1. Chamdi develops a unique worldview while growing up in the
orphanage: e.g., colours have power; thinking makes things
possible; real prayer means sending a bright thought, like
Thank you or I love you, to heaven…Do you share
any of Chamdi's beliefs? Did any of his ideas change the way you
see the world?
2. Chamdi has never met his mother. Sumdi and Guddi's mother is
catatonic. All three children have nothing left of their fathers
but bloodstains. Anand Bhai, on the other hand, has kind and loving
parents. Discuss the role of parents in The Song of
Kahunsha.
3. Twice in the story Chamdi is forced to choose between two
equally dark outcomes: to become a thief or allow Amma and her
infant to starve; to throw a fire bomb into an innocent family's
house or allow Guddi to be sold to older men. In these moments,
does Chamdi have free will? Has he completely lost his innocence by
the end of the novel?
4. "So he made up his mind to achieve something so wonderful
that if he were to tell anyone his life story, it would take days
to tell, even weeks, and the ending would be a happy one…" Why do
you think the author chose to leave the ending of the novel open?
Do you think Chamdi will find happiness or will he be suspended
forever in a world of poverty and homelessness?
5. The novel is suffused with the sights, sounds, smells and
textures of Bombay. Of the many rich sensory details in the novel -
both fair and foul - which affected you the most?
6. Anosh Irani has described Bombay as a great teacher and a
muse. How does the Bombay depicted in The Song of
Kahunsha compare with the view you have of the city
through other books, films, or your own travels?
7. Despite its dark subject matter, the novel contains moments
of levity. How do the street children use humour to help them cope?
How would you describe Sumdi's particular brand of humour?
8. As an orphan of unknown parentage, Chamdi belongs to no
religious community yet he is sucked into sectarian violence.
Discuss the Bombay riots of 1993 as depicted in the novel.
9. "Chamdi cannot understand how Anand Bhai can smile at a time
like this." Have you ever encountered a character as evil as Anand
Bhai in your readings?
10. Many of the characters in the novel - including Amma and
Dabba - are based on people the author saw in Bombay. Does this
realization affect your reading the novel? Have you ever been
haunted by the sight of a complete stranger?
11. The novel is written in the third person, present tense,
from the perspective of its hero in language that has been
described as simple and unadorned. Does this voice suit the subject
matter? Why or why not? How would the novel be different if, for
instance, it were written in the first person?
12. The novel takes place over a five-day period of rioting.
What impact does this time span have on the story's pacing? What
function dramatic does the prologue serve?
13. Chamdi uses language and imagination to overcome obstacles;
Samdi uses his wits and humour; Guddi uses song. Discuss the ways
in which the street kids manage not only to survive but also to
experience moments of grace and happiness despite their dire
circumstances.
14. Most of Irani's characters have experienced loss of some
sort - whether of their loved ones, their limbs, their eyesight, or
even their sanity. How does loss impact the characters in
The Song of Kahunsha?
15. Dabba wants only to live in peace for the remainder of his
life. How do you think a limbless and impoverished man might find
peace?
16. Does Chamdi still believe in Kahunsha by the end of the
novel? Is there something in your own life that plays a role akin
to Kahunsha?