Nur is compared to a divine figure by Deven, showing not only his admiration but also how he idolises Nur.Chandni Chowk is certainly an undignified place for such a great poet like Nur. He is at first disappointed as he never expected such a noble poet like Nur to stay in a filthy, noisy and polluted area such as Chandni Chowk. He feels lost in this bazarre which he compares to a nightmare. Deven has reached Chandni Chowk and is on his way to meet Nur, “the superior being”.It announces the start of a long list of disappointments for Deven. However, on reaching Delhi, he is packed with disappointments: Murad has been lying to him and Nur, the great poet, lives in Chandni Chowk Bazaar, a far from respectable area for a poet. For Deven, Delhi stands as a place of hope and opportunities.He questions himself on his satin shirt and whether he is ready to meet Nur, showing thus his low confidence level. The bus trip to Delhi is an escape from limitations and “debris”. Mirpore contributes a lot to Deven feeling trapped and prisoned.Desai draws the picture of a town in the aftermath of partition in India. The small town is divided into two parts: the Muslim area and the Hindu area. It is pictured as an unhygienic and polluted place. Mirpore is presented as “a cruel trap”, ” a prison”.It is a highly symbolical trip as it captures Deven’s psychological voyage as he escapes from “the prison”. The second chapter focuses on the trip of Deven from Mirpore to Delhi.Urdu language was “his first language” and “his first love”.He feels that he is someone invisible and unimportant in Mirpore. Deven questions himself on the purpose of his existence. Deven: “ lie low and remain invisible”–Introducing the theme of Existentialism.It also arouses admiration for him as he is a self-made person. This inevitably makes him a symbol of sacrifice. While Murad was born rich, Deven has been struggling in his life. “ the spoilt rich boy with money in his pocket” v/s “ the poor widow’s son” – These quotes clearly show the contrasting worlds from which Murad and Deven are from.“a two-cigarette man” – To show how he is leading a life filled with restrictions and surprisingly most of the limitations are imposed on him by his wife, Sarla.Murad’s proposal to Deven to interview the great Poet Nur, comes as a source of escape for Deven.Deven feels ‘low’ and ‘invisible’ and he feels inferior to Murad.Murad makes derogatory remarks and reminds Deven of how restrictive Mirpore is.He uses his wealth and the fact that he comes from a major town, Delhi, to manipulate Deven. Murad, the childhood friend of Deven, is presented as a manipulative and chameleon-like character.Deven, the main character, is taken back by the unexpected visit of his childhood friend, Murad.Chapter by Chapter Summary & Analysis Chapter 1
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