Click here for the Reading Group Guide - The questions are also listed below. If you’d like Nigar to join your Book Club, please submit the form on the Contact page to set up a virtual or in-person visit!
In Under the Tamarind Tree, Nigar Alam sheds a light on the horrors of Partition and the weight of its aftermath on four childhood friends. What did you know about Partition coming into your read? What did you learn after finishing this story? Was there anything in particular you were surprised or even shocked to discover?
Rozeena, Haaris, Aalya, and Zohair have a complicated friendship that becomes strained as they mature into adulthood. Do you think they are good friends to one another? Why or why not? What do you think is the most important quality of a good friend, and do you think these characters possess that trait?
What was your favorite scene in the novel, and why?
Rozeena is initially skeptical of Zara and the circumstances that led to their arrangement when she takes her on as a maali, but as Rozeena gets to know her, their relationship grows into something unexpected. What do you think Zara learns from Rozeena during their time together, and vice versa? What makes their friendship so special? Do you ultimately think it was good that they crossed paths, forcing them to confront their demons in the process?
Discuss the impact of familial expectation on Rozeena, Haaris, Aalya, and Zohair. How do you think this pressure informed their decisions and shaped them into the people they became? Was there one character in particular you related to or empathized with? If so, who and why?
The setting and atmosphere of Karachi is such an important part of this read—so much so that it almost feels like another character. Of all the Karachi locations referenced in Under the Tamarind Tree, which place would you especially want to visit and see firsthand, and why?
Do you think the incident that occurred the night of the Welcome Home Ball could have been prevented? If so, how? Do you agree with how each of the four friends handled the aftermath of the event? How do you think you would have reacted in that situation if you were Rozeena, Aalya, Haaris, or Zohair?
Do you think Rozeena did the right thing for Mansur by keeping her secret from him? Why or why not? What would you have done in her situation?
Discuss the different romantic relationships in Under the Tamarind Tree. What aspects did you like, or not like, about them, and how did they shape events that took place throughout the novel? In particular, why do you think Rozeena and Haaris are drawn to each other, and what makes their love unique?
Why do you think the phrase “Log kya kahenge?” (or “What would people say?”) has so much power over these characters? What was the significance of class and social status in 1960s Karachi, and how did it shape each of these characters’ lives and inform their futures?
Were you surprised by the ending?