Preethi Pal and her sprint from superstition to superstardom

Bengaluru Growing up, every time there was a solar eclipse, Preethi Pal’s legs were buried in cow dung pits. If the eclipse happened during class hours, her father or uncle would rush to school and whisk her away for the ritual. Her mother would be by her side, holding her as the young girl stood with legs caked in dung – rooted in a superstitious belief in the practice’s healing properties – for the duration of the eclipse. Born with weak legs that were “tedhe” (crooked), Preethi speaks of them remaining plastered for a few months. Massages were done, and she wore callipers as a child.