Ahimsa

Anjali arrives home excitedly and shows Jamuna the methi plant, hoping that she can use some of it to make paratha. Chachaji says that he won’t eat anything that comes from the plant, and Baba chastises him. Chachaji warns that Anjali will end up in jail like her mother.

They check on Nandini, and the cow looks ill. Anjali goes to get Irfaan, knowing that his family can help. She arrives at his home, and when she says that Nandini is in danger, Irfaan immediately tells his father they must go with her.

Farhan emerges from the shed and says that he needs methi. Chachaji runs off and returns with the plant that Paro gave Anjali, surprising her. She bows respectfully to him.

Irfaan and Anjali go sit on the porch, and he says that he heard about her mother. They talk about Holi, and then, suddenly, he throws dirt at her like it’s powder from the festival. She responds in kind, and they play-fight.

Baba calls Anjali from inside the house and sends her and Irfaan into the shed, where they find Nandini and a baby calf. Anjali names the calf Ahimsa.

Nandini recovers, and the calf Ahimsa is already stronger in the morning. The previous night, Anjali and Baba went around to deliver the news about school, and many parents thanked her for the news but said that they wouldn’t be sending their children. However, the children from the basti would join her at school today.

When she arrives under the peepal tree, only the children from the basti and Irfaan are there with Masterji. Anjali feels like this isn’t a permanent change and it isn’t helping change anyone else’s mind.

The vegetable vendor comes by to chastise Masterji, claiming that the Dalits are deterring his customers, and Anjali tells him that the riots scared them away. Paro looks afraid, and Anjali feels hopeless.

Just then, Suman appears, along with other children. Suman says she wants to learn. Anjali begins to feel like maybe things are really changing.

At home that night, Anjali sees hundreds of people dressed in white. She thinks it’s a protest, but Irfaan tells her that it’s a funeral. She soon learns that Keshavji is dead. Baba appears, and Anjali tells him the news, though he already knows. The police claim that Keshavji tried to escape, but some people think it was just an excuse so that he couldn’t turn people against the British anymore.

They join the funeral procession, which goes to the Khadi Shop, where several Indian policemen stand in front of the building with rifles. Captain Brent is there and says that the story is being closed immediately because it incites violence. People begin to rush at the police, and Anjali, Irfaan, and Baba are caught up in the chaos. Baba tries to protect her and Irfaan, but Anjali hears the violence around her. She’s surprised to find those who had listened to Keshavji talk about nonviolence attacking the police. She sees a man who has been shot, and then, suddenly, the building is on fire.

The fire causes people to turn on Captain Brent, and Anjali knows that someone will kill the British officer. She gets away from her father and, standing over Captain Brent, who is injured, she shouts, “Ahimsa!” She’s hit by something that someone has thrown and falls, but she repeats herself. Then, another voice echoes, “Ahimsa!” It’s Irfaan. They keep yelling together, and then the crowd grows quiet, backing away. Many ask forgiveness. Baba helps Captain Brent up, and the man looks at Anjali with respect. However, she stares as the Khadi Shop burns.

At home, Jamuna is tending to Anjali’s scrapes when Captain Brent arrives. He delivers a pardon for Ma.

The next morning, Anjali begins painting a new sign for her school, and Paro writes the letters on it. Baba arrives, and they go to the prison. Ma looks ill, but Anjali’s news about the school excites her. As they leave the prison, Anjali spots a peacock feather. She steps over it, thinking that she doesn’t need any omens: “Freedom was in the air” (289).