Anjali is a ten-year-old girl belonging to the privileged Brahmin caste in 1942 India. Initially viewing the world in strict categories of right and wrong, she is suddenly pulled into the country's freedom movement when her mother joins the cause. She possesses a straightforward personality and a strong sense of justice, though she struggles to understand the deep-rooted inequalities of the caste system. As the story opens, she is resentful of the changes the nonviolence movement brings to her comfortable life.

Shailaja is Anjali's mother, a highly educated woman fluent in five Indian languages. She recently quit her job working for the local British officer because she could no longer tolerate the injustices she witnessed. Optimistic and passionate, she commits herself to Gandhi's call for nonviolence and begins working to educate Dalit children. Although well-intentioned, her high-caste background sometimes blinds her to the actual needs of the people she tries to assist.

Baba is Anjali's father and a professor at a local college. He provides the main financial support for the family, allowing his wife to dedicate her time to the freedom movement. He has a calm, rational demeanor that balances the impulsive actions of his wife and daughter. He frequently uses traditional stories to teach Anjali about solidarity, patience, and social equality.

Mohan is a young Dalit boy who works cleaning outhouses to survive. Forced into the lowest tier of the social hierarchy, he faces daily discrimination and is forbidden from interacting closely with higher castes. He creates carved necklaces in his spare time. Highly skeptical of the Joshi family's attempts to help his community, he frequently challenges Anjali and Shailaja to see beyond their privileged perspective.

Irfaan is Anjali's best friend, a Muslim boy whose family operates a local dairy. He shares a close sibling-like bond with Anjali, regularly exchanging gifts during their respective religious holidays like Diwali and Eid al-Fitr. Their friendship is tested by the rising political and religious tensions in their village.

Captain Brent is a British military officer stationed in Anjali's village, representing the occupying colonial forces. He is Shailaja's former employer, known for treating Indian citizens as entirely replaceable. He wields significant authority over the local population, enforcing British rule and demonstrating the systemic inequities the freedom movement seeks to dismantle.

Chachaji is Baba's uncle who lives with the Joshi family. As a conservative elder, he holds strict traditional views about society and maintains intense prejudices regarding the caste system. He vocally disapproves of women working outside the home and openly criticizes Shailaja's activism, preferring to comply with British rule rather than challenge the social hierarchy.

Keshavji is a Dalit and a local leader in the nonviolent freedom movement. Having previously lived in Gandhi's ashram, he organizes the local resistance efforts and encourages his followers to practice ahimsa. He acts as a patient guide for Shailaja and Anjali, helping them understand how to truly support the Dalit community without talking down to them.

Masterji is the strict local school teacher who instructs Anjali and her peers. Though he maintains a harsh and demanding exterior in the classroom, he secretly supports the freedom movement. He becomes involved in efforts to educate Dalit children in the local basti outside of his regular teaching hours.

Suman is Anjali's wealthy classmate. She takes pride in her expensive, imported clothing and initially looks down on those who switch to plain, homespun cotton. She represents the resistance among the upper class to give up their luxuries for the sake of the freedom movement.

Anasuya is a Brahmin girl and one of Anjali's classmates. Her father has left their family to join the freedom movement, leaving her household in a difficult financial position. She wears plain white homespun clothing, serving as an early example for Anjali of the sacrifices required by the resistance.

Paro is a young Dalit girl living in the local basti. She collects discarded newspapers and eagerly participates in the educational lessons provided by the freedom fighters, forming a direct connection with Anjali and helping to humanize the Dalit experience for her.

Farhan is Irfaan's father and a respected member of the local Muslim community. He manages the town dairy and provides support to the village, reflecting the interconnected nature of the town's different religious groups before political tensions rise.

Jamuna is the maid employed by the Joshi family. She helps maintain the household and holds strong opinions about the religious and social differences in the community, often expressing wariness toward those outside her own group.

Nandini is the Joshi family's beloved cow. Kept in a stall on their property, she provides Anjali with a quiet, non-judgmental presence when the young girl feels overwhelmed by the sudden changes in her household.