Kanhom's gatekeeper was Satti's beloved Mashti. The strong brawny peasant functioned as a babysitter, errand boy, escort, and general protector. In many ways the young Satti was closer to him than to her father. He partly fulfilled her need to have a father living in her home, that she can hug and see on a daily basis. Mashti was a terrible shopper, often returning from the bazaar with rotten fruit. He complained that since he was not inside the watermelon, he could not possibly have known it was spoiled. Satti remembered Mashti's words when she realizes that the college she founded has students and even faculty members who would accuse her of crimes, merely for their own advantage.