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b. (1850-53?)  in Darjeeling, India

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Niru was close with both parents (she was closest to her father). Niru's father was highly educated.
She was raised partly by maid servant Uma-di from the village. She was well-educated at school ('You were always so good at your studies' which she attended with Krishna Lahiri.  Niru practised Hinduism (prayed with Uma-di). Niru learnt Kathak dance. Niru 'was terrible with money at school'.

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The British government shut down the East India Company in 1858 and the Raj was
established. Clear rules came into being regarding marriage for British men serving in India.
Marriage to an Indian woman was scandalous and marriage to Anglo-Indians heavily frowned
upon.

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Until the last decades of the East India Company (1600-1858), most British men in India spent part of their careers living with at least one Indian or Euaraisan woman. A member of administration was as likely to have a 'bibi' or native mistress as a household handyman in Calcutta, though the 'bibi' was much more than a mistress.

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BEFORE THE PLAY: Marriage to Tom Helmer (1871)

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BEFORE THE PLAY: Marriage to Tom Helmer (1871)

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Niru and Tom Helmer (10-15 years her) got married lived in Calcutta, India. Tom left his Law practice after marrying Niru due to the scandalous nature of their marriage.

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BEFORE THE PLAY: Move to Darjeeling for one year (1871-1872)

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BEFORE THE PLAY: Move to Darjeeling for one year (1871-1872)

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During the first year of Niru and Tom's marriage, Tom fell ill so they  moved to Darjeeling for a year to recuperate. This was a few days after Niru's father (Baba) died on 29th September. Niru got 3,000 rupees to pay for this from her baba.

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BEFORE THE PLAY: The Great Famine (1876-1878)

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BEFORE THE PLAY: The Great Famine (1876-1878)

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The Bengal Famine which caused the death of 5.5 million Indians.

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Niru gave birth to two sons, Peter and Bob Helmer.

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Tom Helmer gets a promotion at the tax office which means Niru and Tom can afford a more comfortable life.

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Niru reveals to her old school friend Krishna Lahiri that the 3,000 rupees for the Darjeeling trip were actually obtained through a loan from Kaushik Das, a low level clerk at the tax office. She has secretly been slowly repaying the debts without Tom's knowledge.

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Das shows up at Niru and Tom's house and asks Niru to get him back his lowly level clerk job at the tax office through Tom, which Niru eventually obliges because Das blackmails her using the discovery that Niru forged her father's signature signed on the loan contract.

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Niru tries to convince Tom not to fire Das but to no avail, Tom sends Uma to deliver a letter of dismissal to Das.

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Dr Rank, a close friend of Tom and Niru's and reveals he is close to death, and also in love with her. Das enters demanding why he was dismissed , now insisting that Niru must secure him a job of even higher position at the Tax Office.

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Niru tells Mrs Lahiri everything, and Mrs Lahiri instructs Niru to delay Tom from opening the letter as long as possible while she goes to speak with Das. Niru manages to make Tom promise not to open his mail until after she performs at the party. Mrs Lahiri soon returns and says that she has left Das a note but that he will be gone until the following evening. Niru rushes off to get changed into her costume.

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 Niru rehearses her Kathak dance in the courtyard. In
her agitated emotional state, she dances wildly and violently, displeasing Tom. 

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Niru and Tom enter, back from the party. Tom tells Mrs Lahiri about Niru’s dancing and
how beautiful she looked. Mrs Lahiri leaves for bed. Dr Rank, who was also at the party
and has come to say goodnight, and promptly interrupts Tom’s advances on Niru. After Dr
Rank leaves, Tom finds in his letterbox two of Dr Rank’s visiting cards, each with a black
cross above the name. Niru knows Dr Rank’s cards constitute his announcement that he
will soon die, and she tells Tom this. She then insists that Tom read Das’ letter. Tom reads
the letter and is outraged. He calls Niru a hypocrite and a liar and says that she has ruined
his happiness.

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Uma then brings in another letter. Tom opens it and discovers that Das has
returned Niru’s contract (which contains the forged signature). Overjoyed, Tom attempts to
dismiss his past insults, but his harsh words have triggered something in Niru.

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Later that night Niru waters her banana tree. Tom emerges and they talk. Niru declares that
despite their eight years of marriage, they do not understand one another. Tom, Niru asserts,
has treated her like a ‘doll’ to be played with and manipulated. She decides to leave Tom,
declaring that she must make sense of herself and everything around her. She hands over
the house keys, throws open the door and walks out.