Fasting feasting Uma the plain spinster daughter of a close knit Indian family is trapped at home smothered by her overbearing parents and their traditions unlike her ambitious younger sister Aruna who brings off a good marriage and brother Arun the disappointing son and heir who is studying in America.Across the world in Massachusetts life with the Patton family is bewildering for Arun in the alien culture of freedom freezers and paradoxically self denying self indulgence.