On the night of Diwali , Parijat opens a small vial in the middle of Lucknow's main chowk . He dabs one drop on his neck.

He captures her in a secret basement beneath a closed talaab (pond). He coats her in layers of animal fat, rose concrete, and sandalwood oil. As she screams, he distills her over 72 hours. The result: of perfume that smells like "a virgin's prayer before dawn."