- Symbolism of the Title– The title “Twilight in Delhi” is significant and symbolical representation of degeneration of Muslim culture in India. The “Twilight” is suggestive of the diminishing darkness and the coming of the daylight. It is in between space and the title of the novel gives insight into the dying culture and the coming of the new culture including modernity, westernization . This in turn gives the hybrid form of culture in the novel where the characters adopt hybrid cultural representation and does not adhere to traditional norms.
2. Pigeon and Kite Flying – The representation of Pigeon and Kite flying is a symbolical representation of native culture. It also represents a connection to one’s cultural roots and traditions. The novelists have depicted that Mr. Nihal has given up on such activities which reflects his detachment from his roots. The various names of the Kite and the pigeon reflects the diversity of the culture of Delhi but when the characters shows their detachment from its roots, then it reflects the rootlessness and meaningless of their own existence.
3. The Cat Episode – The Cat episode is another significant symbol in the novel. When the cat approaches the pigeon of Mr. Nihal and clutches his paws against the skin and feather of the pigeon is a reflection of British imperialism and colonialism. The cat is a symbolical representation of British as an intruder as well as the pigeon is the symbol of Muslims or India as a whole. The entire episode gives a symbolical representation of British colonial power over the Muslims and Delhi communities.
4. Mehro’s Marriage – Mehro’s marriage is symbolical of societal evils and patriarchy which is against sexual repression. She was married to a crippled person who actually colonized her into her own house. Mehro becomes a symbol of colonized woman who is sexually repressed and bounded by the walls of the patriarchal norms in the society. The novelists is clearly showing the societal evils and practices that demeans the woman’s sexuality and prejudices of patriarchal mindset.
5. The Practice of Alchemy and Faqirs– The parctice of alchemy and beliefs in Faqirs is one of the traditional aspects in India. The novelist is drawing an attention by inputting the culture of India to write back against the British Empire who believed that these practices shows the uncivilized nature of Indian society. The novelists shows the characters such as Kambal Shah, Mir Sangi , Molvi Dulhan and others pointed out the historical documents of such practices originating from the times of sufism and spiritualism that dismantles the British notion about such practices.
6. Literature – The depiction of poets and poetry in the novel is a symbolical representation of past civilization of India. The reason for such a depiction is that the writer is drawing attention to the readers the diminishing native poets and poetry. The novelists also portray the poet Bahadur Shah and the poem of Mir Ghalib Zauq stirs the soul of native civilization and spirit of old India before colonization in the novel. The literary inputs in the novel adds a vitality of cultural clashes and writes back against the Empire showing that India has rich cultural tradition of poets and poetry.
7. The Paralysis of Mir Nihal– The paralysis of Mir. NIhal is a symbolical representation of diminishing old cultural values and traditions. He attends the coronation of King George from Jamia Masjid and the very place evokes the place where many Indian fighters died in 1857 mutiny. It clearly reflects the mindset of the colonial rulers who are glorifying themselves through massacring a large number of Indian people as well as evoke a sense of identity where people have lost their own history or past glory.
