Anjali

Anjali is the main protagonist of the novel, and the novel is told from her third person perspective. Anjali is the daughter of Ma and Baba, the great-niece of Chachaji, and the best friend of Irfaan. The novel starts with Anjali at the age of ten, in August of 1942. Her character is curious, kind, brave, righteous, and defiant. Like many of the other characters of the novel, Anjali is often judgmental and critical of people who are not able to see the world as she wants to see it. Kelkar writes Anjali’s perspective the way a ten year old might see the world - without full information and without an understanding of the danger of particular situations. She learns through trial and error and the advice of her parents. Her father often teaches Anjali moral lessons through the stories of Akbar and Birbal, again replicating the way...