Amil and the After: Chapters 1–7

by Veera Hiranandani
This companion novel to The Night Diary focuses on twelve-year-old Amil Vaswani, who is encouraged by his twin sister Nisha to use a sketchbook to draw out his feelings about their new life in 1948 Bombay.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–7, Chapters 8–16, Chapters 17–27
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. partition
    separate or apportion into sections
    That’s when India became free from British rule, partitioned into two countries, and Pakistan was born.
  2. communal
    for or by a group rather than individuals
    Amil saw headlines in Papa’s newspaper and heard reports on All India Radio when Kazi and Dadi listened about people still fleeing over the border and communal riots continuing to happen.
  3. barrack
    a building or group of buildings to house military personnel
    Papa said there were many refugee camps now for the people who had left Pakistan and didn’t have anywhere to live. Amil had seen the one not too far from their flat in the old military barracks close to Cuffe Parade.
  4. convert
    change religious beliefs, or adopt a religious belief
    He still didn’t understand why India had to become two countries. It had only turned everyone against one another, especially Muslims and Hindus. He wondered what they would have done if Mama had been alive. Would they have stayed, Papa converting to Islam to be like Mama?
  5. queasy
    causing or fraught with or showing anxiety
    The thought made Amil feel a little queasy. He shook it away as he and Nisha put their schoolbags down.
  6. tolerance
    willingness to respect the beliefs or practices of others
    “Don’t be so picky,” she said in a low voice. She had no tolerance for him not liking certain foods.
  7. curry
    a South Asian dish flavored with a spice mixture
    Then he mixed the rice and aloo gobi together and stuffed a pinch into his mouth. Papa stared at him, then eyed the paratha, so he used a little corner of it to scoop up more of the curry.
  8. tend
    have a disposition to do or be something; be inclined
    Kazi tended to keep more to himself lately.
  9. confine
    restrict or limit
    Everyone in the camp had a normal life just six months ago in Pakistan. Now they were confined to these tiny spaces, almost like prisoners.
  10. kurta
    a loose collarless shirt common in parts of South Asia
    He wore a white shirt belted into brown pants, not a kurta like Papa.
  11. frantically
    in an uncontrolled manner
    He waved frantically at them, wearing the same wide smile that Dadi had.
  12. practically
    almost; nearly
    Amil stood solidly on his feet, bracing himself for a possible hug, wondering if Papa would want him to touch Ashok’s feet, but Ashok leaned in and practically lifted him off the ground with a hug.
  13. hunch
    round one's back by bending forward
    Her eyes looked like they wanted to answer, but her shoulders hunched and her mouth tightened.
  14. foyer
    a large entrance or reception room or area
    “Let’s go inside, shall we?” Ashok asked, and before anyone could answer, he headed toward the front door of the building. They followed him into the small foyer and down a narrow corridor.
  15. lurch
    move abruptly
    Ashok pressed a button on the wall, and the box lurched.
  16. chutney
    a spicy relish usually made with fruit, vinegar, and spices
    Then the woman returned a few minutes later with another tray of pakoras, kebabs, and a dish of green chutney in the middle.
  17. hearty
    providing abundant nourishment
    He bit into a kebab, savoring the hearty taste of lamb, onion, and coriander.
  18. veranda
    a porch along the outside of a building
    In Mirpur Khas they had a large veranda extending from the front door. This balcony barely had enough room for two, but it was still nice to look out and watch the street.
  19. inquisitive
    showing curiosity
    She glanced at them, an inquisitive look in her eyes.
  20. deprive
    keep from having, keeping, or obtaining
    “They shouldn’t be deprived of an outing,” she said, clasping her hands on her lap definitively.
  21. fleck
    a small contrasting part of something
    Then Shreya took out a last one, a new stone, flat and pinkish, with flecks of gold that sparkled in the sun.
  22. tiffin
    a midday meal
    Then, during their break, a boy came over to Amil and sat next to him on the bench in the courtyard as Amil took out his tiffin. Many kids ate lunch at home after school, but Amil got hungry during the school day and liked to eat earlier.
  23. masala
    a dish made with a blend of spices used in Indian cooking
    Kazi had put in all his favorites—rajma masala, roti, raita, and mango pickle.
  24. tangy
    having a strong tart, sour, or piquant taste
    He always ate a bite of pickle first. He liked to feel the tangy heat on his tongue.
  25. roti
    flat pancake-like bread cooked on a griddle
    Then the boy unwrapped some roti and chewed on it slowly.
  26. unravel
    become undone
    When things were wrong between him and Nisha, the world started to unravel in a way that scared him.
  27. mosque
    a Muslim place of worship that usually has a minaret
    They passed by some grand-looking mosques and temples.
  28. conjure
    summon into action or bring into existence
    He couldn’t believe that ordinary people had actually built it and it wasn’t conjured up by some magical force.
  29. wistful
    showing pensive sadness
    Papa watched them too. Amil wondered if he was thinking the same thing as Amil was, that they had never flown a kite together. Papa’s face didn’t seem wistful, though.
  30. dal
    an Indian stew made of simmered lentils or other legumes
    He pushed some dal and rice Vishal’s way.
  31. delicate
    exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing
    He was a little shorter and skinnier than Amil, his face delicate, with small, pointed features.
  32. survey
    look over carefully or inspect
    Amil swiftly tiptoed past the kitchen into Papa’s small room and surveyed Papa’s simple wooden desk. A leather-trimmed blotter covered the top. A black fountain pen stood in its special brass holder, and the ink bottle sat right next to it on the edge of the desk.
  33. tarnish
    make or become dirty or dull, as by exposure to air
    Papa also kept a small antique fighting knife in a leather case, a metal comb, and a tarnished silver money clip that had been his father’s, Amil’s grandfather, who Amil had never met.
  34. spare
    save or relieve from an experience or action
    When Papa got home, Dadi, who had gotten up from her nap, immediately told him what had happened, sparing Kazi having to explain.
  35. pumice
    a porous rock formed on the surface of some lavas
    Amil went to the washroom and used the pumice stone that Kazi kept in there for getting the smell of garlic off his hands, and scrubbed and scrubbed until his hands were raw.
Created on Tue Aug 27 09:33:03 EDT 2024 (updated Tue Aug 27 14:28:23 EDT 2024)

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