promised would not ever do, that is bending on her foe’s daughter to ask Firdaus to marry her son.
Desperation born out of love for her, made Kaniz part with the last ounce of her pride and she did now what she thought she would
never do in her wildest nightmare Qaisra: 226.
Besides, she is also a woman having high taste, is full of responsible, and is perfectionist. She handles all her household by herself.
…….a very truly person and obsessively proud of her home. Mistress Kaniz would definitely be ritually fingering and
inspecting all the window and all the surfaces for dust before she went to sleep. It was a task she always meticulously performed
whenever she returned from a journey away from home- no matter achingly tired he was Qaisra: 15
6. Fatima
Fatima is a character who links the two plots narrated in this novel; the plot of Zarri Bano’s family and the plot of Kaniz’s hatred. She is Kaniz’s foe and,
at the same time, is the servant in Shahzada’s house. Socially, Fatima is characterised as a woman who has one handicap husband, Fiaz, and four children.
She lives separated from her family. She lives in Sindh with Shahzada’s family while her family live in village, Chiragpur.
As a person from village, she is an adherent of black magic, Kala Jadoo. Moreover, she is a nice and faithful wife. She handed responsibility of her family
when her husband got an accident and finally became a handicap. To fulfill her family’s need and her children’s education she became a servant in Shahzada’s
house, ignoring her pride. Fatima had swallowed her pride and approached the big house for
work. Employed immediately, she he;ped Siraj Din’s eldest daughter- in- law, Shahzada, to bring up her three young children
as well as lending a hand in running the large family home…Qaisra: 66.
Though Fatima is from lower class and from village, she does appreciate education. She believes that children, especially women, need education. She
works hard to fulfill her daughter’s education. She does not want her daughters to be jailed in home as wives because of their illiterration.
Fatima loves her daughters and, as other parents, she looks for the best rishtas for her daughters. She has a dream to marry Firdaus to Khawar. Therefore,
she works so hard that she could get money to pay for Firdaus’ dowry. “I have only worked, Fiaz Sahib, because I want to give Firdaus a
grand dowry. I don’t want her to pay from her own pocket- my pride will not let me do that Qaisra: 67.”
However, her nice dream does not make her ignore her role as servant. She is a faithful servant. Even she gets oppression from Kaniz; she keeps being an
obedient servant who respects her supervisor. The plate of food in Kaniz’s hand shook and fell with a crash on
the concrete floor. Turning back, Fatima quickly and neatly whisked away the debris from around Kaniz’s feet.
“Chaudarani Kaniz, would you like me to fill your plate again?” She asked politely, while squatting on the ground.
“No thank you I want nothing at all from you” Still livid, Kaniz whispered her insult loudly enough… Qaisra: 37.
In addition, her dreams also do not make her ignore her daughter’s or Khawar’s happiness- her foe’s son. She even advised Khawar to go back home
when he was running away from home because of his love toward Firdaus. Her daughter’s happiness and welfare meant more than her own
foolish dream of seeing Firdaus as the Headmistress of the school and future Chaudarani of the village…
“But all I want to say to you, Khawar, is to return to your mother. I don’t want you to be seen to be stranged from her on her our
account…If you have any respect for me, I hope to see you back in your family home in Chiragpur with your mother within next few
days Qaisra: 176.
7. Firdaus
Firdaus is the eldest daughter of Fatima. She lives separated from her family. She studied in an illustrious teaching college and then also works as a
headmistress in village and later as the Vice Principal of a school in Karachi. As a daughter of a servant who lives separated from her mother, Firdaus
child had to be adult and loyal earlier. She took the responsibilities in looking after her handicap father, her younger sisters and brother and handling all
household’s needs when her mother was working in Sindh for Zarri’s family. …..twelve years old Firdaus took on her small shoulders the full
responsibility of running the household, looking after her sick father and her two younger sisters and brother Sarfaraz Qaisra:
66.
Firdaus loves Khawar. However, she has high pride which later makes she refute her love to Khawar. Her pride does not allow Khawar’s mother to affront
her family and she, therefore, she repudiates marrying Khawar even though her mother tries to arrange her marriage to Khawar through matchmaker’s good
offices. “I tell you now, mother, even if that proud woman were to come
begging on her knees, I would not step one foot into that household. Don’t we have any pride or aren’t we entitled to any
mother? Qaisra: 70.”
Later, when Kaniz comes and bends on her knees, for her pride, Firdaus rebuffs her and sends her away. However, she also changes as she knows that she
has hurt Kaniz. She, as what Kaniz did, bends on her knees to ask apology from Kaniz.
It was then a strange thing happened. Firdaus forgot her own pride. She forgot herself. She even forgot Khawar- and only saw the
lonely suffering woman, and remembered Khawar’s words that his mother had tried to take her own life as a result of that unfortunate
episode….on an impulse, she flew to Kaniz’s side. Squatting on the floor in front of the older woman, she placed her head in Kaniz’s
leap Qaisra: 280.
Based on that citation, readers can see that Firdaus for a moment could ignore her pride and esteem elder, however, it does not signify that she loses her
pride. She is still a proud woman and keeping her principle. Even though Kaniz had proposed her, as the marriage arrangement procedure in usual, she, for her
pride, favours Khawar proposing her by himself. She pretends that she wants to marry not only for parents’ sake but also for theirs.
“Don’t forget to mention that without Khawar’s personal proposal, I’ll not be able to marry him, she sadi firmly. In your own feverish
delight, don’t forget my pride Qaisra: 289.”
Physically, Firdaus is described as a woman who is not too beautiful and not too tall as Zarri is. She has brown skin, long hair and there is certain elegance
and an aura of feminity about a woman with a plait hanging down gracefully behind her shoulder Qaisra: 276. In addition, she also has high taste on
decoration. She decorates her office in Karachi tastefully which Kaniz is impressed with.
8. Khawar
Khawar is the son of Chaudarani Kaniz. As the only son, he grows as a young landlord in Chiragpur and inherits all of his mother’s wealth. Being a
young landlord, he becomes an important person in the village as well as in school committee.
