Aunt Mira played a pivitol role in the lives of the Das children. Her sole purpose for coming to the household, was to relieve Mrs. Das of her parental duties for Baba who was mentally handicapped. She arrived to the house withered and grey baring gifts for each child, a treat they had never before experienced. She quickly developed a bond with Tara the youngest Das girl who at the time felt alien to her older brother and sister. Aunt Mira, in a short period of time was able to get Baba to sit up and respond to things. Although he never uttered a word he was able to be interactive and participate in his own little games under the tutorlage of Aunt Mira. Aunt Mira lavished the children with love and affection which they were not getting frpom their parents and also became friend and confidant to Tara who was reinstated to her role of "baby" of the family since Aunt Mira's arrival and Baba's birth. The children enjoyed being around Aunt Mira and playing games with her and even the animals flocked to Aunt Mira.
Through the company of the children and moving into the Das household Aunt Mira was able to experience a love and a sense of comradery that she was not privy to at her previous home. At the prior establishment, the residence of her late husbands family, she was treated like a servant and was poorly nourished. The book alludes to the fact that she was younger than Mrs. Das however she looked older from years of toiling and hardship. When she arrived at the Das household, she was given a voice, a position of motherly stature and was virtually placed on a pedestal by the young children. She was able to bask in their love as they were able to revel in hers.
The fact that the children grew up and left may have left her feeling depressed and abandoned and could have been one of the contributing factor to her subsequent downfall. Aunt Mira probably believed that the love she had given them was not substancial enough for them to want to stay or that they did not love her enough to want to staay and although Bim stayed and continued to take care of her that Bim completed this task not because of her affection for her Aunt but rather out of obligation to her family. Perhaps such a thought pattern coupled with her drinking and other factors caused her demise.
