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Mr. Pandey
Kanta’s saas, or mother-in-law, is one of the most traditional characters in the novel. Though her son Manu has chosen a more modern life, even entering into a love marriage (as opposed to an arranged one) with Kanta, Kanta’s saas frequently emphasizes the importance of old Hindu customs. Kanta’s saas is desperate for her daughter-in-law to have a baby boy, and the resulting pressure adds to Kanta’s anxiety about her fertility.
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Kanta’s Saas Character Timeline in The Henna Artist
The timeline below shows where the character Kanta’s Saas appears in The Henna Artist. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 4
...is the Director of Facilities for the palace). Before she can take in more, though, Kanta’s saas runs in, harping on Lakshmi to help Kanta conceive a baby boy. Kanta and Manu...
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Chapter 7
...Radha learns that Kanta is pregnant, much to her happiness (and to the delight of Kanta’s saas ). Kanta now is too nauseous to read, which makes Radha more essential than ever....
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Chapter 10
...over baby prep and their mutual frustration with Baju, their mustachioed servant. When Lakshmi arrives, Kanta’s saas is recommending rose milk for the baby’s cheeks and cool temperatures so that the baby...
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Kanta’s saas is horrified that all the girls at school are so Westernized, but Kanta wants to...
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Chapter 16
...nothing but think about baby trinkets. Both women have taken to drinking rose milk, as Kanta’s saas used to push.
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