The Culture of 18 Th Century in Mirza Hadi Ruswa‟S Novel „Umrao Jaan

The Journey of Indian Languages: Perpectives on Culture and Society ISBN : 978-81-938282-5-0 The culture of 18th century in Mirza Hadi Ruswa‟s novel „Umrao Jaan Ada‟ and its adaption by Muzaffer Ali‟s “Umrao Jaan Ada” Janki S. Zatakiya Umrao Jaan Ada is perhaps one of the most enigmatic figures in south Asian literature. It is considered as one of the pioneers of Urdu literature and best-known as well as best-loved works of early Urdu fiction by Mirza Hadi Ruswa,a versatile genius. He wrote fiction, poetry, plays, and treatises on religion, philosophy, and astronomy. In his celebrated Umrao Jaan Ada, Ruswa achieved an artistic success equalled in his own time and for a long time afterwards. He wrote a number of novels, but now his fame rests solely on Umrao Jaan Ada. Throughout the pages of his book the life and customs of eighteenth century Lucknow, the home of the Nawabs are vividly portrayed with great affection and nostalgia for a glorious past which is no more. Ruswa had high regard for the culture of Lucknow, which is as he remarks on a number of occasions in his novel. If we trace the history, it shows how rich and golden days they have. The Nawabs of Lucknow riled the kingdom of Awadh from 1732 to 1856. They were descendants of Persian adventurer, Saadat Ali Khan, who was in service of Mughals. He was made a governor of awadh in 1732. Saadat Khan was soon given the title of Nawab and in time began to exercise independence from Delhi. With the collapse of Mughal Empire in the 1750s, Awadh came into prominence. In 1755, the capital was shifted from Faizabad to Lucknow setting the stage for the city‘s golden era. Lucknow expanded exponentially and was studded with many monuments that the Nawabs built to showcase their power and wealth. In the text we find the reference of the most prominent edifices in Lucknow, which is the great Imaambra, ―House of the Imams, built during the reign of Asaf-ud Daula, where every year during the month of Muharram Shi‘as gather to mourn the death of Imam Husain.‖ In the novel, Ruswa describes the pavilion of Nawab as: the priceless glass chandeliers turned night into day; the brilliant white ground-sheet, the Persian carpets, the cushions and bolsters embroidered with gold thread, and the rows of glittering lamps. (Umrao Jaan Ada by Mirza Hadi Ruswa, page:51.) During the period of Nawab; Luckow became extremely rich and it allowed all creative art from all walks of life, so it is the cultural and artistic hub. It remains undisputed cultural centre of Urdu-speaking world, renowned not only for its sweet language and verse but also for its classical music and classical dance like ‗Kathak‘, in which the courtesans have their strong hold. Under the reign of the Nawab, ‗Chowk‘ of brothel becomes the centre of the cultural nourishment where Nawab used to learn ‗tehzeeb‘ and ‗tameez‘- manners and customs for which Lucknow is renounced. Apart from its versatile language, the cultural city of Lucknow also known for the painting which we find in the adaption of the text by Muzaffer Ali with the same title ‗Umrao Jaan Ada‘, painting of ancient rulers and its haweli and beauty of women. So far as the text is concerned it recounts the life-story of a courtesan named Umrao Jaan of 18th century Lucknow. Regarding the existence of the protagonist Umrao Jaan even today the question of her existence, her scholarly abilities and her poetic gifts remain a mystery. It is said that Ruswa used to write down, while Umrao Jaan herself dictated her life. Each chapter of the text starts with a verse; it shows the tradition of Urdu literature that we also find in Twilight in Delhi by Ahmed Ali whose text also opens with the verse by Bhadurshah Zaffr. In novel we get crystal clear picture of Lucknow - its versatile language, its poetry, its music Volume:2| www.baou.edu.in Page 12 The Journey of Indian Languages: Perpectives on Culture and Society ISBN : 978-81-938282-5-0 and dance, its refined culture and social manners. The novel contains many picaresque elements, episodic in nature. It consists of a series of thrilling incidents. The main plot is filled with suspense and various incidents and a series of sub –plot. But central to the work is the life of Lucknow at that time. Umrao Jaan Ada is more than a study of a courtesan; it is the case of decadent society. The text opens with the conversation between Umrao and Mirza Ruswa Sahib who insist Umrao Jaan to tell her story which she takes as : What pleasure there can be in any tale? The story of my life or of the world? (ibid p:1) The first phase of her life, she lived with her parents and a little brother happily and her marriage was also decided with her aunt‘s son and their engagement had taken place when she was nine year old. She lived her life happily and peacefully, it seems that everything she dreamed was about to come true.As she is not destined to live her dream, soon she is trapped in the plot of Dilavar Khan and is sold in Lucknow. In Lucknow, Chowk is the centre of the nourishment of the culture where great scholars of the verse used to gather and express their creativity. When Umrao arrived at the house of Kanum Jaan, she is acqurinted to the nawabi tehzeeb and tameez. Here, she is brought up under the care of Husaini and allowed to learn classical music and dance with other girls of the house. Lucknow is a cultural hub which nourishe and preserve chowks and the courtesans, known as tavaifs; who played an important role in its development. There is a difference between ‗tavaif‘ and ‗prostitute‘ that tavaif have to just entertain the Nawab with her scholarly ability of singing and dancing while prostitute have to serve his customer with the beauty of her body and indulge into the act of sex. These tavaif were not ordinary and their best were highly skilled practitioners of the arts, who could command vast sum for their performance and other favours. They began their training in their childhood with a thorough grounding in classical Persian and Arabic text, reading and writing the standard works under the tutelage of a Maulvi. The books mentioned in the novel are ‗Gulistan‘ and ‗Bustan‘ of the 13th century Persian poet. Saadi and ‗Karima‘ and ‗Mahmudnama‘ and ‗Ahmadnama‘. Besides literature they also learn Arabic grammar and philosophical books. Along with studying, they also learn performing arts such as Hindustani classical music and in the novel we have the reference of such ragas like, Dhanasari and Astai. In the novel there is one incident where Umrao is singing ‗Ramkali‘ raag with Dhaivat and she is immediately caught by Khanum. It suggests their knowledge and command over the music. Besides music they also develop a taste for classical dance like, ‗Kathak‘. It is a dance form which is more developed by Mughal tradition., from which ‗Mughal gharana‘ is developed and it acquaints a Mughal custom for women which consists of an ‗angarkh‘ and ‗chudidaar kameez‘ which later on known as ‗Anarkali‘ style. During the muslim period from 16th century, the Kathakas were invited to dance in the Royal court of Nawab, where the focus changed from temple ritual to that of a form of entertainment and continued to be supported by Royal court; Maharaj Bindadin was patronized by the Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah. Since, Lucknow was the seat of Nawabs so the more powerful and wealthy Nawab, can hire more beautiful and glorious courtesan for them and she used to live with her owner and serve him. It was a fashion in those days to keep prostitute in the service of Nawab and most aristocratic used to keep. In the novel, the author is orienting an old tradition of ‗inauguration‘ which is ‗missi‘; it is used to denote a courtesan‘s deflowering. After the missi of any courtesan, she belongs to that Nawab who owns her and she treated with high respect Volume:2| www.baou.edu.in Page 13 The Journey of Indian Languages: Perpectives on Culture and Society ISBN : 978-81-938282-5-0 and get freedom. All those tavaifs also get good clothes as well as precious jewelleries. When there is any wedding ceremony they are fond of organizing ‗mujra‘ and all royal, noble men are delighted with the courtesan‘s graceful dance as well as her significant verse as in the novel Umrao Jaan was invited on the occasion of marriage or birthday ceremony of the royal prince. That was the golden era of Lucknow when all scholarly persons from different region came to the centre of the artistic city Lucknow; with their culture and language because of which it led to the element of multiculturalism. Not only that, literature during that time was its top and in developmental stage. It acquaints the mass with different forms such as, most popular form of that time was ‗Ghazal‘ associated with the expression of unrequited love, and its well-known imagery was of ‗tulip and rose, the flask of wine, the nightingale‘. It was in Lucknow, that elegy reached it‘s unique literary form. The greatest exponents of the elegy or ‗marsiya‘ were the 19th century poets, Mir Babar Ali Anis and Mirza Dabir. Another form which was introduced by the author is ‗soz‘ verses, mourning the death of Husain which were set to music.

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