The Khwabgah

The Khwabgah, which in Hindi means “Dream Palace,” is the home of the hijras such as Bombay Silk and Ustad Kuloom Bi. When puberty becomes a traumatic experience for him, Aftab begins spending time at the Khwabgah. The building is described as an “ordinary broken-down home” (24) with “peeling, pale green walls” (24) and a “chipped and broken chandelier” (24). Despite its shabby appearance, the Khwabgah is a place of refuge and shelter for social outcasts and misfits like Aftab. The Khwabgah provides the hijras with security, stability, and emotional comfort if not physical comfort. Although Anjum eventually leaves the Khwabgah, she remains there for more than three decades of her life.

The Graveyard

The small graveyard to which Anjum moves after leaving the Khwabgah becomes a central location in the novel. It is located next to a government hospital and mortuary, and at the time that Anjum moves in...