Explication of Rivalry in The Song of Kahunsha by Anosh Irani

Chamdi has a hating relationship with Anand Bhai. From the time Chamdi hears his name he becomes fearful and knows that Anand is the superior one who he must answer too. Chamdi is a strong willed young boy and only likes answering to himself. From day one of meeting, they do not get along and are rivals.
Anand first sees Chamdi as a boy who is strong and that he can trust. This all changes when Sumdi and Guddi decide to go against Anand’s wishes and steal money that will not be given back to him. Anand sees Chamdi now as a threat to his “work” of stealing on the streets. Later when Anand finds out what has happened he tells Chamdi “You have to Pay” (Irani 245) “ You lied to me, so hold your tongue and slice it off’’ (245). Anand feels that the only way to remind Chamdi again that he is superior is to have him frightened and causes him pain by slicing his tongue.
Part of the rivalry comes from the boys’ style of living before they both ended up doing street work. Chamdi coming from an orphanage assumed that he did not have to “earn” his living and that he was always given food when he asked or was hungry. Anand had grown up having to steal to earn his food and his family’s home. After this hard work he figured that he shouldn’t have to work anymore and that if the street people wanted to beg on his street they would have to pay up to him. When Chamdi came to the streets of Bombay he thought that this was unreasonable paying for risking your life begging while Anand just sat at home with his whores.
Chamdi doesn’t like what Anand does to these girls at his house. He feels that they should be as free as they want. Not under any entrapment or force to have sex with Anand.