Hassaan Obikwa and Raheem, Kishan Mango Kharre and Rukhmabai Kharre - Characters, Shantaram | Shantaram - Summary, Themes and Characters - Novels PDF Download

Hassaan Obikwa and Raheem

The rich Nigerian, Hassaan Obikwa, specializes in disappearing corpses, which actually comes in handy when Lin and Abdullah need to move Maurizio's body. He owes Lin a favor after having his life saved by our dear Aussie, and turns out to be good to his word.

His driver, Raheem, is not so rich, but also Nigerian. Unfortunately, he ends up in jail around the same time as Lin and is the victim of some sick torture that twists and breaks his gigantic, strong arms. Luckily, since he and Lin are now in the business of doing each other favors, Lin gets him out at the same time that he himself is released.

Kishan Mango Kharre and Rukhmabai Kharre

We don't know about you, but we're ready to get away from the city and its shady characters. Luckily, out in the country, there are some real nice folks ready to show some Indian hospitality. There's Kishan Mango Kharre, Prabaker's father:

[He] was a tiny man, shorter even than Prabaker, with very close-cropped grey hair, a short, grey moustache, and a prominent paunch on his otherwise slender frame. He wore the white cap, cotton kurtah shirt, and dhoti of the farmer caste. (1.5.181)

His smallness might reveal the poverty he lives in, while the paunch shows his age. Even his clothing is like a uniform, giving away his profession and social class.

Prabaker's mother, Rukhmabai, "had a ready wit, and a deep sympathy for the distress of others. She stood aloof from disputes between her neighbours until she was asked to give her opinion, and then hers was usually the last word. She was a woman to admire and to desire, but the message in her eye and her bearing was unmistakable: offend or disesteem her at your peril" (1.6.2). She's Lin's favorite lady (after Karla, of course), and the one who names him Shantaram.