Wanting women to be admirable and admired, the author neither desires women to be ignorant nor ignored by the society.
In his 13th century philosophical treatise on ethics, domestic economy and politics Akhlaq-I Nasiri, theologian Nasir al-Din Tusi had enlisted prescriptions for boys and girls to become gentlemen and ideal women. Although the idea of universal education for women didn’t exist, Tusi had advocated the need for acquiring virtues from everyday living for good conduct by women. This dogmatic child-rearing manual was virtual self-help book in most Muslim households but was to lose its relevance with changing times. Lack of inspiring non-religious literature which could uplift natural instincts of young women to conduct themselves in their married life was felt for a long time. Conservative as it was, the society has had its limitations in imparting moral education to growing children during large periods of imperial dominance.
Nazir Ahmad had felt such need among his own daughters. That his daughters had a longing for acquiring non-religious knowledge led him to build a fictional narrative that had the cult following after its publication in 1869. Simple in diction and pure in sentiments, Mirat ul –Arus was to become a best-seller in no time, selling over 100,000 copies through multiple editions. It was an experiment in book publishing with Ahmad’s hand written drafts being read by his daughters and neighbors, helping him gain suggestions alongside winning unsolicited publicity.
The award winning book, considered to be the first Urdu novel, was translated as The Bride’s Mirror in 1903. It is a story of two sisters married to two brothers in the same family: Akbari, the spoilt elder, mean-tempered, an uneducated failure and the younger, Asghari, a competent youngster, who makes a success of everything she turns her hand on. Between the two of them, Asghari wades her way through all sorts of disappointments and setback to rebuild the family and its fortunes while Akbari pulls the family few paces back by pulling out of the household to live separately with her husband. Isn’t it a familiar story that continues to play up till this day?
Oscillating between joint and nuclear families, The Bride’s Mirror holds reflections on the rapid transformation the society is going through in general and the ceaseless turmoil many households are passing through in particular. Its context may have changed but the basic philosophy persists, and that is, even in changing social dynamics and gender relations women has considerable influence in the affairs of the household and cultivation of morality plays a key role in building harmonious inter-personal relationships. Consequently, in every incident in the story there emerges some counsel about the cultivation of morality or the refinement of social behaviour.
In recent times, perverse sides of such stories have become a toast of television audiences. While describing good and bad possibilities, The Bride’s Mirror instead provides many moral maxims along the way as it highlights the virtuous and not the wicked. The true reality of life is presented through conversation and dialogues, without loquacity and shows of temperament. This is what makes the book distinct; even the predictable plot has enduring value for the invaluable nuggets of wisdom that lie splashed across the narrative. With a long exhortation addressed to its readers, the author stresses home the instructive purpose of the story.
Translated by G. E. Ward, the book had earned the praise from its imperial readers as it exposed them to the lived realities of their fellow-subjects. It must have been a revelation for the British that joint families in Delhi could comfortably survive on Rs 15 a month during those days. That the cultural tenacity of interdependence and mutual respect held the traditional households together must have interested the British public in general, who not only gained insights on household arrangements but also learnt that even in conservative society women had a significant role to play in the household.
Narrated with a vividness and colloquial detail, the story dispels the common notion that past times were more repressive and unenlightened than today. It is a story of women told by man, stacking women with total responsibility of managing and running the households. For feminists, this approach might be somewhat problematic. But not for Ahmad who desires women to stake claim to authority through good deeds and not otherwise. Wa
nting women to be admirable and admired, the author neither desires women to be ignorant nor ignored by the society.
Nazir Ahmad had cemented his literary acumen by completing a trilogy of books, Banat un-Nash (for teaching useful facts) and Taubat un-Nasuh (for teaching piety) were award winning additions to his first book. Much might have changed ever since The Bride’s Mirror was published; the story remains relevant as the quest for making life and relationships virtuous remains never ending.
The Bride’s Miirror
by Nazir Ahmad, translated by G E Ward
Aleph, New Delhi
Extent: 188, Price: Rs 399
An abridged version of this review was first published on the Literary Review of The Hindu on Oct 28, 2018.
‘On the grave of this poor stranger, let there be neither lamp nor rose. Let neither butterfly’s wing burn nor nightingale sing.’
Her self-assessment was in contrast to her role as an astute politician, an enigmatic queen, and an innovative architect. The only woman with a non-imperial lineage to acquire the stature of an empress, Nur Jahan sought to inscribe on her tomb in Lahore ‘On the grave of this poor stranger, let there be neither lamp nor rose. Let neither butterfly’s wing burn nor nightingale sing.’ For one who rewrote history, the epitaph marks her boundless generosity and unlimited humility come alive. History may not have been as kind to her as she was to her fellow beings. During her lifetime, Nur Jahan was always eager to help orphans, beggars, and the homeless. She would often intervene to protect peasants from harassment or over taxation by provincial authorities. Farid Bhakkri, who served the Mughal court, noted that the Empress supported the weddings of orphan girls, and even designed an inexpensive wedding dress Nur Mahali, still used by brides of poorer families. By offering choice of marriage to the most vulnerable inhabitants of the harem, Nur became the earliest feminist in a male Mughal dynasty.
Till recently, historians failed to recognize her exceptional talents and instead attributed Nur’s meteoric rise to the vulnerability of an inebriated Jahangir, her Emperor husband. Although many of her male contemporaries were in awe of Nur, it was hard for them to swallow that a woman could attain unprecedented political and cultural acumen. Even the Europeans like Thomas Roe and Peter Mundy, who were privy to the Mughal court, could not quite wrap their minds around a woman coming to power because of her sheer talents. No surprise, therefore, most attributed her cunning and conniving nature for gaining co-sovereign authority over a lovelorn king.
Historian Ruby Lal thinks otherwise. Taking a deep dive into the historical records, she yields provocative and extensive evidence of the forces that shaped Nur Jahan. Who could have ever thought that a baby girl born on a roadside to parents who were fleeing repressive Persia for Indian green pastures would not only become the most favored wife of emperor Jahangir but would attain the status of an Empress? How did it happen? And, how could she do it? From enlightened parental education in early years to an independent existence after first marriage, times favored her expressive inheritance. Also, it must have helped Nur develop a distinct identity as, unlike most Mughal women, she spent the least period in the imperial harem.
Nur Jahan was a product of her time, and did not miss any opportunity to hone and demonstrate her skills. Jahangir’s vow to give up hunting gave Nur an opportunity to show her shooting prowess. No one is sure where and when did she learn shooting but she could amaze everybody by slaying four tigers in only six shots. Jahangir’s mobility too helped Nur deepen and broaden her leadership skills. While the Emperor pursued his interests in nature, geography, art, and philosophy, Nur took on administrative responsibilities by issuing imperial orders under her seal.
Empress provides an extraordinary detailed account of a remarkable woman, who lived through the reign of three great Mughal rulers. Hailing from a family of Nobles, her father served the Mughal courts of Akbar and Jahangir, she learnt imperial demeanor from her father and brothers. As a result, Nur seemed more canny than other royal women of her age about the workings of the empire. It reflected in the manner in which she conducted herself, both within the court and with the masses. Lal provides a detailed account of how Nur liberated the Emperor from the captivity of a rebellion nobleman, something that doesn’t get as much attention in historical literature.
While Nur Jahan rise to power was relatively swift, her downfall was even swifter. Her political scheme to anoint her son-in-law Shahryar as the future Emperor did not go to well with the Emperor-in-Waiting Shah Jahan, who made every possible attempt at erasing her legacy by holding her responsible for the succession chaos that took place in the last years of Jahangir’s reign. All attempts at demonetizing currency coins of the Jahangir-NurJahan era were unsuccessful, some coins bearing Nur Jahan's seal survived and are safely preserved in museum(s). Lal’s Empress gives Nur Jahan the due, and acknowledges that if she had her strengths she had her raw ambition and vulnerabilities too.
Nur Jahan’s last years’ were of isolated existence in Lahore, much of which she spent in building her own mausoleum. That she was a remarkable woman, a perfect example of beauty with brains, whose legend will continue to be remembered with affection, awe and pride. As a discerning reader of medieval history, I yearn to know more about the life of Nur's daughter Ladli, the widow of Shahryar.
Empress
by Ruby Lall
Penguin, New Delhi
Extent: 188, Price: Rs 599
