Chapter 11, Channan Pir Summary

Channan Pir is a shrine in the desert where women go to pray for their daughters to have good marriages and to bear sons. A caravan of women travel there, and Shabanu's family travels to meet up with the caravan and continue to the shrine. All of their camels are finely arrayed for the wedding. Phulan and Mama look beautiful, while Auntie looks disgruntled. Grandfather tells stories, some true and some befuddled. Shabanu likes them even if they are not his own life stories.

Eventually, the women ride on to join the caravan where they will get to see some relatives, especially Sharma, Mama's sister, and her daughter, Fatima. Auntie disapproves of them because Sharma left her abusive husband and Fatima is already 16 and not married. They go to the shrine to pray, then back to their spot to...