This blog is a part of thinking activity assigned by Dr.Dilip Sir in which I am going to add the summary and videos of the The Ministry of the Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy.
Thinking Activity of Flip Learning Task :
Video : 1
Khwabgah :
As the story starts from Jannat and shifts from Jannat to Khwabgah and where as Khwabgah is a type of Sapno ki Duniya (Dreams) and the the novel begins with, Where Do Old Birds Go to Die?
The story revolves around Anjum, a woman living in a graveyard who describes herself as being "like a tree" rooted there. Born as Aftab, the fourth child of Jahanara Begum and Mulaqat Ali, Anjum has both male and female genitals. She struggles with her identity and eventually joins the Khwabgah, a community of transgender individuals (called Hijra or Kinnar in Urdu).
Throughout her life, Anjum faces rejection, societal discrimination, and inner turmoil. She seeks solace in spirituality, visiting the Dargah of Hazrat Sarmad Shaheed and later traveling to Ajmer Sharif with Zakir Mian. Her journey is marked by key events like adopting a child, Zainab, and teaching her both Hindu and Muslim traditions.
The 2002 Godhra riots leave a significant mark on Anjum’s life, as she witnesses death and violence, including the loss of her friend Zakir Mian. Afterward, she moves permanently to the graveyard and creates Jannat Guesthouse, a space for outsiders and outcasts to find refuge.
One of her most significant connections is with saddam hussain (formerly Dayachand), a man seeking revenge for the killing of his father. While Anjum waits for death in the graveyard, Saddam waits for a chance to take revenge, symbolizing two different forms of unresolved pain.
The story ends with Anjum finding political purpose and a sense of belonging through her actions, offering a message of resilience and survival despite societal rejection.
This simplified version highlights the main events while focusing on Anjum’s journey of self-discovery and acceptance.
Video 2 :
Saddam Hussain, the first permanent resident of the guest house, shares his troubling past. He previously worked at a government hospital where caste discrimination was rampant. Doctors from upper castes avoided performing postmortems on people found on the streets, leaving such tasks to Dalit workers like him. Frustrated, he quit and took a job as a security guard. However, even in this job, he faced exploitation. Sangeeta Madam, who ran the agency, pocketed 60% of the guards' salaries, leaving him with only 40%.
Saddam's backstory reveals that his father, a chamar who sold animal skins, was lynched by a mob after a policeman named Sairavat falsely accused him. This tragedy deeply impacted Saddam, and when he saw the news of Saddam Hussein's death on TV, he adopted his name to symbolize resistance and revenge.
The guest house gradually fills with more residents, and they learn about Jantar Mantar, a hub for protests. Built by Raja Jai Singh, it became a prominent site for demonstrations during 2011-12. Anna Hazare (referred to as Tubby Old Gandhian) was leading a protest against corruption, with Arvind Kejriwal (disguised as Mr. Aggarwa) playing a role. Other protests included those by the Mothers of Disappeared from Kashmir, Manipuri activists opposing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Bhopal Gas Tragedy survivors, Delhi waste workers, and Hindi nationalists. One persistent protester, Dr. Azad Bharatiya, had been at Jantar Mantar for over a decade.
Amid these protests, a baby is found. Anjum, a central character, tries to claim the child, but a dispute arises among the protesters. In the chaos, the baby goes missing, leaving everyone in distress.
Video 3 :
The story revolves around a narrator, Biplav Das Gupta, who works in the Intelligence Bureau (IB). He is nicknamed "landlord" because he rents out rooms. Other characters include Tilottama (Tilo), a mysterious architect; Nagaraj Hariharan, a journalist; Musa Yeswi, a terrorist; and a group of college friends who once acted in plays together.
The story begins with Tilo being arrested. She mentions knowing Biplav, who uses his connections to free her. Tilo later marries Nagaraj but comes back to Biplav after five years to ask for a place to stay. Biplav, whose name means "revolution," ironically doesn’t believe in rebellion and prefers working with the government. He lives alone, drinks heavily, and seems to have lost his family because of his drinking habits.
Tilo’s character closely resembles Arundhati Roy’s own background, as she is an architect from Kerala with a Christian mother. The plot thickens when Tilo takes care of a baby named Jebeen the Second. This baby is left at a guesthouse called Jannat. The baby’s name honors Jebeen the First, Musa’s daughter, who was tragically killed during a military operation along with her mother. This loss drives Musa to become a terrorist.
The story introduces other key characters, including Captain Amrik Singh, his wife Lavleen, ACP Pinky Sodhi, and Balbir Singh. A Kashmiri activist, Jalil Qadri, is tortured and killed by Amrik Singh, whose guilt is later revealed. Fearing revenge from terrorists, Amrik flees to Canada and eventually to California. Later, news emerges that he killed his family and himself in California. When Biplav asks Musa if he killed Amrik, Musa denies it, saying Amrik destroyed himself. Musa ominously states that one day, Kashmir will cause India’s self-destruction.
The story concludes with a letter to Jannat Guesthouse from Revti, the biological mother of Jebeen. She reveals that she was raped by six policemen, leading to her pregnancy. Unable to raise her daughter, Udaya, she left her at Jantar Mantar. Now, Udaya has six fathers and three mothers—Revti, Tilo, and Anjum. The letter ties the various narratives together.
Video : 4
In the last chapter titled Guih Kyom, a Dung Beetle, Tilo begins teaching children at a guest house. The chapter describes graves of some people, including Ahlam Bazi, who is said to shift her sleeping position, hinting at a sense of life even in death. The story also reflects on the idea of narrating a broken story by becoming part of everything and everyone.
We learn that Musa was killed in an encounter. One night, Anjum, unable to sleep, takes a walk around the city with Udaya Jebeen. During their walk, Udaya needs to relieve herself, and Anjum waits with her. On their way back, they see a dung beetle lying on its back, gazing at the sky as if it’s ready to save the world should the heavens fall.
The chapter ends on a hopeful note, suggesting that with Udaya Jebeen, things will get better, and time will bring change for the better.
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