Jahar as a Symbol

This is a quick one, mainly because Jahar's a minor character.

After reading through one of my journal entries where I discuss how Aloka asserts or brings down women's roles in the book, I began to see Jahar as almost a symbolic character, whether Kirchner intended him to be one or not.

The first reason I say this is because of Jahar's intimate connection with food- when he first tries to woo over Aloka at the Korean deli, he tries to persuade by promising a home-cooked meal-as Kirchner, a cookbook author, greatly values the importance of food, and Jahar is shown to cook with his heart, food represents the soul in this context:

"'I can tell you have many important things to do. But please I'm making a good Indian meal--sukhe aloo, gughni, and  pullao rice. It'd be an honor if you joined us. I'd very much like to talk to you."

This almost ties back to Aloka's search for her own cultural identity (which her counterpart Seva seems to know plenty about.) As she assimilates into life in New York, she adopts more of their dress and their tastes (when she returns to Darjeeling, she spends most of her time drinking coffee at a cafe that reminds her of New York) until she is considered to foreign to her own homeland:

"In the next few minutes Aloka confessed how in these past several days seh'd been visiting family and friends and making excursions to all her old haunts-- Birch Hill, Observatory Hill, the zoo...but no matter where she went or whom she met, she was aware that something vital had been lost forever. People sensed the difference and treated her with a certain reserve." (256)

On the outside, as Aloka no longer dons the dress and mannerisms of her home, it seems like Aloka has been fully absorbed into American culture. However, as her relationship with Jahar proves, she does not.

Jahar is uncomfortable in upscale social activities, much like the new immigrant would not be able to understand such activities. Furthermore, by writing to Seva he seems to be trying to reach to Aloka's "inner spirit," a spirit that is deeply rooted in her childhood's culture, despite her disinterest in tea. The fact that Aloka feels more comfortable and herself around Jahar also contributes to Jahar's symbolism as her spirit or even inner self.