Explain Bama's first encounter with untouchability.

Bama's first encounter with untouchability happened when she saw an elder of her caste walking along the street from the direction of the bazaar. The manner in which he was walking along made Bama want to double up with laughter, she wanted to shriek with mirth at the sight of such a big man carrying a small packet in a funny way. There was something like vadai or green banana bhajji in the packet because the wrapping paper was stained with oil. He came along, holding out the packet by its string, without touching it. She stood there thinking to herself that if he held the packet like that, the package might come undone and the vadais would fall out. But then she saw the elder walk up straight to the landlord, bowing low and extending the packet towards him, cupping the hand that held the string with his other hand. The landlord opened the parcel and began to eat the vadais. Bama's brother Annan told her much later that the man was not being funny when he carried the package in that way. He believed in the custom of untouchability. He said that everybody believed that they were upper caste and therefore, must not touch them. If they did, they would be polluted.