Ask a friend or family member what a court in India is like. Bollywood has long revelled in the fantasy that the law is a powerful force of justice, one that swoops down upon criminals irrespective of where or how long they try and hide. This rumour has prevailed forever, even though a visit to any local court can dispel it within minutes. I urge you to try it, even though I understand the risks involved. Depression is inevitable, as is anger, because you will experience both in large doses.

I know people who have been visiting courts for as long as they can remember, for reasons that are unclear to them as well as the people they interact with in those august institutions. A senior citizen I know has been struggling with a property dispute that began in the early 1990s and continues to this day with no resolution in sight. She trudges to South Bombay whenever a date is announced, then comes home exhausted with no idea of whether there has been any development or not. Her lawyers have changed, and some have retired, but she continues to give away portions of her savings without really knowing what the money is being used for.