Mukund Tiwari 1 The village of Gopalpur, tucked between the dry hills of Chhatarpur, had a peculiar glow that night. Not from electricity—no, that was a rare guest—but from a string of solar-powered panchlights flickering weakly along the dusty lane that led to the banyan tree near the temple. Beneath its sprawling roots, the villagers had gathered for the annual shukravaar bhoj, hosted as always by Sarpanch Ramesh Tiwari. Plastic chairs were arranged by caste rank, older men chewed pan and gossiped in Bundeli, and a cauldron of steaming dal bafla perfumed the air with spices. Nakul Pandey, the newly…