Tilo’s mother, a South Indian Syrian Christian born into an upper-caste family. Maryam becomes pregnant with Tilo as a teenager and, because her parents forbid her from keeping the baby, gives Tilo up for adoption—only to readopt her and claim Tilo as her foster daughter. Maryam is the founder of a highly successful, progressive high school, famous for its innovative teaching methods. Still, in spite of her intellectual prowess, when she is elderly and falls sick, she becomes delirious, dictating nonsensical notes for Tilo, who visits her every day, to write down. In her delirium, Maryam becomes particularly concerned with the social caste of everyone around her—her nurses, doctors, and even her own daughter.
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Maryam Character Timeline in The Ministry of Utmost Happiness
The timeline below shows where the character Maryam appears in The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 8
Naga has never met Tilo’s mother, Maryam Ipe, although he has heard of her. A Syrian Christian from South India, Maryam founded...
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...has never been close with her mother, Naga is surprised when Tilo begins to visit Maryam every day in the office when the older woman has fallen ill. In the hospital,...
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As Maryam’s health worsens, she becomes belligerent and uncooperative with everyone, constantly planning her escape from the...
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Chapter 9
...have to navigate the same painful challenges that she has had with her own mother, Maryam, Tilo choses to abort. She does not have enough money to go to a private...
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