The Bandit Queens

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-6

Chapters 7-12

Chapters 13-18

Chapters 19-24

Chapter 25-Epilogue

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Book Club Questions

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Character Analysis

Geeta

The protagonist of The Bandit Queens, Geeta is both a strong, resourceful character and a vulnerable, isolated woman. She suffers extensive village gossip that persists in suggesting that she is a murderer and a witch (churel). However, she is also a businesswoman who supports herself via her own artistic skill. In addition, she can sometimes be an unreliable narrator, especially of her own story, and as the novel develops, it becomes clear that certain information has been kept from her, allegedly for her own happiness. Overall, though, she is a keen observer with a willingness to change. Indeed, as the story unfolds, Geeta experiences a significant transformation.

At the beginning of the book, Geeta is assumed to be “a threat [. . .] a churel who, depending on the gossiper, gobbled children, rendered women barren or men impotent” (6). This says more about the ways in which women—particularly lone women—are seen in society in general and less about Geeta in particular. Despite rumors to the contrary, Geeta has not murdered her husband, Ramesh; he has merely deserted her in favor of drinking and piling up debt. However, over the course of the novel, when Ramesh’s misdeeds are uncovered and female friendships are restored, Geeta begins to understand that she has accepted the village’s view of her even though she knows it to be false. Her shame over the abuse she endured at the hands of Ramesh, as well as her tolerance of the poor treatment meted out to her by the community at large, have kept her isolated. By unburdening herself of that shame and social ostracization, Geeta recovers her own identity and reconnects with her vast reserves of strength.

She regains that strength by reconnecting with her old friend, Saloni, and opening herself up to new (if complicated) friendships with Farah, the twins Preity and Priya, and Karem. Karem also revives her long-forgotten sexual self and helps her to regain a sense of self-confidence. She knows that her journey of rediscovery would not be possible without these connections; as the narrative states, “Saloni and Karem were modest bolt-holes in a [maelstrom] of murder and mayhem and blackmail, and Geeta sank into that refuge with relief, if not happiness. Over the years, loneliness had become a dead arm, useless and heavy” (235). She relinquishes that burdensome weight also by envisioning the exploits of the Bandit Queen, who refused to tolerate male abuse and the injustices of the status quo. In the end, Geeta has only pity for the man who once held her in thrall, and she knows she will thrive even as he fails. She will not force Ramesh into complicated and expensive divorce proceedings, thus showing him a compassion that he never demonstrated for her. She thinks of it as “a gift to him, prolonging his minor existence, allowing him to reach for the drink a bit longer, before the cirrhosis finally prevailed” (333). His stagnation therefore parallels her liberation.

Saloni

Saloni’s character starts out as the novel’s antagonist. She and Geeta experienced a falling out over Ramesh years ago, and Saloni’s cutting commentary about Geeta now reveals a bitterness borne of long-standing disagreements. However, as events unfold, it becomes clear that Saloni is more than a mere nemesis against which Geeta’s innocence can be measured. Geeta herself is revealed to be far more flawed and complex, while Saloni’s sarcasm often turns witty and her bossiness unveils a calm competence. She is also, contrary to first impressions, an incredibly loyal friend who has experienced her own set of struggles in life.

When Geeta thinks back to the early years of her friendship with Saloni, she notes the difficulties that her family faced. As the narrative reveals, “Saloni had grown up a severe brand of poor. Geeta’s family was ordinary poor: vegetables with rice or chapatis. In Saloni’s family, they rotated the days half of them wouldn’t eat, always favoring the boys” (31). This exposition details Saloni’s ruthlessness—during her teen years, Geeta recounts her constant schemes to make money—and her attachment to food. Saloni’s physical appearance often serves as a shorthand for her character; her beauty is undeniable, with green eyes that captivate men and women alike, and her surplus weight signifies both her status and her tendency to excess. Saloni often gets what she wants, stereotypically speaking, by batting her eyes and throwing her weight around.

Still, Saloni ultimately reveals herself to be not only a loyal friend but also a valuable ally. Geeta has not always been honest with herself about how the friendship ended; in truth, her obsequious attachment to Ramesh undermined her ability to trust and talk to Saloni. Saloni, too, has not been entirely honest with Geeta, keeping the secret about the dowry demanded by Ramesh’s family. Once the two begin to rebuild their friendship with honesty and respect, trust is also reestablished. As Geeta emphasizes in her final conversation with Ramesh, “I know why you tried to ruin me and Saloni, by the way. [. . .] It was the weakest I’d ever be, without her” (334). Now, both Saloni and Geeta are stronger for having rekindled their bond.

Farah

Farah is also both an antagonist and an ally to Geeta, though in an entirely different manner than Saloni. While Saloni and Geeta have a long history together, Farah is a relative newcomer to the village. Additionally, as a Muslim, she is something of an outsider in the predominantly Hindu community. She and Geeta are acquaintances only through the microloan group, and they become marginal friends, then sworn enemies, and then tentative friends once again—all through the machinations of murder. Farah asks Geeta to help her murder her abusive husband, Samir, as Farah assumed that Geeta once did to her own husband. While Farah first comes across as vulnerable and childlike, she quickly reveals a ruthless intelligence and mercurial nature that reveals her to be irrational and unreliable.

Geeta is initially taken in by Farah’s apparent vulnerability and unmasked reverence for Geeta herself. Thus, Farah’s ruse of flattery is successful, but as soon as she achieves her goal of killing her husband, she turns on Geeta, extorting money from her in exchange for her own silence as to Geeta’s part in the affair. She also makes unveiled threats about turning Geeta in to the police should Geeta fail to comply with her demands. As Farah points out, “We did this together. Get that through your head. And if we get caught, hypothetically, [. . .] you’ll go to jail longer than me. You’re a serial killer. Ramesh, remember?” (114). Now Geeta knows that “Farah was only a simpering idiot when it suited her” (115).

However, like Saloni, Farah ends up aligning herself with Geeta and the others in the end. Her loyalty resides with the women, not with the abusive and domineering men who complicate their lives. She shows up at Geeta’s house once she realizes that Ramesh has been lying about his blindness. While her arrival is inopportune—she is also restrained by the armed men—her intentions are derived from her desire to repair a fractured friendship. That is, Farah throws her lot in with the other bandit queens, redeeming her own questionable reputation—at least for the time being.

Karem

While Karem invokes nothing but contempt from Geeta at the beginning of the book—after all, he sold Ramesh the illegal liquor that fueled her husband’s abuse—he, too, like the female characters above, is rehabilitated in Geeta’s eyes once she begins to interpret events in a more favorable light. He is a widower raising four children on his own, one of whom, Raees, becomes friendly with Geeta. Karem is caring, considerate, and tolerant—even if he runs an illicit liquor shop. His esteem rises in Geeta’s eyes when he claims never to have hit his late wife or children. His attraction to Geeta, both physical and intellectual, is evident from the start.

When she first encounters Karem in the novel, Geeta has come to purchase alcohol for Farah (they plan to use it to mask the poison they will give Farah’s husband, Samir). Geeta is clearly uncomfortably buying the liquor, and she mentions the broken fingers that were the result of an altercation with a drunken Ramesh. Karem protests that he was unaware of the abuse until Ramesh’s disappearance and assures her, “I really am sorry” (46). He continues to try to make amends by offering Geeta a ride to Kohra. During the trip, he reveals that his values are similar to Geeta’s; for example, he defends women’s rights and despises the practice of dowry, and he also supports Geeta’s rather reckless actions in freeing Bada-Bhai’s dogs and rescuing Bandit.

While he is offended by Geeta’s suggestion that he is a womanizer, it is only because the suggestion is not true—and because he wants to project a positive image to Geeta. When they later meet at the Diwali party, Geeta admits, “I think I forgot that I miss talking to you” (291), paving the way for future communications. Karem, for his part, warns Geeta about Bada-Bhai’s plans and calls to deliver the lie that the police are on their way once Geeta and the other women are caught. The epilogue reassures the reader that Geeta and Karem have repaired their relationship. Karem therefore signifies Geeta’s opportune future as she seeks closure with the trauma of her past.