Nawab Faizunnesa’s Rupjalal Women and Gender The Middle East and the Islamic World Editors Margot Badran Valentine Moghadam VOLUME 7 Nawab Faizunnesa’s Rupjalal Translated and commented by Fayeza S. Hasanat LEIDEN • BOSTON 2009 This book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Caudhurani, Phayajunnesa, 1834-1903. [Rupajalala. English] Nawab Faizunnesa’s Rupjalal / translated and commented by Fayeza S. Hasanat. p. cm. -- (Women and gender : the Middle East and the Islamic world ; v. 7) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-90-04-16780-3 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Women--India--Bengal--Social conditions. 2. Women--India--Bengal--History. 3. Caudhurani, Phayajunnesa, 1834-1903. Rupajalala--Criticism, Textual. 4. Bengal (India)--Colonial influence. 5. Nationalism--India--Bengal--History. I. Title. II. Title: Rupjalal. III. Series. HQ1744.B4C3812 2008 305.48’69709541409034--dc22 2008032132 ISSN 1570-7628 ISBN 978 90 04 16780 3 Copyright 2009 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishing, IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. printed in the netherlands For Lutu CONTENTS Acknowledgements .................................................... xi Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................... 1 Recasting Muslim Women: Nawab Faizunnesa’s Rupjalal......... 1 Biographical Sketch ................................................ 4 The Muslim Community and its Women in Colonial India...... 8 RecastingMuslimWomen ......................................... 10 Women,Writing,andtheBody.................................... 14 History of (Bengali Muslim) Sexuality in Literary Culture ....... 24 Crossing Genre: Rupjalal and Bengali (Muslim) Literary Traditions ........................................................ 28 MyMethodofTranslation......................................... 36 Chapter 2: Translation of Rupjalal .................................... 41 Prologue............................................................. 41 IntroducingtheText............................................. 42 My Family History and My Reasons for Writing this Book ... 42 Lightthree-linedverse........................................... 46 book one part one. the beginning ........................................... 48 TheBirthofa Prince............................................ 48 Growingintoa Man............................................. 50 Prince Jalal Went in Search of a Bride .......................... 51 IntheGarden.................................................... 52 Prince Jalal Saw Rupbanu ....................................... 53 The Prince in Torment: (How Much Pain Can this Soul Endure?)....................................................... 55 TheWailingPrinceTriedToGainSelfControl............... 55 AttendantsBroughtthePrinceHome .......................... 56 A Mother’sLament.............................................. 57 A Mother’sPleatoherSon ..................................... 57 TheQueenSentfora FemaleMessenger ...................... 58 viii contents Regaining Consciousness, the Prince Inquired About the Lady ......................... 59 Jalal’s Description of the Mysterious Woman................... 60 In Search of the Maiden......................................... 61 Rupbanu’s Story ................................................. 62 The Maiden Sang her Song of Sorrow ......................... 64 Rupbanu Narrated her Story.................................... 64 Rupbanu Lamented seeing her Nurse Depressed .............. 65 The Foster-Mother Condemned Men and Tried to Console Rupbanu....................................................... 66 AllWordsFailed ................................................. 67 part two. merchant omar and king zamzam..................... 68 TheEnvoyenteredtheGarden................................. 68 TheMerchant’sPrayer .......................................... 69 TheMerchantBecamea Father ................................ 70 A LamentingFather ............................................. 71 ThePowerofDestiny............................................ 72 TheVoyage ...................................................... 75 Nurbanu and Fortas ............................................. 76 Faizun’s Defense of Women ..................................... 78 Fortas tried to Court Nurbanu .................................. 79 ChaosinKingZamzam’sLand................................. 79 The Battle ........................................................ 80 King Zamzam Praised the Lord ................................ 82 King Zamzam Killed his Daughter ............................. 82 TheEvilPlan .................................................... 84 TheKingwenttoExecutehisEvilPlan........................ 85 King Zamzam Rebuked Hurbanu .............................. 86 TheTransformation............................................. 87 part three. the ordeal of rupbanu .............................. 88 The Abduction of Rupbanu ..................................... 88 A DamselinDistress............................................. 89 The Maiden’s Lament ........................................... 89 FortasinLoveagain ............................................. 90 TheLove-struckPrince.......................................... 91 TheEnvoyandthePrince....................................... 91 The Florist Inquired ............................................. 93 TheGardener’sWords .......................................... 94 contents ix PrinceJalalspokeStern Words.................................. 95 TheGardener’sRequest......................................... 95 part four. the correspondence and courting .................. 96 Jalal’s Letter to Rupbanu ........................................ 96 PrinceJalalgavehisLettertoShama........................... 97 HerLetter........................................................ 100 Youstaywithinme,yetyoudon’tletmeSee................... 101 TheWailingWomanbemoanedherGrief ..................... 103 part five. searching for the enemy .............................. 105 TheJourney...................................................... 105 TheSong......................................................... 106 HisLovesongandLoveSickness ............................... 106 A FairyPrincessandherLovesong............................. 108 PrincessGulchehraandherSchemes........................... 108 InDeepTrouble ................................................. 111 ThePrinceandhisRescuer..................................... 113 PrinceJalalDestroyedhisEnemy............................... 114 InKingZamzam’sLand ........................................ 116 part six. the change of fate ...................................... 118 KingZamzam’sPlan ............................................ 118 ThePrisoner’sLament .......................................... 120 Khizir’sAdvicetoJalal .......................................... 121 The Wedding Ceremony ........................................ 122 A Marriage Unconsummated ................................... 123 Hurbanu’s Attendants Challenged Prince Jalal................. 124 Jalal’sResponsetotheChallenge ............................... 125 Rupbanu.......................................................... 126 Rupbanu’s Letter................................................. 127 In Search of a Lost Prince ....................................... 128 part seven. the journey back ..................................... 130 TroublesWaitingintheWay.................................... 130 TheEnchantressandherVictim................................ 133 HerSong: ........................................................ 134 PrinceJalalPlannedtoEscape.................................. 135 Freedom.......................................................... 136 Jalal’sComplaint................................................. 136 x contents book two Chapter 1: Battling a Giant...................................... 138 Chapter 2: TheTaleofKingAardbel .......................... 139 Chapter 3: IntheLandoftheGlendoveers .................... 145 Chapter 4: RescuingtheGlendoveerPrince.................... 147 Chapter 5: TheTaleofSevenBrothers......................... 148 Chapter 6: TheRescue.......................................... 151 Chapter 7: Battle with the Giants ............................... 153 Chapter 8: KingKaiser’sTale .................................. 156 Chapter 9: DeathofKingRayhan.............................. 158 Chapter 10: ThePrincesReturnedHome...................... 158 Chapter 11: InSearchoftheDeathGiver...................... 159 Chapter 12: A VisittotheCityofDemigods................... 162 Chapter 13: AllEndedWell ..................................... 163 book three The Ordeal of Rupbanu ......................................... 165 PrinceJalalReturned............................................ 170 TheLovers’Quarrel............................................