This gorgeous, funny novel paints a picture of a bygone era, depicting the changing society in Ceylon after Independence from the British in 1948. Three Tamil girl cousins, Gowry, Saratha and Buvana, grow up in the old-fashioned village of Kolavil in Eastern Sri Lanka near the beautiful River Thillai. As they approach womanhood, they each struggle in their own way to assert themselves in opposition to the strict traditions of Tamil culture and their powerful Grandma. Their idyllic village life is threatened by people and by events beyond their control. Meanwhile, the reader can get lost in a colourful world of flamingos, temple bells and coconut prawn curry.