Ayesha of Dash Character Analysis in The Satanic Verses

Ayesha of Dash is a young, devout woman who claims to receive divine visions from the Archangel Gibreel, leading her to convince the villagers of the town of Titlipur to undertake a pilgrimage to Mecca on foot. She becomes a messianic figure and insists that the Arabian Sea will part for them as a miracle from God.

Ayesha of Dash Quotes in The Satanic Verses

The The Satanic Verses quotes below are all either spoken by Ayesha of Dash or refer to Ayesha of Dash. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

“They are going to die,” Saeed replied.

It was too late. The villagers, whose heads could be seen bobbing about in the distance, had reached the edge of the underwater shelf. Almost all together, making no visible attempt to save themselves, they dropped beneath the water’s surface. In moments, every one of the Ayesha Pilgrims had sunk out of sight.

None of them reappeared. Not a single gasping head or thrashing arm.

Related Characters: Mirza Saeed Akhtar (speaker), Ayesha of Dash

Related Symbols: Fire and Water

Page Number and Citation: 517

Explanation and Analysis:

Ayesha of Dash Character Timeline in The Satanic Verses

The timeline below shows where the character Ayesha of Dash appears in The Satanic Verses. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...encounters an Imam residing in London. Inside the Imam’s residence, Gibreel notices a painting of Ayesha, the powerful ruler of Desh, who embodies everything the Imam opposes. Ayesha had driven the... (full context)

...all before it, is designed to incite the people of Desh to rise up against Ayesha of Desh. The Imam urges not just the rejection of Ayesha but of all modern... (full context)

...to transport them both to Jerusalem. Gibreel, with no other option, carries the Imam to Ayesha of Desh’s palace. Upon their arrival, they find the streets filled with people in revolt. (full context)

...he rushes to the girl’s aid. He carries her inside, where Mishal recognizes her as Ayesha of Desh, an orphan from the town who suffers from epilepsy. Ayesha stays with the... (full context)

This strange encounter with Ayesha of Desh stirs something in Mirza, intensifying his attraction to Mishal. He persuades her to... (full context)

However, Ayesha of Desh delivers a devastating message from the archangel: Mishal has breast cancer. A doctor... (full context)

...death, believing that her witchcraft has finally brought about his end. As Mahound dies in Ayesha’s arms, a vision of Al-Lat visits him and claims responsibility for Baal’s illness, describing it... (full context)

Srinivas sees Ayesha of Desh, the girl surrounded by butterflies, for the first time and finds her presence... (full context)

...what he views as a dangerous and foolish mission. Even as the pilgrims face hardships, Ayesha of Desh’s influence remains strong, and the group continues on as they seek to fulfill... (full context)

...and dies the next morning. Despite Mirza’s insistence that she be given a proper burial, Ayesha of Desh insists that they continue directly to the sea, so Khadija is buried by... (full context)

...locals and confrontations with the authorities. The situation escalates when a man’s steer dies, and Ayesha of Desh’s dismissive response causes him to lose his love for her, seeing her now... (full context)

...agitators, prepare to confront the pilgrims with violence. On the night before they enter Sarang, Ayesha of Desh’s butterflies vanish, and the pilgrims are left feeling vulnerable. However, the next day,... (full context)

...continues with the others toward the Arabian Sea. When the pilgrims finally reach the sea, Ayesha stands before the waves and declares that the sea will open for them if they... (full context)

Although Mirza and a few others who did not follow Ayesha of Desh try to save the villagers, they are unsuccessful. Later, some people will insist... (full context)