Welcome to the fourth discussion for our India read - A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. Today we are looking at chapters IX - What Law there is - XI - The bright Future clouded. Next Tuesday u/fixtheblue will lead the discussion for chapters XII - Trace of Destiny - XIV - Return of Solitude

Link to the schedule is here, with links to all discussions as well, and the link to the marginalia is here.

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For some background info, here are some links that you might find useful:

Partition of India

The Emergency (India) - Wikipedia

Caste system in India - Wikipedia

Punishments and torture in ancient India

Parsis

Krishna - Wikipedia

Mahatma Gandhi - Wikipedia

Thakur )

Pandit

Chamar - Wikipedia

Who Are the Brahmins in the Indian Caste System? (thoughtco.com)

Discussion questions are in the comments below but feel free to add your own!

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Chapter summary

Dina makes excuses to the export company for the Tailors absence and buys them some time. The rent collector manages to get inside Dinas apartment and finds no tailors but two sewing machines. Dina makes excuses and fends him off. At the work camp, Shankar’s boss manages to buy the tailors their freedom, but Om and Ishvar have to pay him money every month for a year. Dina and Maneck go to visit Nusswan, who lends her money.

Om and Ishvar return to Dinas apartment and she reluctantly allows them to stay with her rent free. The four of them start to enjoy living together, sharing meals and slowly getting to know each other better. The rent collector calls again, finding all four in the apartment. Dina claims Ishvar is her husband and the rent collector says he will have to make a report to the office. Om and Maneck get closer and eventually have a fight about spying on Dina in the shower. The rent collector returns to Dinas place with a bunch of thugs who trash her apartment and give her 48 hours to leave.