A period drama, the film is based on Ismat Chugtai's most celebrated story "Lihaaf" (published 1942). The shadow of the elephant cast on the wall is used to subtly imply the physical relationship of the two women under the quilt. The narrator also goes to describe the working class roughened and darkened body of the maid, comparing it to the glowing skin of Begum Jaan, trapped inside the house,  never blemished by the sun. The film inter weaves the plot of same sex relationship between Begum and her masseuse and the trial that Ismat underwent after being slapped with a case of obscenity on publishing the story. This is another theme that is seminal not just to this story, but to most of Chughtai's works. Nawab Sahab was too old than Begam Jaan but why her parents marry her daughter to a person who had no match with her daughter? Written in 1941, it was published in ‘. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Brokeback Mountain, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. 2020 Urban Thinkers Campus – COVID-19 UTC Series, 2019 Urban Thinkers Campus – Safe Public Spaces, 2018 Urban Thinkers Campus – Creating a Resilient and Inclusive City, – Day 1- Creating a Resilient and Inclusive Mumbai, 2018, – Day 2- Youth Innovation Challenge Kick-Off, 2018, Laws against Sexual Violence in Different Countries, Sexual Violence Laws under the Indian Penal Code, Sexual Violence Laws in the Domestic Space, Filing of a First Information Report (‘FIR’), Prevention of Sexual Harrassment at the Workplace Policy, Safecity Monthly Updates – September 2020, Domestic Violence: An Underestimated Crime, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women. Lihaaf (The Quilt) One of her most controversial works, Lihaaf deals with the theme of homosexuality. Who was homosexual ? He kept an open house for students—young, fair and slender-waisted boys whose expenses were borne by him, ”. On the face of it, there seems to be nothing wrong with providing help to nubile, young boys. 2nd : For Begum Jaan he was a homosexual who have interest in men like women. Thus the Zenana becomes a space for the expression of subversive desires, desires that a woman is forbidden to have, desires that are hidden under the quilt, and thus making the quilt an important symbol for the forbidden desires to slip into familiar spaces. It brought much notoriety upon her but towards the end of her life she was quite distressed by the fact that none of her other works received as much recognition as, takes its readers behind the curtain, playing in the shadows of same-sex desire, and lifting the veil off of the forbidden desires of women in Muslim households. Lihaaf: The Quilt (2019) A period drama, the film is based on Ismat Chugtai’s most celebrated story “Lihaaf” (published 1942). It is the heteronormative home that allows the space for homosexual relationships. While Chughtai intricately brings in the anxieties around homosexual desire through the relationship between Begum Jaan and Rabbu, she carefully underlines the presence of consent and mutuality in the expression of sexuality. ”. Chughtai covers up her homoerotic theme in the story smartly, with a lihaaf (a quilt) of euphemism by purposely using a child’s point of view to the topic of homosexuality that is unknown to her. Chughtai launches an attack into the society’s perception of a ‘diseased condition’ that homosexuality was considered to be without explicitly mentioning it. The story narrated from a little girl’s perspective deliberately avoids an explicit articulation of the Nawab’s preoccupation. She rediscovered sexual pleasure, the fulfillment of her own desires in Rabbu’s sensual oil massages, in her touch. This description, in many ways, serves to create a gender binary, placing Rabbu in a masculine frame of character and Begum Jaan in a more feminine role. Ismat Chughtai’s short story ‘Lihaaf’ became disputable as soon as it was published due to its homosexual theme. She rediscovered sexual pleasure, the fulfillment of her own desires in Rabbu’s sensual oil massages, in her touch. The controversy surrounding Lihaaf emerged due to the representation of unadulterated female desire, sexuality, and queerness. Reading Ismat Chughtai as Archive: Themes in the short story Lihaaf. A period drama, the film is based on Ismat Chugtai's most celebrated story "Lihaaf" (published 1942). In that age peoples consider Homosexuality as a crime so for the sake of society he married Begum Jaan but never build sexual relation with her. THE NAWAB- EMBODYING THE HYPOCRISY OF VIRTUOSITY. Amiran sleep with Begum Jaan in her room, at mid-night she see a shadow like elephant in one corner of house and some sound was also coming from there. Chughtai artfully engages with questions of religious morality mediating it through the character of Nawab Saheb. The shadow of the elephant cast on the wall is used to subtly imply the physical relationship of the two women under the quilt. Let's #AllyUpForHer and stand up for women's safety. “It was pitch dark and Begum Jaan’s quilt was shaking vigorously as though an elephant was struggling inside. But Chughtai does not portray her as a helpless woman but rather gives her the agency to find pleasure on her own terms. His only pleasure and desire, that remains unspoken of, is derived from providing an ‘open house’ for his male ‘students’. Her homosexuality and her relationship with Rabbu filled in the gaping hole of her failed, unsatisfying heteronormative marriage. Summaries. The unfolding of homosexual pleasure in a dysfunctional Muslim household is based on the nonreproductive premise of the relationship shared between the Nawab and his wife. “Deposited” this word deposit generally use for a non–living things, so it is clear that she was just a compulsion for Nawab Sahab, he marry her to save his real identity of Homosexual. One day what happened that Amiran pull out the quilt of Begum Jaan. It is, at the same time, also symbolic of the confusion around the understanding of same-sex desire around that time. You know what is going there (Bgam Jaan is enjoying sexual pleasure with Rabbu) but because Amiran was teen so could not understood what was going there. Her presence in his life was completely dismissed and forgotten by him. The film inter weaves the plot of same sex relationship between Begum and her masseuse and the trial that Ismat underwent after being slapped with a case of obscenity on publishing the story. A story ahead of its times This pre-independence story deals with the suffocating life of a wife in a feudal society. Main Theme: Homosexuality, sexual discrimination, marriage for money etc. Begum has no choice but to get married off and "installed" in Nawab's house. • Bandit Queen • Kamasutra : The Tale of Love • Sins. Directed by Deepa Mehta, the movie was loosely based on Ismat Chughtai's 1942 story, Lihaaf (The Quilt). Chughtai’s short story helped bring female homosexuality out of the closet, so to speak, and in doing so, she quickly became one of the forerunners of the erstwhile latent Indian feminist movement. Later, charges of … She gained experience working for a feminist organisation in Mumbai, as part of her Masters’ course-related fieldwork, that works with self-help groups in communities. UNDER THE LIHAAF- The ‘threat’ of queer desire. As a mature reader you all know, what this massage mean, there Is no need to explain it (it is lesbian sex). Instead of apologizing, Chughtai chose to contest this charge and although the case dragged on for two years in Lahore, in the end she won the trial. “It was a special oil massage that brought life back to the half-dead Begum Jaan”. One Day when Rabbu went to meet her son in city, Begum Jaan was crying in pain of itching (this is the sign of sexual need of Begum Jaan) so she try to satisfy herself by Amiram but because she was not young and mature like Rabbu she afraid and runaway. A distraught and dejected Begum Jaan’s body aches at every joint in the absence of her personal masseuse until the narrator innocently offers her help to Begum Jaan to scratch her back. Thus the story also brings in questions of child sexual abuse. The homosexual underpinnings of his social life strategically veiled from the hetero-normative society, goes unnoticed. 1st : for society he was a Nawab who had good reputation in society. The elephant stopped shaking and the quilt came down”. She uses the imagery of an elephant to portray a young girl’s sense of confusion. Setting: 1941 India ... Quilt (Lihaaf) is the most controversial and most … A woman can be more than something that just exists in a … The theme of the narrative, before the emergence of a strong public queer movement in India, was not just a taboo but even the existence of which was not acknowledged, or mentioned in the ‘polite’ society. One of the themes happened to be on gay rights. Begum Jaan, confined to a life of solitude and subjugation, did everything in her power to divert the attention of her husband from the ‘firm-calved, supple-waisted boys’ but she failed in all her attempts. Lihaaf redefines the relationship between a lesbian identity, the Muslim household and the patriarchal institution. Lihaaf redefines the relationship between a lesbian identity, the Muslim household and the patriarchal institution. Quilt (Lihaaf) is the most controversial and most popular work by well-known Urdu writer of Indian Sahitya (Literature) “Ismat Chugtai”, story of Quilt is about homosexuality, which is still one of most controversial issue in India. One day Amiran mother was going to Agra for some work and she can’t left her daughter alone in house due to her aggressive behaviour so she decide to left Amiran in Begum Jaan home for some days. The visual of the elephant in the room was as disturbing for the little girl as it was for the readers of the time. Nawab Sahab was rich, highly reputation and powerful and it is enough for any parents. Begum Jaan would have glimpses of them in their perfumed, flimsy shirts and feel as though she was being raked over burning embers!” — Quilt, Ismat Chughtai. Instead of apologizing, Chughtai chose to contest this charge and although the case dragged on for two years in Lahore, in the end she won the trial. Safec… https://t.co/aPTMptNFrA, RT @elsamariedsilva: @DrMichelleF @pinthecreep All media should have age appropriate content, controls and ratings. Talking to children regarding s…, RT @jyotigoyal08: @pinthecreep Communication has vital role in safety of kids. It not only spoke of alternatives for sexually repressed women in a patriarchal world but was also an attack on this world which was in turn shocked and understandably so, out of it’s own self-absorption. is not only one of Ismat Chughtai’s most celebrated works but was also one of the most controversial, for which she was summoned to court on charges of obscenity. His only pleasure and desire, that remains unspoken of, is derived from providing an ‘open house’ for his male ‘students’. Written by a Muslim woman in mid-twentieth century Hindustan, this story brought Chughtai under trial for obscenity and promoting homosexuality, but she was let off due to a simple technicality: nowhere in the story is there actually homoerotic love, only implications of the same. The story of Lihaaf  takes its readers behind the curtain, playing in the shadows of same-sex desire, and lifting the veil off of the forbidden desires of women in Muslim households. The description itself holds an unhealthy ring to it. Then Rabbu a household servant enter in her life, she had a great therapy of massage which made Begum Jaan happy and satisfy. It not only spoke of alternatives for sexually repressed women in a patriarchal world but was also an attack on this world which was in turn shocked and understandably so, out of it’s own self-absorption. “Nawab was” but who suffer ? The patriarchal society conditions women against the expression of their sexuality. A potent idea that is propagated in this story is the idea of subjugation of female sexuality and desire. This is the tale of an insulated and suffocating life of a neglected wife, Begum Jan, from the point of view of a small girl. This escalates from an innocent playfulness to an unspeakable terror for the little child as her aunt hold the girl tightly against her body while the latter wails and weeps inside. The memory pops up when she … However, when Ismat Chughtai, a female author touched on the theme of … But Ismat Chughtai’s carefully chosen artful words presented in a tongue-in-cheek manner hint at the ‘sordid’ reality underneath this righteous behaviour. #NationalGirlChildDay2021 https://t.co/jp39hl8xRr, On #nationalgirlchildday Safecity urges you to come together and raise voice so every girl in India get equal oppor… https://t.co/aPsg8wKaQu, The US Chief Technological Officer, Megan Smith says, "Violence destroys confidence and it destroys people." “Men always will be men” the story of Quilt prove this Idiom 100% correct, Nawab Sahab was a Homosexual but not ready to accept this publicly, it shows two thing, 1st : Nawab Sahab fear for Society 2nd : Nawab Sahab’s patriarchy attitude, “We will talk about Nawab Sahab’s patriarchy attitude” he maintain two personalities. Tying them together would inevitably colour the opinion of the majority against an already oppressed sexual minority. THE NARRATOR-  INVISIBLE SEXUALITIES TO IMMORAL SEXUALITIES Sacrificing for a Dream Doesn’t Feel Like Sacrifice. Thus, the pretentious virtuosity of the Nawab is established from the absence of heterosexual relations in his life. “, Nawab Saheb had contempt for such disgusting sports. The elephant stopped shaking and the quilt came down. According to Nawab sahab, he provided every facility to her wife, “Now what she need?” Begum Jaan had every facility which a person desire but she can’t fulfil her sexual fantasy and sexual need to money or car, she is a human being who need love, care and support of her partner. Lihaaf, of course, is the first story which springs to mind when we think of Ismat Chughtai. I would like to give some example of Bollywood movies which banned by censor board of India due to the intense scene of Homosexuality and other issues of society. The Nawab had no interest whatsoever in his wife’s life, or desires; she was merely a social stamp for the society’s acceptable standards of a heteronormative institution. ”. Begum Jaan the lead female character of Quilt married a rich Nawab who had great reputation in society but was a Homosexual, because he was Nawab, he can’t share this secret to anyone, he knew that once society find him as a homosexual, he will lost all the reputation which his ancestor earn. The theme of the narrative, before the emergence of a strong public queer movement in India, was not just a taboo but even the existence of which was not acknowledged, or mentioned in the ‘polite’ society. Titas Ghosh is the Program and Outreach Officer at Delhi. She is a Political Science graduate who completed her Masters in Women’s Studies from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Written in 1941, it was published in ‘Adaab-E-Latif’ some time in 1942. Originally published at www.literatureguide.in. A story that breaks away from the traditional role of women, explores homoerotic themes and at the same time shadows abuse and prejudices within its layers. Unlike other men of his social status, he never engaged in pigeon or cock fights. The quilt serves both as a trope and as a leit motif in the story. if Nawab Sahab was a homosexual then he should not marry but who force him to marry? Firstly, Rabbu’s absence from the Zenana becomes the reason for the unsuspecting, confused young narrator to end up in the arms of her beguiling aunt. It has taken us too many years to even acknowledge the existence of homosexuality. The strong illusions of religiousness have translated to the morality of his social life in the eyes of the world underlined by references to his lack of sexual hedonism. Told from the perspective of a young girl, the story explored the theme of homosexuality under the ‘lihaaf’. The visual of the elephant in the room was as disturbing for the little girl as it was for the readers of the time. Her most popular and controversial story Lihaaf (The Quilt)dealt with this issue and is now considered a groundbreaking piece of narrative in Urdu Fiction. It is, at the same time, also symbolic of the confusion around the understanding of same-sex desire around that time. Gay Interest: Lesbian Characters "Lihaaf" is a short story written by Ismat Chughtai and first published in 1942 in the Urdu literary journal Adabi Latif. These are not boys who are described as naughty, quarrelsome robust kids but fair-faced and ‘slender-waisted’ young boys in ‘perfumed, flimsy shirts’. What is your take on the impact of mass media on communicating #SexEducation to kids?… https://t.co/1UNh7rD4I1, RT @Sushmita4Rights: @pinthecreep A2. You all will familiar with this typical Bollywood dialogue. The two women’s difference in class status is what enables them to get close to each other physically (giving Rabbu access to Begum Jaan’s body in order to facilitate and sustain the sexual relationship). Also, this serves as a reminder of the pederastic practices of the Nawab, because it is mentioned that Rabbu’s son had also sought help from the Nawab and received many gifts from him but had then fled for reasons known to none. Here story ends Here story ends. A period drama, the film is based on Ismat Chugtai’s most celebrated story “Lihaaf” (published 1942). This description, in many ways, serves to create a gender binary, placing Rabbu in a masculine frame of character and Begum Jaan in a more feminine role. There are lots of example in Indian history where women like Begum Jaan suffer just because of Men’s stereotype and dead reputation for example Rama (Ramayan) accept Sita after “Agni Pariksha” and after some time leave her on the question of a washer man. Main Theme: Homosexuality, sexual discrimination, marriage for money etc, Nawab Sahab: A well reputed Nawab and a homosexual, Begum Jaan: wife of Nawab Sahab and our story protagonist Amiran: A little girl who is niece of Begum Jaan and she is narrating the story Rabbu : Servant in Begum Jaan house, Some other servants, some children and mother of Amiran. Muhammad Hasan Aksari’s Chai ki pyali, 1942 which made subtle gestures to female homosexuality and rekhtis written by male poets did not invoke much criticism. Still today In lots of society or villages peoples consider marriage an economy exchange. "Gay" in modern usage usually refers to homosexual men or women. “After marrying Begum Jaan, he deposited her in the house with all his other possessions and promptly forgot about her.”. Begum Jaan, confined to a life of solitude and subjugation, did everything in her power to divert the attention of her husband from the ‘firm-calved, supple-waisted boys’ but she failed in all her attempts. BEGUM JAAN AND RABBU- EXPLORING UN-‘QUILT’ING SEXUALITIES. The same aversion to addressing sexuality in general can be seen even now. According to the description of Ismat Chughtai “Begum Jaan” is very beautiful, young, white skin and well figured women. Chughtai launches an attack into the society’s perception of a ‘diseased condition’ that homosexuality was considered to be without explicitly mentioning it. Unlike other men of his social status, he never engaged in pigeon or cock fights. Chughtai courted controversy for the story, which touches upon the themes of homosexuality. A story that breaks away from the traditional role of women, explores homoerotic themes and at the same time shadows abuse and prejudices within its layers. Amid protests, 'Fire' released in India in 1998. tells the story of Begum Jaan who is married to an old Nawab Saheb ‘, ’, belonging to a rich Muslim household, imprisoned in the same house by the regressive customs and patriarchal shackles of marriage imposed on a woman, made to suffer a life of  isolation because her husband “, tucked her away in the house with his other possessions and promptly forgot her, ”. Also, this serves as a reminder of the pederastic practices of the Nawab, because it is mentioned that Rabbu’s son had also sought help from the Nawab and received many gifts from him but had then fled for reasons known to none. Through the eyes of the little girl, she lays bare the hypocrisy and pretentiousness of the ‘virtuous’ upper-class elitist male garbed in religious rituals symbolising piety. Apart from this, she wrote her Masters dissertation on the lived experiences of women with breast cancer. What about those who can’t ‘have a go’ in Scott Morrison’s Australia? Instead of giving in to the regressive customs of a patriarchal institution only by virtue of a legal relationship she shared with her husband, she goes on to paint a new image of a woman who is sexually liberated taking advantage of the segregated space in the household where she was ‘installed’ like a furniture by the Nawab. Lihaaf tells the story of a madam who liked to be massaged by her female servant, always under a quilt. She uses the imagery of an elephant to portray a young girl’s sense of confusion. ’ some time in 1942. While his homosexual exploits with young boys continued in the same household under the pretence of his so-called pedagogical endeavours, it was only his wife’s relationship with her maid that became a subject of whispered conversations. The film raises themes of homosexuality and freedom of speech that our society is grappling with even today. The unfolding of homosexual pleasure in a dysfunctional Muslim household is based on the nonreproductive premise of the relationship shared between the Nawab and his wife. It spoke of female sexuality defining the sexual needs of a woman, and also went many steps ahead ascertaining a conscious choice of an alternative sexuality instead of the conventional heteronormative behaviour. Lihaaf is an exposé of same sex relationship in a Muslim household. Begum Jaan our heroine also suffer because of Nawab Sahab and his family’s hollow reputation. The strong illusions of religiousness have translated to the morality of his social life in the eyes of the world underlined by references to his lack of sexual hedonism. Lihaaf – an expose of same sex relationship in a Muslim household. It was Rabbu who “rescued her from the fall”. Lihaaf Summary by Ismat Chughtai - The story is a ‘terrifying’ memory of an unnamed narrator that happened during her childhood. Lihaaf is not only one of Ismat Chughtai’s most celebrated works but was also one of the most controversial, for which she was summoned to court on charges of obscenity. She enjoyed Rabbu’s massage for two or three hours before bath daily. “Begum Jaan…,” I could barely form the words out of fear. A lot of references to homosexuality in males were made in classical poems and masnavis. It is the heteronormative home that allows the space for homosexual relationships. Please update your browser using one of modern browsers (Google Chrome, Opera, Firefox, IE 10). The story narrated from a little girl’s perspective deliberately avoids an explicit articulation of the Nawab’s preoccupation. Communication makes them aware of the incidents happening around us. This is preventive step to curb #abuse Communication also ki…. In Quilt writer also talked about matter of marriage. The story addresses sexuality and hints at lesbian sexual relations without overtly discussing these subjects. Parents should also be…, Thank you everyone to have participated in this tweetchat. The unfolding of homosexual pleasure in a dysfunctional Muslim household is based on the nonreproductive premise of the relationship shared between the Nawab and his wife. She has been given no space to explore her identity or sexuality. This article attempts to discuss the work of Ismat Chughtai (1911-1991) one of the most eminent Urdu writers of the 20th century who was known for her path breaking writings through which she explored social and sexual themes in a period when it was considered taboo for such issues to be out in the public discourse even … The homosexual underpinnings of his social life strategically veiled from the hetero-normative society, goes unnoticed. Thus the Zenana becomes a space for the expression of subversive desires, desires that a woman is forbidden to have, desires that are hidden under the quilt, and thus making the quilt an important symbol for the forbidden desires to slip into familiar spaces. He never allow Begum Jaan to go outside the house, there is only one difference between Begum Jaan and the statue of her house that Begum Jaan could cry on her situation but statue can’t. When Rabbu leaves to visit her son, who had supposedly refused the hospitality of the Nawab, for an indefinite period, there is a nasty turn of events. Stories and ca…, Here's our final question. Published in 1942, Chughtai’s bold, iconoclastic writing sparked a controversy and the author found herself at the receiving end of scathing criticism. Plot Summary | Add Synopsis Off Corse for money. redefines the relationship between a lesbian identity, the Muslim household and the patriarchal institution. 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