Translated by: M Asauddin
Publisher: Penguin Books
Pages: 281
To readers, Ismat Chughtai was an eminent Urdu writer. Her bold protagonists stood out from the ordinary, her outspoken approach jolted regressive minds and her rebellious themes raised many eyebrows. Her strong feminist ideology, blunt and deliberate, made her one of the most controversial and successful writers of her time. 'A Life in Words: Memoir' (Kaghazi Hai Pairahan) is Ismat Chughtai speaking to us in defence of 'Lihaaf', her controversial short story, and to an extent, justifying her disposition of being a rebel in a then orthodox society.
In an effortless translation by M Asauddin, 'A Life in Words: Memoir' allows a welcome glimpse into the tales of Ismat Chughtai's life. Yes, tales! For the memoir is not a chronicle, and hence must be read keeping her characteristic jagged nature in mind. It is almost as if she was fondly reminiscing the episodes and penning it down simultaneously so as to ensure she doesn't miss any detail. The fragmented narrative is therefore bereft of coherence in most places but the fascinating stories make up for it, almost obliging a smile out of the reader at her sporadic commentary.
'Lihaaf', Lahore and obscenity
Those were the days when words like "chest" and "lover" were considered obscene; more so if women chose to voice them. Ismat Chughtai was summoned to Lahore two years after 'Lihaaf' was published. The news that was intended to cause panic was welcomed with glee and preparations for a winter holiday in Lahore began. Good friend Saadat Hasan Manto was her partner in crime (Manto had been summoned for writing the fiercely controversial short story 'Bu') and accompanied them to enjoy "fried fish and whisky"..."in the salubrious climate of Lahore".
Two pillars of support
Ismat was born into an upper middle class family yet no one could take away the stringent mindset that trickled down with conventions. While other girls were raised to gain perfection at sewing, cooking and other homely chores, Ismat was more than happy to embrace books, much to the dislike of her mother. "She hurled her shoe at me but missed me," she writes, and as a reader we cannot help but be amazed at her adamant defiance towards her mother's countless taunts. Perhaps the only rebel in the pack of ten brothers and sisters, her only two pillars of familial support were her father, and Munne Bhai (Azim Beg Chughtai). The decision to continue her studies at Aligarh's mission school seems a colossal battle at first and she even threatens to run away from home. But Abba Mian offers a supportive conclusion, completely in her favour. Elder brother Munne Bhai is no less encouraging. He is aware how much Ismat detests the burqa. During their visit to Agra where all women were required to veil their faces, he devises a plan that hides her burqa away inside a pile of mattresses. Munne Bhai is therefore her companion in all mischief.
Ismat Chughtai, a 'woman' above all
She was an iconoclast, an educationist, and an icon of women's empowerment. But above everything else, she was a woman. She understood the complexities of a woman's mind, their inhibitions, and also their secret desires. So when Bachchu Phupi (her father's elder sister) bares her heart's anguish to her, she knows that somewhere beneath the guise of an obstinate young girl, there's a woman who'll understand why she got her daughter married to a peon. When Manager Sahib requests her to let her two daughters stay with her, she agrees at once because education for girls was her prime objective.
Ismat is generous in her style of storytelling but she's careful too. She gives a deliberate miss to her life as wife to Shaheed Latif and mother to Seema. She is oblivious to religious demarcations too. To her, the idol of Lord Krishna is a real child that she lovingly embraces, thus blurring the lines dividing Hinduism and Islam. Wary of a prospective royal wedding with Jawra's prince, a future that most women would die for, she runs away escaping her dreams of spitting (chewed betel leaf) in a 'golden spittoon'.
Ismat Chughtai's autobiography, 'A Life in Words: Memoir' brings the temperamental writer alive. For those who've read her stories, the book immortalises the woman that Ismat Chughtai was. And for those who haven't, they must pick it up for they shall not regret knowing her.
arunima.mazumdar@indiatimes.co.in
If you like the book and wish to buy your own copy, click here
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Ismat Chughtai, a 'woman' above all
Dengan url
http://masalahurat.blogspot.com/2013/08/ismat-chughtai-woman-above-all.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Ismat Chughtai, a 'woman' above all
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Ismat Chughtai, a 'woman' above all
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar