Saleem Sinai is born at the precise moment India gains independence from the British Empire: “the stroke of midnight” (15) on August 15, 1947. He believes the circumstances mean he was “handcuffed” (15) to the fate of his country. Now 31 years old, Saleem is worried his time is running out. He wants to share his life’s story before he dies.

To begin his story, Saleem tells the audience about his grandfather, Aadam Aziz. This part of Saleem’s family is originally from Kashmir, a disputed region on the border between modern-day India and Pakistan. In 1915, Saleem says, Kashmir is still bountiful, much as it was during the Mughal Empire. The soldiers and military vehicles have not yet arrived. One day while at prayers, Aadam hits his nose against “a frost-hardened tussock of earth” (15). He spills three drops of blood, and in response, he promises he will never bow before any man or any God ever again. As a result, a hole opens inside Aadam: He refuses to worship any deity, but he cannot completely commit himself to believing in nothing. Aadam left Kashmir to study medicine in Germany. After spending so much time in Europe, returning to Kashmir is difficult.