Love Across The Salt Desert

Q1. Is the title justified? Discuss

The title “Love across the salt desert” is appropriate. There are two
main characters in this story: First Najab and the other Fatima. Both
live in different countries. The Rann of Kutch is spread between
their villages. Fatimah was a beautiful girl. Fatimah was under
pressure to marry “Mahfouz Ali”. But Fatimah did not like Mahfouz
Ali. Her parents wanted to marry her with Mahfouz Ali. Fatimah was
attracted to a quiet, happy boy. Later they both liked one another.
Najab made illegal trips across the border with his father. Once he
stayed at the house of Fatimah’s father, Kaley Shah. In the evening,
Najab hugs Fatimah. Najab promised to come back.

Q2. Summary
The story bears its title not only because of the fact that sole and
main avenue of the entire dramatic action is the Thar or Kutch
desert, known for its salt lagoon, but also for other reasons like its
being the hottest desert in the subcontinent and as such not so easy
to cross unaided, its being devoid of water bodies; it’s being
cheered by mirages and also because of its being guarded by Pak
rangers on one side and BSF personnel from their watchtowers from
the other side. Needless to mention that “Salt” is a symbol standing
for a harsh.
Najab, a reticent and diffident budding youth from Khavda, Rann of
Kutch is captivated by the peerless and bewitching beauty of Fatima
( a clove seller’s daughter from Sindh, the Pakistani side of desert
referred to as “Hoor” and elopes with Najab. None of the lovers
spare even a moment’s thought to petty considerations like
Nationality, linguistic barrier, Parental permission, etc. They are not
even deterred by the danger of crossing the inhospitable and
dangerous desert unaided illegally.

To start with, Najab is introduced as a diffident, strangely

introverted youth with dreamy eyes notorious for blushing even at
the mere mention of a girl. Despite his being only 20 years of age,
he had trudged across the desert with his father Aftab—a smuggler
— four times and knew everything about the desert and was
confident enough of crossing the desert alone if so needed.

Fatima- a paragon of beauty, the daughter of Pakistani clove seller,

a witty old smuggler – being under pressure of marrying Mahfouz
Ali – a far off relative with extremely slurred speech, was taken by
innocent and all smiling face of the young Najab who had come to
stay at her house during his fourth illegal trip across the desert.
Having failed to elicit even a word from Najab in the morning, she
did receive a positive response from him in the evening thus brings
about a sea change in his personality.

Najab, after falling in love with Fatima, turned out to be a “Dare

Devil” as for his return to Khavda, he shipped away alone with his
camel Allahrakha determining to bring back Fatima as his mother’s
daughter-in-law. He braved all the perils and dangers during his
desert odyssey. His daring was crowned with success when he
finally stepped on to the Khavdan soil with Fatima bringing in
torrential rains which ended three years of death-dealing drought
and thus bringing relief and new lease of life to Khavdans’ who in
return welcomed Fatima with open arms as a bringer of joy to them.
Q3. Character sketch of Najab Hussain
 Fatimah plays an important role in the story ‘Love Across The Salt
Desert’. Her beauty, sincerity to love with other qualities are
defined.

Extremely Beautiful: - Fatimah is a paragon of beauty. She looks

like a fairy. She falls in love with Najab and she wants to marry him.

Innocent: - She is innocent. She is not willing to marry Mehfuz Ali

who can’t speak well.

Auspicious: - Fatimah is regarded very lucky. When she reaches

Najab’s village, it starts raining after a drought of 3 years spell. So,
she is welcomed with open arms.

Conclusion: - On the whole Fatimah’s character gives an aim to

Najab’s life. It is only due to her innocence, purity and sincerity of
love that the ‘Rann of Kutch’ has rainfall.