31 pages 1 hour read

Bhisham Sahni

Tamas

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1972

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Chapters 5-9Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 5 Summary

It is dawn when the singing party reaches the Imamdin’s mohalla. They begin sweeping the streets in the poor neighborhood. Some members of the party argue about the usefulness of the reconstruction work, but Bakshiji reminds them all of its purpose: they are there to try to better understand the poor, and also to show the poor that they in the higher social ranks truly wish for their well-being and improvement.

A man appears and begins speaking to a group of people watching the singing party. An old man detaches himself from the group and tells them that they must leave. He says that there is going to be trouble and that they should not be there. Suddenly, someone throws a stone at the singing party. More stones follow and they are forced to flee. As they hurry away, one of them sees a dead pig on the steps of a mosque. This is a severe insult to Muslims. Bakshiji says that they must remove the corpse. It is the only way to calm the agitation in the streets. Bakshiji and The General drag the pig off of the steps and hide it across the street behind a pile of bricks.