Summary
Chapter 7
Begam Waheed and her mother discuss Asghar’s marriage prospects. Begam Nihal favors Surayya, the daughter of brother Naseeruddin. Begam Waheed tries to persuade her to consider someone else, arguing that Surayya is not pretty enough for Asghar.
While they are talking, Saeed Hasan, Begam Nihal’s son-in-law, a widower, stops by the house. They invite him in, and Begam Nihal asks him what men want in a wife. He suggests that the perfect wife is moderate in all qualities—not too tall, not too short, not too fat or skinny. He also says the woman should love and serve the man well, and if she does the man will worship him.
Having been a loving and dutiful husband to his wife before she died in childbirth, Saeed is now interested in marrying her younger sister Mehro. Begam Nihal prefers Meraj since he is younger, comes from wealth, and has a good job. Begam Waheed is acting as matchmaker between Mehro and Meraj, since he is related to her husband’s family, so Saeed’s proposal is unlikely to be accepted. Meraj’s proposal has not been accepted yet, however, because Mir Nihal is hesistant to send away his last daughter. It is also customary for Asghar, Mehro’s older brother, to be married away first.
Saeed leaves, and Begam Waheed suggests Bilqeece as a possible match for Asghar. Begam Nihal flatly refuses; she is a Mughal, while Asghar is a Saiyyed. Begam Waheed lets on that Asghar himself would like to marry Bilqeece, and even admits that he had threatened suicide if he could not be with her. Begam Nihal suggests that Begam Shahbaz, Bundoo’s mother, has cast some spell on him, perhaps with help of Begam Jamal. Begam Jamal overhears her name, and begins to bicker with Begam Nihal, until Mir Nihal arriving home prompts them to stop and disperse.
Chapter 8
A sudden dust-storm comes, and the family takes shelter together in the house. Begam Nihal and Begam Waheed express worry to each other about Asghar. Begam Waheed notes that he has never had anything go his way in life, and thus fears his threats of suicide are not made idly. Begam Nihal agrees, and recognizes that her son’s life is more important than marrying within their class. She is not sure she can convince Mir Nihal, but she resolves to try nonetheless. Meanwhile, the children ask about the storm, and the adults tell them dust-storms are marriage parties of the jinns, supernatural genie-like creatures in Islamic mythology.
Chapter 9
Begam Nihal musters the courage to discuss the possibility of Asghar marrying Bilqeece with her husband. She knows that Asghar has had a difficult life—he found a job in Bhopal but had to come home after his sister, Saeed’s wife, died, and has been unemployed since—and feels arranging the marriage according to his wants might ease his burden slightly. Though she tries to put Mir Nihal in a good mood with humor, she fails to convince him to even consider Bilqeece. He does not want his family to mix with lower-born people. Begam Nihal tells him Asghar has threatened suicide, and Mir Nihal suggests it would be doing him a favor if he plans to marry Mirza Shahbaz Beg’s daughter. He says he will disown him if he tries to go through with the marriage.
Analysis
Between Chapters 7 and 9, Begam Nihal moves from flat out rejecting matching Asghar with Bilqeece to advocating for the match on his behalf. On the one hand, the quick shift in her attitude is surprising. Asghar's worry about the situation seemed to suggest that convincing his parents to consent to the marriage would be a tall order. However, it makes sense that Begam Nihal could be so easily convinced to change her mind in a society that itself is undergoing rapid changes in cultural attitudes and behaviors. The "adapt or die" mentality is almost literalized, though it will be her son who might die if she does not adapt.
The dust-storm that precedes her change of mind is a moment which displays the importance of family above all, as the whole household comes together to survive the scary weather. As the adults reassure the scared children, Begam Nihal's maternal instinct is triggered, and she resolves to save her son from suicide. The storm is also tied back into marriage by the myth of the jinn's wedding party.
Mir Nihal is seemingly much less flexible in his attitude, and is not moved or worried by the thought of his son committing suicide should the marriage proposal not go his way. It is not enough to remind him of family's importance in contrast to the importance of social custom, and his understanding of and belief in the traditions of the world he grew up in will have to be broken down much more significantly before he can consent to the match. The difference between Mir Nihal and Begam Nihal's respective processes for accepting Asghar's wishes displays the difference between the roles of the mother and the father in their society. While the mother is directly concerned with the child's well-being and survival, the father is more concerned with maintaining lineages and continuing to represent the family in a good light.
