Q & A

“Arrests in Dharavi are as common as pickpockets on the local train. Not a day goes by without some hapless resident being taken away to the police station.”

This early passage reveals the harsh reality of life in a slum and sets the tone for much of what’s to come. As it’s technically illegal to live in slums, anyone slum-dweller can be arrested at any time. 

“In my mind’s eye I have often visualized that scene. A tall and graceful young woman, wearing a white sari, leaves the hospital after midnight with a baby in her arms. The wind is howling. Her long black hair blows across her face, obscuring her features. Leaves rustle near her feet. Dust scatters. Lightning flashes. She walks with heavy footsteps toward the church, clutching the baby to her bosom.”

This is one of Thomas’s many recurring dreams he has of his mother, whom he never met. His imagined vision of his mother often changes according to the circumstances of his life.

“Don’t you know, Father, how strong the movement is against conversion in these parts? Several churches have been set fire to by irate mobs who were led to believe that mass conversions of Christianity were taking place there.”

This quote is from Mr. Jagdish Sharma, who is speaking to Father Timothy about Thomas’s name. Sharma believes that Thomas should have an Indian name that is representative of the culture, which is how Thomas received both a Muslim and Hindu first name. This quote represents the religious tensions present throughout modern India.