Part 1 Summary

The first part, or chapter, of the novel introduces the various families involved in the overall story. They have come together on the occasion of the marriage of Pran Kapoor and Savita Mehra. Savita's younger sister Lata, considered of marriageable age now, sets up the main conflict in the novel by questioning the idea of arranged marriage as opposed to a marriage based on romantic love. Lata's mother, the widow Rupa Mehra, is intent on finding a "suitable boy" for Lata who is repulsed by the idea. Another conflict in the novel is the antagonism between Hindus and Muslims in post-Partition India/Pakistan. This theme is emphasized when Lata meets and subsequently falls in love with Kabir Durrani, a Muslim. Mrs. Mehra is so incensed at the idea that she packs Lata up and moves her to Calcutta where they will stay with...