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Puranmal, the Khatik water carrier, told Tan Dan that the feast for opening the water bottles could not be carried out in his house alone, as Brahmins and other savarn Hindus of his village could not attend a feast celebrated in the house of an untouchable. He had to carry out two feasts, one at his home for his relatives, and another at the house of a Brahmin. He would have to pay for that feast also, although he was not allowed to participate, or even to enter the house. He had to look at that feast from a distance. Tan Dan asked, why he did not carry out the feast on his own, without feeding the Brahmins. Puranmalji replied that he did not want to do that. Without offering food and donations to the Brahmins, he would not reap the fruits of all the good deeds (karma, puni) he had accrued through his pilgrim journey to Hardvar. He thought it would be foolish to risk anything by making such a mistake, especially as he was likely to be born as a savarn Hindu in next life, if everything went on well. He could enjoy all the privileges at that time.
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