One day, Anjali and her mother attend a meeting at the khadi store about the Quit India movement, and her mother suggests that they teach the Untouchable children (whom Gandhi calls Harijans) in their basti. Ma also defends their toilet cleaner Mohan, a so-called Untouchable, from Chachaji. She cries as her mother burns all their fancy clothes.Īnjali’s mother comes to school to teach them all about chakra, and making clothes at home. Anjali agrees but hides her favorite saffron ghagra-choli under her mattress.

Instead, they have to wear khadi - plain white clothing - made by hand in India. When Anjali gets home from school one day, Ma decides they have to burn all their clothes since they were all produced in England. Her mother also tells her she is going to be a freedom fighter on behalf of their family. It is based on Ahimsa - nonviolence - and civil disobedience. Anjali confesses to her parents she painted the Q, and they explain to her what the Quit India movement is about. He turns her away.īack at home, Anjali's family listens to a speech from Gandhi, and the speaker says they all need to devote a family member to the freedom fighting movement against the British. When Anjali gets home, her parents start arguing so she returns to Captain Brent’s office to ask for her mother’s job back. He brings them back to his office, but her mother defends them. They run away but Captain Brent catches them. Her mother has just stopped working for Captain Brent, and Anjali wants to get back at him. The novel opens with Anjali painting a Q for Quit India on the outside wall of Captain Brent’s office with her friend Irfaan. The novel is 293 pages and 35 chapters long, but for the purposes of this guide will be broken into six sections. The following version was used to make this guide: Kelkar, Supriya.

Supriya kelkar ahimsa