over this unexpected mishap. She is unruffled and takes it as a part of life. Balu is no match for her in qualities. His devilish nature gets more exposed vis-a-vis her gentleness and meekness. He goes from bad to worse after his marriage in the company of Dr. Pal. Margayya is proved wrong that he will improve after his marriage with Brinda.
The author's central concern in this novel is to build up Margayya's character who is queerly possessed with a desire for establishing a financial empire. He thinks no sacrifice greater than this cause. He seems to reach the crest at one: time. But ironically, his so-called financial empire collapses in no time simply by his one mis-doing i.e. the beating of Dr. Pal who later on spreads rumours against his financial transactions. He is reduced to insolvency and advises his son to start his career like him in front of the Central Land Mortgage Co-operative Bank under the banyan tree. He goes through the full cycle of fate and meets the situation of Square One. Viewed against such a thematic pattern, the role of women characters becomes secondary. Narayan, sometimes, depicts shadowy characters such as Margayya's mother. A reference is made to her once only in the novel. She is described to distribute free of charge a tooth-powder prepared by her at home with "burnt almond shell and cinnamon bark and alum..." This voluntary, humanitarian act on her part shows her charitable disposition of mind.