Guleri

Outer characterization

Guleri is one of the main characters in the short story “Stench of Kerosene” by Amrita Pritam. She is an Indian woman who is married to Manak and who lives with her husband and his parents. Guleri does not have children, which is something that worries Manak’s mother: “Manak and Guleri had been married seven years, but she had never borne a child and Manak's mother had made a secret decision: ‘I will not let it go beyond the eighth year.’ ” (p. 4, ll. 19-21)

Guleri comes from the village of Chamba and is the daughter of a “prosperous” man (p. 3, l. 17). The narrative offers glimpses of Guleri’s appearance for the harvest festival: “The girls would have new dresses made for occasion. They would have their dupattas dyed, starched and sprinkled with mica. They would buy glass bangles and silver ear-rings.” (p...