Sultana's Dream and Me

Feminism has been made synonymous with the total annihilation of opposite sex, so, I don't wear my feminist badge on my sleeves, publicly.

Also, I don't express my views on anything and everything, that is dished out in the name of feminism these days, in real life or social media.

My feminist thoughts, at the maximum, on the verge of an outrage, are lashed out in a few chat windows, or on my husband, but, never in public.

Begum Rokeya

However, if you Google Sultana's Dream then, everywhere it will show that the story was written by a feminist author Begum Rokeya.

The statement speaks volumes about the author, who also built schools for the education of young girls. She must have been a brave and a fierce lady in a period which was excessively regressive and counterproductive for women.

I was fascinated with  premise of the story, so I dug a bit on the internet, and I found, after reading the manuscript of Sultana's Dream, Begum Rokeya's husband said,

"Terrible revenge."

On Goodreads, not long ago, a reviewer called it, "badass."

Nine out of ten reviewers marvelled at the fact, that, this story was written in 1905, by an Indian Muslim woman, whose first language was Bangla.
 
"1905!  Fascinating," said Gabby, an internet friend whose opinion I have valued ever since I sent her a friend request on facebook.

Sultana's Dream is about a Purdahisin woman Sultana, who travels to Ladyland with another woman whom she mistakes as her friend, Sister Saira.

When she finds out that the woman is not Sister Saira, she is tensed but Sultana is soon comforted by the lady.

In the Ladyland, men are sent in Zenana or Purdah after women of the Land win war against an enemy without any help from men.

In the Ladyland, women are in charge of everything.

Ladyland is full of fearless, confident women and they are everywhere. All the errands are run by a woman.

In fact, these women, call shy Sultana, mannish. Sister Saira tells Sultana,

"They mean you are shy and timid like men."

If you put men or women away in Purdah, then being shy would be natural, irrespective of the gender.

This (Putting Away Men) seems eccentric but Ladyland is prosperous, mud free and science oriented and crimeless.

Sister Saira tells Sultana,

 "But we do not trust our zenana members with embroidery!" she said laughing, "as a man has not patience enough to pass thread through a needlehole even!"

A little further in the story, sister Saira tells Sultana about how men work,

"They dawdle away their time in smoking. Some smoke two or three cheroots during the office time. They talk much about their work, but do little. Suppose one cheroot takes half an hour to burn off, and a man smokes twelve cheroots daily; then you see, he wastes six hours every day in sheer smoking."

Today, we have put men in charge of everything- in education, in the judiciary and in government and I find it's effect in my sister's feedback about the story,

"Here we are in 2017 only, and this text is from 1905, we probably will struggle for hundred or more years."

A dream in 1905 and still a dream in 2017.

The story is whimsical as it is Sultana's dream but, is futuristic.

Begum Rokeya's Ladyland is utopian which emphasises on educating women and use of science such as Solar energy, Rain Water (including storms) harvesting and air-cars. Ladyland has Truth and Love as a religion and is war free.

Putting away men was a trope to tell, women, in fact, are equal or in many cases a better than men.

After reading the story I may have changed the glasses with which I view the world.

Being Indian

I wonder if there is more complicated subject  than this . Ever since I started writing, I wanted to write about my country and its citizens .  It has been near impossible for me to sum up the country in few words . It was lot easier when I was in school . I wrote essays and participated in elocution  which won prizes . Lines like "Anekta mein ekta hind ki vishehta" ( Unity in diversity) came easy . In one breath I could proudly take names of Mahatma Gandhi and Bhagat Singh .  As I graduated  (not maturing with age but still did get an official degree), my opinions of this were skewed . I am going to be the architect of building developed nations faded in journey of making money and I may add even name for myself !!!

 The west's  perception  of India bothers me as much our own perception of being Indian. There is something common in both's perception and something isn't common . The west sees India as an overpopulated, poor , unhygienic ,malnourished and corruption driven country . When we see our country from their eyes we agree . We do not have highways as good as built by them. We do have nearly 30% below poverty line population.  Our literacy rates are around 67% , i.e, still leaves 30 % or more illiterate . We belong to this country .  We do boast of being largest democracy and we do have people whose votes are bought for few bucks.We fight for reservation of backward class even after 63 years of independence .The list of flip side is endless.

However , India boasts to have a rich history .Our country boasts of being oldest on the map . We gave world a "zero" without which computing was impossible . It was once an export house for many products before being brought to colony of the Great Britain. We have been ancient in many ways .Our Independence marked , independence of many other countries.

We were a combination of 528 provinces before being converted into a nation of 28 states (& counting)  and 18 major languages.The famous saying is still very much applicable "Ghat ghat mein badle pani aur vani".  We are one of the most diversified country in food,language habits and culture. The nature has blessed us too , from Himalayas to Ganga .the western ghats , The seven sisters of north east,  the sunderban ,Kanyakumari, Andamaan and Nicobar islands and Anamalai. The beauty is vast and immense.

In past 150 years , we have come a very long way and continuously strive to be the best. We strive to educate people with emphasis on education of women . We critique our own cultural narrative which itself is so much multifaceted that seldom a narrative sounds false.  We have a new breed of entrepreneurs who are breaking barriers of society to create new jobs and opportunities . People are leaving jobs to go back to villages and do agriculture . We now have people returning from foreign countries who want to be active voice in creating this very nation. Today we have millions of daughters who are doctors , engineers , badminton player , actresses .

Yet we need to do much more than individual approach . We need education reforms , greater perforation of our history & literature ( as my friend says  "Dalits and woman have no history.")  Economic reforms and a greater social security for each one of the billion population. Yes it sounds chaotic and mundane too .But I'd like to be around and do my bit . Being Indian is way of life .

The Alternate View

The beauty of alternate is it keeps changing . The alternate view takes centuries & generations to change & it aims become contemporary. These views exists as a folk tale , poem, an individual thought or  a book .  Today we see alternate view more prominently , thanks to internet .  The churning of these views contemporary vs alternate keeps this very Indian culture beaming and vibrant . I was witness to such an alternate view , recently .

Shivaji Underground in Bheemnagar Mohalla is Marathi drama/skit which pushes this alternate view .  This is indeed first drama I have ever seen in theatre & It completely amazed me. The technicalities are well  handled , the use of sound, light, stage & ofcourse the music score . Everything was above par . Marathi Drama industry is truly blessed . The theater was more than 70 percent full on a rainy weekday.  The drama has already won several awards and its cast include none of the stars of Marathi cinema , it says the artist are farmers of Jalna village .

The plot -Yamraj is assigned with the responsibility of bringing Shivaji's soul & thoughts from earth . While returning with Shivaji , Yam asks him whether he brought his thoughts with him, Shivaji tells he left them on earth , he needs to get it back . Shivaji leaves his "Jeere tope"  (Cap) with Yam . Needless to say Shivaji  doesn't return reminding audience of his great escape from Agra . Yam is subsequently suspended till he brings back Shivaji & his thoughts . Fast Forwarded  today's era Yam still looking for a guy on whom tope would fit & its not the size of head he is looking for , but brain . Anyone who speaks  little sense , Yam tries to fit the Tope .

Often , Shivaji is potrayed as a king who fought Muslim . He was sent by the Gods to establish Hinduism . If you follow most of the wars fought by Shivaji , former might seem true . In National History he is often treated as disillusioned king  who wanted freedom.  My school history only devoted a paragraph  to this "regional" hero and chapter on Sinhagad Fort in hindi literature. The same education , though gave me an oppurtunity know Shivaji more through curriculum project and I knew where to head , state board syllabus . Though I did do well from others however I wish , I should have been to Central Library in Mumbai . I should have researched him bit more . So, when one of my earlier bosses called him 'mountain rats' , I did not take it to slightest of my liking , sensing my dislike for comment he said , what I meant was he kept hiding from one for to another though his Gorilla warfare saved Vietnam from America in 1970s. His addition made me wonder what this king was doing by winning these forts. Ofcourse , I am not yet an enlightened about Shivaji who now I feel is a subject in itself .

The drama is an attempt to erase lots of myth about , Shivaji -The Great Maratha King . The one among it he was "Gods own form" & his sword was gifted to him by none other than Goddess Bhavani . The truth is , his Sword was world class as it was Portugal make . He was not fighting against Muslims , He was fighting against a ruler who was notorious , a ruler who was ripping common man of wealth . The drama throws light on how his army had people from across caste & how he facilitated research in modern arms in those time . 11 of 33 bodyguards of Shivaji were Muslim . Babasaheb Ambedkar rightly called him king of "Shudras" .He was one of the most un-superstitious kings, he mostly traveled on Amavasya (Considered most Inauspicious) .The drama will tell you several stories of Maharashtra's beloved king.

The drama also tels today Shivaji is lost in political mileage gaining . The drama throws light bigotry of today's political class . Hlow even common man switches side to fill his own stomach .  The drama accuses Brahmins & Marathas . The drama says these very people opposed his "kinghood" and these people are now manipulating history & glorifying Shivaji for their personal interest . Though it is not false what drama tells , but I would say its history .  For a class to rise one should not pull down the other .  The purpose is to bring equality.

At one point of time there is question asked in drama , which book is true ? which book to follow ? who writes truthfully ? It is indeed a difficult question .The writer tries to say may be a book which appeals to you or which is not biased. If the mind is biased , how do you find a true book?

The drama is ofcourse served with humour & good music. It makes your ride easier through this complicated narrative . It does gets little loud & preachy on  2 to 3 occasions , but its over all a job well done .

Husband was little disappointed .  After having Popcorn , Samosa and tea he couldn't get his hands on Garam Wada , Sigh !!!

The Story Of Chhatrapati Shivaji's Date Of Birth

On 30th March ( Falgun Krishna Tritiya), most of Maharashtra will celebrate his Jayanti . Now why only most Maharashtra will celebrate , and others won't considering Chhatrapati is respected by everyone who is born Marathi is because some have already celebrated it on Feb 19 . 
Ajit Ranade on Feb 19 tweeted this , reproduced below:

Overheard: आज राष्ट्रवादी आणि कॉंग्रेस वाल्यांची शिवजयंती आहे. एप्रिल मध्ये शिवसेनेची येईल

which means: NCP/Congress will celebrate  Shiv Jayanti on Feb 19 , shiv sena' Jayanti will come in April  . 

In response I replied with what I knew on subject : that some Historian question Feb 19  as actual DOB of  Shivaji and in response he said Lokmanya has role in this controversy . He later put this query to Raju Lokapur who has done a lot of study on subject  and he gave us some wonderful insights on this duel date and it starts with :-

Lokamanya Tilak didn't contribute to any confusion . When he started the Shiv Jayanti Utsav in 1896 time frame in Pune, the accepted date of birth of Shivaji was  Vaishakh Shudh Dwitiya of Shaka 1549 (Prabhav Samvatsara) corresponding to Thursday, 6 April 1627 based on several "bakhars"  such as 91-Kalami, Chitnis, Pant-Pratinidhee, Shiv-Digvijay, Satarkar Chhatrapthi, Shedgaonkar, etc.

 

However, VK Rajwade was the first to come across Tanjavur sheela-lekh in 1906 that mentioned the birth date of Shivaji as Phalgun Krishna Tritiya of Shaka 1551 (Shukla Samvatsara) corresponding to Friday, 19 Feb.1630

 

Then one SM Divekar went to Tanjavur around 1918 and obtained a Tamil poem called "Shiv-Bharat" that re-iterated the new date. The other evidences were :

a) The earlier date of 1627 was taken as official as famous British historian Grant Duff borrowed it from Chitnis bakhar written in 1820's, which in turn relies heavily on Sabhasad bakhar that was written at Fort Ginjee in 1697 at the suggestion of Rajaram Maharaj; however, several references have later proved to be inaccurate, probably since the bakhar was compiled during war-time and far away from Maharashtra.

b) The janma-patrika of Shivaji found in libararies of Rajasthan royal families around 1924, that were compiled in when Shivaji met Mirza Raje Jaising multiple times during 1665. The library also has janma-patrika of other 17th century personalities such as Shahji, Sambhaji, Shah Jehan and some Mughal mansabdars, and have proven to be authentic.

(c) The references of Ramdas Swami disciples. 

(d) the movement & battles of Shahji with Mughal and Adilshahi forces, notably DaryaKhan, during 1627-32 period in & around Pune, and the killing of Lakhuji Jadavrao at the Nizamshah darbar also re-inforces that Friday, 19 Feb.1630 evening (6.10 pm) as the correct time of Shivaji's birth. 

All further research has shown the latter to be the correct date based on Jedhe Shakavali, Shri Forbes Gujarathi Sabha, as also the horoscopes found at Biyawar, Badnera, Bikaner, etc. The other references of movement of Shahji and his battles with Mughal & Adilshah forces also re-confirms the latter to be the correct date of birth.

 

Lokamanya Tilak himself acknowledged that there was some confusion about the two dates in Kesari editorials in 1916 and 1920, and emphasized that more research needed to be done. The conclusive evidence, however, came about in 1924, i.e., four years after the death of Lokamanya Tilak.

 

For a few years until 1932, the birth-day celebrations continued on both dates when Bharatiya Itihas Samshodhak Mandal of Pune accepted the 1630 as birth year of Shivaji

 

In 1966-67, Govt.of Maharashtra appointed an expert committee to conclude the debate, that confirmed 1630 as the year of birth of Shivaji

 

The lunar calender date of Phalgun Krishna Tritiya never falls on 19 Feb any more as the Protestant Church of England corrected their Gregorian calender in 1752 by dropping 10-days to correct itself and coincide with the Vatican year

 

Therefore, the natural frequency of Phalgun Krishna Tritiya shifted to 4-30 March in present day calendar (2013) that creates a confusion in the minds of most people .

I found this bit interesting & worthwhile , hence shared here :) .