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Sohini
Rakha is Bakha’s younger brother and Lakha’s middle child. Though Rakha also works as a sweeper, he is less motivated than Bakha either to complete his tasks or to escape the punishing caste system; unlike Bakha, Rakha is “a true child of the outcaste colony,” appearing to be at home in the darkness and muck. Rakha and Bakha are friends, but Rakha is constantly tattling on Bakha to their father. As the narrative progresses, Bakha becomes increasingly frustrated by Rakha’s willingness to accept soggy leftovers and poor working condition, as it seems to perpetuate the stereotypes higher-caste people have about sweepers.
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Rakha Character Timeline in Untouchable
The timeline below shows where the character Rakha appears in Untouchable. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Pages 3–43
...up and immediately orders Bakha to go clean the latrines, even though Bakha’s younger brother Rakha and his younger sister Sohini are still asleep. Bakha thinks back to the morning of...
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...earth but him and the sun. Bakha realizes that Ram Charan, Chota, and his brother Rakha have all observed him talking to himself; now, they will make fun of him as...
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Pages 43–73
...day at home, he still chastises Bakha about the lack of food. Lakha hopes that Rakha will return home with better treats; as he waits, he lets his mind wander to...
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...nothing all day. Fortunately, before Lakha can eat all of the chapatis Bakha has collected, Rakha comes home. Bakha studies his little brother, with his strange face shape and his “not-there”...
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Rakha drops the food on the ground and immediately begins eating, horrifying Bakha with his refusal...
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Pages 73–105
...long, but Bakha cannot engage; he is too exhausted from the day to respond. Even Rakha joins in on the chants of “dog” and “pig,” helping to mock Bakha for wanting...
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...a moment to feel proud of his strong body and work ethic before grumbling that Rakha probably got him in trouble on purpose.
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