Dissatisfied with the obvious parallels between India and China, Mr Sharma sees a cultural kinship between India and Brazil, countries united in their “late dining habits”, “colourful personalities” and “casual informality”.
Bridal parties are an example of the intergenerational socialising hammams have always hosted: mothers brought daughters to the baths, where they could observe the bodies of other women at different stages of life, unselfconscious and unposed.
The boy sat down again and looked at his pumps, till Jo said, trying to be polite and easy, " I think I've had the pleasure of seeing you before. You live near us, don't you? "
" Make yourself at home, open the cupboard, get yourself a glass of water if you want, feel free to sit down, don't worry about any kind of formal rules, make yourself at home."
He appeared to be in a great hurry, shouted to the cabman to wait, and brushed past the maid who opened the door with the air of a man who was thoroughly at home.