English Studies International Research Journal Volume 1 Issue 1 (2013) ISSN 2347-3479

BREAKING FREE: A STUDY OF SELECT SHORT STORIES OF ISMAT CHUGHTAI

TEJASWANI KADAVAKOLLU

Abstract: The present article deals with a fiery Urdu woman writer, Ismat Chughtai’s select short stories.
Ismat Chughtai was the first Muslim woman to earn a B. A. Degree and B. Ed. Degree. A very outspoken and
liberal woman writer, Chughtai, was in fact a pioneer of Urdu women writers. Through her writings, Chughtai,
brought out the abuse and neglect of women from behind the facade of beauty and coyness. Her writings
focused on the much needed importance that should be offered to the emotional and psychological needs of a
growing-up girl. She also included in her narratives that part of the humanity, i.e. the elderly, which is
abandoned by the society and deserted by their own children. Chughtai, who started her writing career when
the fight for independence was at its peak, also brings out another important aspect of independent India to
the fore; the plight of common people at the time of Partition of India.
The objective of this article is to bring out the significance of the writings of Ismat Chughtai not only as a Urdu
woman writer but also as a feminist.

Key Words: Muslim feminists, Partition stories, Urdu women writers, Urdu short stories.

Ismat Chughtai (1915 - 1991) was an eminent Urdu Shahid Ahmad Dehlavi. She was severely censured
writer born in Badayun, Uttar Pradesh and grew up in by her husband and in-laws. Many orthodox people
Jodhpur. She was the ninth of ten children. Her turned against her and she received a vast amount of
elder brother Mirza Azim Beg Chughtai who was her hate mail. She admits that contemporary writer and
mentor was a famous writer and satirist. She was the her friend, Sadat Hasan Manto was the only person
first Muslim woman to earn a B. A. Degree and B. Ed who stood by her in these trying times (Lifting the
degree. Chughtai was a contemporary of Sadat Hasan Veil 244). Chughtai reveals that this story was based
Manto, Krishan Chander, Hijab Imtiyaz Ali, Sundar on a real life incident and the Begum finally divorced
Lalji, Mahendar Nath. Sadat Hasan Manto’s wife, her husband and re-married (Lifting the Veil 260).
Safia was also a dear friend of Chughtai. Chughtai She also goes on to say that she visited the Begum’s
was influenced by the writings of Dr. Rashid Jehan, infant son from her second marriage and felt that the
Nazar Sajjad Hyder, Somerset Maugham, and Guy de child was “an offspring of [her] my pen (260).”
Maupassant. Looking at the happy mother and child definitely
Novellas: Ziddi (The Stubborn One), Dil ki Dunya might have made her forget all the trials and
(Realm of Heart), Masuma (The Innocent) tribulations she had to undergo due to the huge
Novels: Tehri Lakeer (The Crooked Line), Saudaai conservative public outcry [1]. Chughtai also enacted
(The Mad Man), Anthology of Short Stories: Kalyan the role of a spirited elderly woman in a 1978 Shyam
(Buds) and Coten (Wounds/Injuries) Ek Baat (A Benegal’s movie “Junoon.” She also worked as a
Word), Chutmut (The Sensitive One), Dhani Banken screenplay writer, dialogue writer, story writer and
(Green Bracelets), Do Hat (Two Hands), Xarid Lo director for a few films. she received Ghalib Award
(Buy), Ek Qatra e Xun (A Drop of Blood), Thori si for her novel, Tehri Lakeer, in 1974, shared Filmfare
Pagal (Just a Little Crazed) best story award for Garam Hawa with Kaifi Azmi in
Anthology of short stories and essays: Hum Log (We 1975 and Samman Award for Urdu literature in 1990.
people) Awards have come very late to her and she is yet to
Anthology of essays: Yahan se Vahan Tak (From Here be officially acclaimed as a pioneer of Urdu literature
to There), Collection of plays: Saitan (The Devil) though she received critical acclaim from many
Collection of short stories and plays: Afsane Drame quarters.
Chughtai is the author of substantial work in Urdu Themes: Ismat Chughtai is a realistic writer whose
literature and some of the short stories, novels and writings reflected meticulous observation of her
essays are available in English translation. Her short surroundings and detailed impressions of the
story, Lihaaf published in 1942 brought her both incidents in her life since her childhood. Chughtai’s
notoriety and critical applause. Many conservative narratives are rooted in tradition and culture and she
people turned a blind eye to her efforts to highlight brought out the appalling conditions of Muslim
the loneliness and desperation of a young married women behind the purdah. She wrote boldly about
woman rather they focused and resented the the abuse of young girls in the hands of their male
depiction of lesbianism in an orthodox Muslim relatives (Lifting the Veil 258, The Wedding Suit) as
Nawab family. Chughtai was sued when this short well as by the same sex (Quilt). Her narratives on
story was published in a collection of short stories by discarded and unwanted people in the society,

International Multidisciplinary Research Foundation 9

beggars and old people and people afflicted with life The protagonist, a young girl, is left with a distant
threatening diseases were full of particulars which aunt when the girl’s mother goes to Agra. There the
make the readers realize her compassion towards girl witnesses incidents involving the aunt, Begum
them as seen in her short stories Tiny’s Granny, Jaan and the servant, Rabbu in a lesbian relationship.
Mother-in-Law, and The Invalid and also in her The young girl is also subjected to abuse by Begum
autobiographical sketch, Hell-bound. She writes Jaan, her aunt, in the absence of Rabbu, the servant.
candidly without hiding any feelings nor does she put The story also implies that Nawab, the elderly
up an act for the society. Her courage is reflected not husband of Begum Jaan, could be of homosexual
only in her autobiographical writings (Hell-bound) orientation and abused poor young men who were
which is about her feelings towards her elder brother “young, fair, slender-waisted boys”
and mentor, Azim Beg Chughtai but also in real life (Quilt 16). Published in 1942, the story caused a lot
where she recollects in In the Name of those Married of controversy and Chughtai was charged with
Women . . . a conversation with Mr. Aslam regarding obscenity. After two years of fighting in the Lahore
her court trial for obscenity in The Quilt She court, the court dismissed the case as it could not
expresses horror that Mr. Aslam who could pen find any objectionable words per se. In this story
vulgarity just for the sake of exploiting the public in Chughtai mentions that the Nawab promoted young
his Gunah ki Ratein could censure her short story boys whereas it is Rabbu who initiates the
Quilt on the basis of the author’s gender and religion. relationship with Begum Jaan as interpreted by the
Somerset Maugham’s philosophy regarding love line,
seems to have left a lasting impression on Chughtai. “[i]t was Rabbu who rescued her from the fall” (17).
Chughtai’s short story All Alone resembles Somerset Chughtai’s narratives are not only on exploitation of
Maugham’s Judgement Seat. Both the stories are poor young girls like Gainda, the protagonist in the
about wasted life of individuals who were unable to The Quilt, but also about young women like Rani, in
profess love for each other. Stories the Homemaker the The Mole, Lajo in The Home Maker and Sakku
and Quit India also remind the readers of another bai in Quit India who were initiated into sex at a very
short story of Maugham, The Force of Circumstance. young age by their masters who go on to become
Some of her stories on marital relationships and love seductresses of other men. One cannot judge them as
remind the readers of Maugham’s short stories in that is the life they know. It is interesting to note
colonial countries. Gainda (1938) and The Quilt that Chughtai’s portrayal of young women from lower
(1942) are two stories which have become very economic background are very sensual and seductive
popular and controversial regarding the subject like Lajo in The Homemaker and Rani in The Mole
matter. Both these stories deal about repressed but young girls from middle class families like Bi
sexuality in orthodox homes. Gainda, the protagonist Aapa in The Wedding Suit and Shahzad in All Alone
in Gainda and the narrator, a minor girl in The Quilt are very modest and are eternal waiters of marital
are sexually abused. Gainda, a child widow is suitors. Chughtai also writes about inter-religion
impregnated by the young son of the family in which marriage (Sacred Duty and Kafir), friendship between
she works. When the news breaks out, she is Hindus and Muslims in the time of partition (Roots)
immediately beaten and thrown out of the house. and friendship for political and material gain
Gainda is left to fend for herself and the boy is sent to (Survivor). In the essay, From Bombay to Bhopal,
a distant place to complete his studies. A centuries- Chughtai talks about the hypocrisy of the society
old story where young girls are abused by the masters towards reality. In this essay, she reveals the true
of the house has been narrated from the viewpoint of nature of the “light” discussions that men and women
the sister of the boy. Chughtai chooses a topic which have in privacy. She goes on to say that if this
everyone is familiar with and yet at the same time no topics/oral literature is published, there would be a
one is willing to talk about. People would rather have great furore (From Bombay to Bhopal 426). In the
controversial topics like this brushed under the same essay, Chughtai also argues that women have a
carpet than try to rectify the issue. This story brings right to praise men’s physical attributes similar to
out the fragile and unsure world of a young girl and men who have been doing it since aeons. Moreover,
gives the formative period in a young girl’s life due Chughtai talks about attacking the roots of
significance. The Quilt is a short story which has both discrimination instead of dressing the wounds of
negative and positive criticism levelled against inequality of men and women meted out by the
Chughtai. It deals with a taboo subject, “lesbianism” society [2]. Chughtai also wrote essays to draw
in a very orthodox Muslim family as witnessed by a attention to communal violence and the literature
young girl. The theme of the story, same sex that hit out at the consequences of partition of India.
orientation in an orthodox Muslim home, written by It is incomprehensible that an outspoken woman like
a Muslim woman author had all the fireworks set. Chughtai mentions her year of birth as 1915 whereas it

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English Studies International Research Journal Volume 1 Issue 1 (2013) ISSN 2347-3479

is documented as 1911 in many places. In the lifting the veil on various concerns related to young
introduction to Lifting the Veil, M. Asaduddin, women so that women can be educated and liberated
mentions that it could be due to the reason that she from the tyranny under the guise of religion and
wanted people to believe that she was much younger traditions. Like many other progressive writers and
than her husband, Shahid Latif. activists, Chughtai also sincerely felt that education
Significance of Ismat Chughtai’s Works: Ismat for woman is the beginning of progress for both
Chughtai’s writing career began in the later part of woman and mankind. In Progressive Writers’
1930s. No doubt her main inspiration was her Conference conducted in Bhopal in the year 1949,
brother, Azim Beg Chughtai who passed away in 1941. Chughtai talks with the younger generation women
She was also inspired by the narrating style of literary to take up reading so as to become well-versed,
greats like Maugham, Maupassant, Dostoyevsky, liberated and enlightened [2]. Ismat Chughtai is
Chekhov, O. Henry, Charles Dickens and Leo Tolstoy. definitely not only a pioneer in Urdu feminist
She admired Munshi Premchand, Hijab Imtiaz Ali, literature but also a forerunner in the field of
Majnun Gorakhpuri, Niaz Fatehpuri, and Dr. Rashid literature in India, Pakistan and other South Asian
Jehan among Indian writers. Her narratives described countries as well. Her short stories bring out the
the middle-class Muslim families of Uttar Pradesh, wretched conditions of young women of middle class
their culture, tradition, and mores. The culinary of Muslim households. Her progressive views regarding
the Uttar Pradesh Muslims, the various dialects of the religion as not a barrier for friendship and
well-to-do and the servants, idioms, the beauty and companionship come out powerfully in her
crux of Urdu language, women in sheltered and narratives. The readers can also gauge her patriotism
secured homes and their struggle to survive despite in her short stories and essays. Chughtai’s narratives
the constraints, the concerns of young girls, female also deal with old age and its consequences like social
sexuality, repression of sex, patriotism, consequences exclusion from the mainstream, fighting to live
of partition, and lack of emancipation which comes against death and diseases, feelings of isolation and
through education were some of the topics of her alienation and vulnerability. Chughtai wrote at a time
narratives. Moreover, she writes about the highly when education for women was considered a taboo.
dreaded killer disease, TB, to which her own brother She wrote at a time when women were considered as
fell a victim. Her narratives bring awareness to the secondary citizens and unimportant.Through her
problems of the women, children, the sick and the narratives, she emphasized the importance of women
elderly in great detail. Tahira Naqvi says that critics and the issues they face. Coming from an orthodox
have found her subjects limited but again Naqvi family, she dared to write about feminine issues and
asserts that Chughtai was a master at writing about repressed sexuality in Muslim households. She defied
her own world [4] though her narrative grip falters all norms laid down by society based on religion and
when she writes about high society and filmi world. gender in her life and works. Her writings promote
Chughtai’s narratives which bring out her enduring education and independence especially for Muslim
passion regarding women’s issues in a patriarchal, women who are still constrained in purdah. Based on
cloistered society are unparalleled in Urdu literature. the themes of her short stories, it can be concluded
She was a pioneer in writing about the numerous that Chughtai was not only a fearless and candid
issues of women related to society, gender and class. writer but also a feminist who envisaged the progress
Coming from a sheltered and religious background, of Muslim women through education. In fact, her
Chughtai did not hesitate to write about repressed literary work broke free from the shackles of tradition
sexuality in Muslim households. Right from the and can be rightly termed as a harbinger of
beginning of her writing career she was firm about emancipation in both men and women.

References:

1. M. Asaduddin. (trans) The Quilt Stories Ismat 3. M. Asaduddin. (trans) Ismat Chughtai Lifting the
Chughtai. New Delhi: Penguin, 2011. Veil Selected Writings. New Delhi: Penguin, 2001.
2. Ismat Chughtai. From Bombay to Bhopal. 4. Tahira Naqvi. the Annual of Urdu Studies.
http://www.urdustudies.com/pdf/15/27naqviBom http://www.urdustudies.com/pdf/15/26naqviNote.
bay.pdf, 12th May, 2013. pdf12thMay,2013.

***
Prof. in English, GITAM University,
Hyd, A.PIndia.email ID – tej_hyd@rediffmail.com

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