“The Chaus Dictionary was special,” Aaji said. “It didn’t just give you another word. It gave you a bridge . A PDF can give you a million words for free. But a PDF can’t hold a coffee stain. It can’t whisper to you from a grandmother’s trunk.”

Ananya took the scrap. It was from the ‘K’ section. But the entry wasn't just a word. It was a hand-drawn picture next to the Marathi word ‘करारी’ (karari) . The English said: crisp; the sound of a fresh chapatati breaking; also, the feeling of a winter morning.

Then below, in faded pencil, Aaji had written a personal note: “Like the first bite of a hot bhaji on a cold day.”