QUOTE : Duryodhana came to the village in search of the Pandavas in exile. Thirsty, he asked an old woman for water. Impulsively, she gave him the toddy she was carrying. The parched Prince drank it with relish. It was only then that the woman noticed he was a Kshatriya warrior and he could lose his caste by drinking toddy served by an Untouchable Kurathi woman like herself. Horrified by what she had done, she was certain the Kshatriya Prince would punish her with death if she told him the truth. However, not wishing to cheat someone who had trusted her, she confessed her ‘crime’, risking her life. She waited for certain punishment, but was astonished by Duryodhana’s reaction. “Mother,” he said, “there is no caste for hunger and thirst. Blessed are you for putting the interests of a thirsty man before your own safety.