RAMESWARAM, India – Twice a week, nearly all the women of Sambai troop out of their village like pilgrims to a temple.
Wearing faded, outsized shirts over bright saris, they walk 3km through an arid forest of thorny mesquite trees in Rameswaram district in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. There may be chatter, depending on how fiercely the sun is beating down.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you
