For the next six hours, the house is quiet. The matriarch sits down to drink her second cup of chai—cold by now—and watches a soap opera on the iPad. This is her only window of silence.

If weekdays are defined by chaotic routines, weekends are reserved for rejuvenation and relationships. Sundays usually begin late. The morning newspaper is read cover-to-cover over a heavy breakfast of parathas, idlis, or puri-alu.

: Historically, Indian households often consist of three to four generations living under one roof, sharing a kitchen and a common budget.