A “more modern” Hijra who lives with Anjum at the Khwabgah, Saeeda is young Zainab’s second favorite. Anjum—jealous of her both for Zainab’s affection and because Saeeda, with her modern terminology, has stolen Anjum’s spotlight in the media—believes that Saeeda has cursed Zainab when she suffers a bout of ill health. Once Anjum leaves the Khwabgah, Saeeda raises Zainab on her own.
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Saeeda Character Timeline in The Ministry of Utmost Happiness
The timeline below shows where the character Saeeda appears in The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
...viral fever. Worried, Anjum wonders if someone has put a hex on Zainab. She suspects Saeeda, a younger Hijra who is more modern than Anjum, who uses words like “transperson” and...
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In addition to possibly hexing Zainab, Saeeda has also stolen Anjum’s spot as the most famous Hijra in Delhi. Her modern image...
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...crashed into tall buildings in a city called New York. Anjum suspects that the hex Saeeda has put on Zainab has made the whole world sick, but she is the only...
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Worried, Saeeda suggests that they keep the news on at the Khwabgah to see if they can...
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...the women of the Khwabgah. She is particularly unhappy that Zainab has begun to call Saeeda “Mummy” as well.
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...not understand that Anjum may be traumatized from what she experienced at the refugee camp, Saeeda doesn’t mention that Anjum was present in Gujarat, but does tell the doctor about Anjum’s...
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...collected over the years, scaring Zainab so much that she moves all her things to Saeeda’s room. Heartbroken, Anjum packs a few of her things—her cupboard, two suits, and a pair...
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...Baghdad. When he visits, he brings her a cell phone, which she doesn’t use. Eventually, Saeeda brings Zainab a few times, Ustad Kulsoom Bi visits and gives Anjum an allowance from...
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...graveyard into a real house, painting the walls fuchsia and even building a little kitchen. Saeeda and Zainab begin to visit again, and although Anjum is devastated at the permanent wound...
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Chapter 10
...wants to take the entire family on a surprise outing. So he, Anjum, Tilo, Nimmo, Saeeda, Zainab, and Miss Jebeen the Second all set out together and head to a wealthy...
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