own follies and weaknesses and sis and nothing of value, nothing of

abading worth or beauty; take t all with you for the enriching of the
temple, that is the tenple of liberry. March with me to the temple of
liberty. I carry the standard in my hands. Comradcs, march with me
till we rech the goal"

ROKEYA SAKHaWAT HosSAIN.

(1880-1932) Enghish

In her witty utopian fantasy, "Sultana's Drcam." 1905. probably the first
such work in Indsan litTature, Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain describes a world
wheTe men ire contincd to the murdkama and women have takcn over the
ffairs of the country. War and crime are unheard of in this tastefully
otdercd world, where cooking s so stnpk that it is a pleasure, horticul-
ture is a seriaus business, and science is used in the service of humanity.
Her husband, Sakhawat Hossaitn. proudly remarked that the story was "a
terrible revenge on men.
This couragcous teninist wntet and activist who worked all her life to
remove what she called the "purdah of ignorance," was born in Pairaband,
village in what is now Bangladesh. Her fathes, Mohammed Abu Ali
Saheb. was a rch andord amd an orthodox Musli. Of her moeher we
know very litte. Rokeya's rwo brothers were educated at St. Xaviet's.
o1c t C.alcurta's must prestigious colleges, but she and her sisters. Kari-
munesa and Humaira, were not sent to school, though they did have
traditional eduration at homw. Karimunessa, Rokeya writes in a warm trib-
ute to her stster. painstakingly taught herself to read Hengali. Even though
Musim yirlk commonly learned to recite the Koran and picked up enough
Urdu to read books. such as Maulana Thanawi's Bihislti Zevar (Heavenly
Riches). that were popular prescriptions for fcmiine conduct. thry were
not usually eneouraged to learn Bengalh When Karimunessa's interests.
spccialy her love of Bengali iterature, were discovered, she was sent to
under
ve the case supervision of her grandparents and married of
soon
Rokeya was lhuckier. With her brother ibrahim Saber's support, she was
able to learn English snd Bengali. though she had to do so secretly, at
nght atter everyonc in the house was zskep. In her csays Rokeya speaks

Thr muriand is thr wn's quarters tn the household. The section t which wtnen
WITC tMriuted a s the 2man

340 REFORM AND NATIONALIST MOvEMENTS

 ber bruther and sistcr
warmly of the support stie always receivcd trom
Kariumunessa would have been omc
"lt society had not been s o oppressive.
of the brightest ewels of thas country," she oncc wTute.
Syed Sakhawat Hossa1,
Rokeya was married when she was eighteen to

district mag1strate in Bihar. His first wite had

widower who was then a

Of Rokeya's children, none survivrd

died after their daughter was born.
cducaton w a s thc best cure tor
Sakhawat Hossain behevcd thut women's
the evils thar plagued his socicty. He encouraged
an only to willing Rok-
eya to write. Enthused by his ycRIng
wite's interest in women's education,
school for
he set aside ten thusand rupees from his uvings
tu start

eleven years after they had

Mushm women. When he died in 190. just
hus mcmory
been married, Rokeya started the school in Bhagalpur
in

A quarrel with her

There were only five students. but she was undaunted.
sim1lar to o n e she de-
stepdaughter's hushand over property. however.
to abandon her house,
scribes in the emg essay "Griha" (Home). forced her
close the school in Bhagalput. and return to Cakutta. where she lived
until her death. There she began again in 1911.
This time the school had
cight students but she worked hard, at great personal cost and in the fac
She also took great interest in civic
of much opposirio, to buiid it
up.
atfairs and was a Anumane-Khawatin-c Islam (the Asso-
member ot the
ciation for Muslim Women), to which Sughra Humayun Mirza of Hyder
abad also belonged. and was involved in many activities designed to help
other wonen At Rokeya's invitation, an atnual sesson of the newly
formed AI India Women's Contercnce was held in C.akcutta
chcit
of Rokeya's essays, which were written Bengali. scought n to
Many
support tor the cause of women; they were published during the tweuty

or so she spent in Cakutta after her husband's dcath Writing rom

years
Bangladesh where Rokeya has received more recognirion than she has in
India. the scholar Roushan Jahan. who has translated some of her work
tnto Eng1sh, compares the eSsays in the two voumes of Motickur (Pearl
Dust) to the work of the coghtecnth-century English femanist Mary Woll
stonccraft an T indicutiom of the Rights af Woman. Though it is very unlikely
that Rokeya would have known about or read WollstonccTatt, in Dccem-
ber 1932. shortly before her death, she was at work on the essuy "Nant
Adhikar" The Rights of Women). which remauned untinished.
In one of her carltet cssays, Rokeya had argurd that if the main obyect of

wearing ornaments is to display i husband's wealth. "I could tell you

few ways in which you could do this. Why don't you decurate your pet
dog with your necklace? When you go riding on your horse carrnages.
deck yaur horse with your brautiful ornanents. You could use your ban
and bracelets as curtain rings in your drawing room. That he
gles
the proper way of being cxtravagant with ycur husband's, the Nawab's,
waukd
money If men want their wealth displayed, do it in the manner 1 have
suggested. But why dispiay their wealth on your body? That ts nothng

RoREYA SAKHAWAT HossAIN 341

but a synbol of your slavery." "Prisoners," she adds, "wcar handeuffs
made of iron, we wcar bracelets made of gold or silver." This witty and
imagnative pokemc was typical of Rokeya's writing. In Annhhasini (Se-
claded Women), a seris of articles published in the Afuhamadhu terween 1928
atud 1934, she presents a sequence otf predicaments, sormetines moving. o
casion1lly pathetic, but mostly ridiculous, that the practice of purdah resulted

in. Many of the essays in the two volumes of Motichur, 1905 and 1921, and
in Pipsa (Thirst). 1922, ire similarly anccdotal and argur a casc, citing imci-
dent after m ident, cach vividly and humorously described. Rokeya also wrote
ne
novel. Patmuaaga (Ruby), in Bengalh "Sultana's Dream" was first written
in Englsh and then translated by the author into Bengali.
Lske her contemporary Pandita Ramabai in had
face much criticism.
Maharashtra. Rokeya to
Her writings were constantly attackcd by sone who
wished to protect religuous orthodoxy and orhers who comidered her an
inational To hcr, one critic complaincd, "everything Indian is bad and
cverything Euro-Amercan good."
Rokeya died when she was fifty-three, suddenly, of heart failure. Ar a
memorial service organzed
at
Caleutta's
prestigious Albert Hall. Kazi
Abdul Udud asked. "If such intellbgence, culture, and independence could
have been reared in a person who grew up and lived in the dark confines
uf the home with its marny restrictions and suppresssons. what have Ben-
gali Musluns to be fearful about?"

SULTANA'S DREAM

Oe evening | was lounging in an casy chair in my bedroom and

thinkng lazily of the conditon of Indian womanhood. I am not sure
whether dozed off or not. But, as far as I remember, I was wide
awake. I saw the moonl1t sky sparkling with thousands of diamond-
ike stars. very distinctly.
All of a sudden a lady stond before me: how she came n. I do not
know. I took her for my fricnd, Sister Sara
"Croad morning," sai Sister Sara. I smiled inwardly as I knew it
Was not morning, but starry night. However. I repied to her, say1ng.
"How do you do?"
*"I am all raght. thank you. Will you please come out and have a look
at our garden?
I noked again at the moon through the open window, and thought
there was Do harm n going out at that time. The men-scrvants outside
were fast asleep just then, and I could have a pleasant walk with Sister
Sara

342 RiORM AND NATIONALIST MovEMENTS

 I used to take my walks with Sister Sara. when we were at Darjee-
ling. Many a time did we walk hand in hand and talk light-hcartedly
in the Botanical gardens there. I fancied Sister Sara had probably come
to take me to some such garden. and I readily accepted her offer and
Went out with her.
When walking I found to my surprise that it was a fine morning.
The town was fully awake and the strects alive with bustling crowds
I felt very shy, since I was walking in the strcet in broad dayl1ght. but
there was not a single man visible.
Some of the pasets-by uade jokes at me. ThoughI could not un-
derstand their language, yet I felt sure they were joking. I asked my
friend, "What do they say?
The women say that you look very mannish.
"Mannish?" said I, "What do they mean by that?"
They mcan that you are shy and timid ike men."
"Shy and tmid lbke men?" lt was really a joke. I became very ner-
vous, when I found that my companion was not Sister Sara. bur a
stranger Oh, what a fool had I been to mistake this lady for my dear
old friend. Sister Sara
She felt my fingers tremble in her hand, as we were walking hand
in hand.
What is the mattet. dear. dear?" she said affectionately.
"I feel somwhar awkward," I said in a rather apoBogising tone, "as
bcing a purdahnashin woman.I am not accustomcd to walking about
unveiled."
*You need not be atraid of coung across a man here. This is Lady-
land, free from sin and harm. Virtue herseltf reigns here."
By and by I was enjoying the scenery. Really it was very grand.
mistook a patch of greCn grass for a velvet cushion Feeling as if l were
walking on a sofi carpet, I iooked down and found the path covered
with moss and flowers.
"How n c e it is." said I.
Do you like it?" asked Sister Sara. (1 continued calling her "Sister
Sara." and she kept calling me by my nanme.)
"Ys, very much: but I do not ike to trcad on the tender and sweet
tlowers.
Never mind, dear Sultana. Your treading will not harm then1; they
are street flowers."
The whole place looks ike a garden," said I admirngly. "You have
arranged cvery plant so skilfully."

RoKEYASAKHAWAT HossAIN 343

 "Your Caleutta could became a nicer garden than th1s, if only your

cOuntryiien wanted to make it so."

"They would think it uscdess to give so much attention to horticul-
ture, while they have so many other things to do.
"They could not find a better exeuse," said she with j4l smile.
I became very curious to know where the men were. I met more
than a hundred women while walking there. but not a single man.
Where are the men?" I asked her.
"In their propet places, where they ought to be."
"Pray let me know what you mean by 'their proper places.
O . I see my mistake, you cannot know olr customs, as you wete
never here before. We shut our mnen induors"
Just as we are kept in the Zenana?"

"Exactly so."
How funny." I burst into a laugh. Sister Sara laugbed too.
Bur dear Sultana, how unfair it is to shut in the harmless wonen
and let loose the men."
"Why? It is not safe for us to come out of the zenana, as we are
naturally weak"
"Yes. it is not safe so long as there are men about the streets, nor is
it so when i wild animal enters a marketpiare
"Of course not
"Suppose, some lunatics escape trom the asylum and begin to do all
sorts of mischief to men, horses and otheT CTeatures, in that case what
will your countrymen do?"
They will try to capture them and pur them back into their asy-
lum.
Thank you! And you do not think it wise to keep sane people inside
an asyium and let loose the insane?
"Of course not!" said I aughing lightly.
"As a matter of fact. in your country this very thing is done! Men.
who do or at least are capable ot doing no cnd of mischief, are let laose
and the innocent women shut up in the zenana! How can you trust
chose untraned men out of doxors?
We have no hand or voice in che management of our social afairs.
In India man is lord and master. He has taken to himseif all powers
and povileges and shut up the the
women in
zenana.
"Why do you allow yourselves to be shut up?"
"Berause it cannot be helped as they are stronger than women."
"A lion is stronger than a mun, but it does nox enable him to dom-
itate the hurnan race. You have ncglected the duty you owe to your-

344 REFORM ANID NATONALIST MovEMENTs

selves and you have lost your natural nghts by shutting your cyes to

your own interests."

"But my dear sister Sara, if we do everything by oursclves, what
will the men do then?
"They should not do anything. excuse ne; they are it for nothing.
Only catch them and put therm into the zenana."
"But would it be very casy to catch and put them inside the four
walls?"" said 1 "And even if this were done. would all thesr business
zenana!"
polhtical and commercial-also go with them into the
she
Sister Sara made no reply. Shc only smiled sweetly. Perhaps
thought it useless to argue w'ith one who was no better than a
trog in

well
this time reached Stster Sata's house. It was situated in a
By we
beautiful heart-shaped garden. lt was a bungalow with a corrugated
iron roof. It was cooler and nicer than any of our rich buildings. T
cannot descnibe how neat and how nicely furnished and how tastefully
decorated it was.
We sat side by side. She brought out of the parlour a picce of cn-
broidery work and began purting on a fresh design.
"Do you know how to knit and do neediework?"
Yes: we have noching else to do in our zenana.
"But we do not trust our zenana members with embroickery!" she
said laughing. "as a man has not patience enough to pass thread through
needlehole even!"
"Have you done all this work yourself"I asked her pointing to the
various picces of embroidered teapoy cloths.
Yes
"How can you find time to do all thesc? You have to do the office
work as well? Have you not?
"Yes. I do not stick to the iaboratory all day long. I finish my work
in two hours"
"In two hours! How do you manage? In our land the officers, mag-
istrates for instance, work seven hours daily.
"I have secn some of them doing their work Do you think they
work all the seven hours?"
"Certainly they do!"
"No, dear Sultana, they do not. They dawde away thcir time in
smoking. Some smoke two or three cheroots during the oftice time.
They talk much about their work, but do litte. Suppose one cheroot
takes half an hour to burn off, and a man smokes twelve chetoots daily;
then you see. he wastes six hours every day in sheet smoking.

RoKEYA SAKHAWAT HossAIN 345

 We talked on varous subjects: and I learned that they were not sub-
Ject to any kind of cpidemic discase-nor did they
suffer from
do. I was very much astonished to hear that in
mosquito-bites as we

Ladyland no oe dicd in youth except by rare accident

*"Will you care to ser our kitchen?" she asked me.
"With pleasure," said 1. and we went to see it. Of course the men
had been asked to clear off when I was going there. The kitchen was
situated in a beautiful vegetable garden. Every crecpet, every tomato
plant was tsclf an ornanent. I found no smoke. nor any chimney
either in the kitchen,-it was clean and brigbt. the windows were der-
orated with flower garlancds. There was no sign of coal or fire.
"How do you cook?"l asked.
"With solar heat," she said, at the same tinme showing me the ppe,
through which passed the concentrated sunlight and heat. And she*
cooked something then and there to show me the process.
"How did you manage to gather and store up the sun heat?"I asked
her in amazenent
"Let me tell you a little of our past history then. Thirty years ago.
when our present Queen was thirteen yeats old, she inherited the
throne. Sh was Quccn in namc only. the Prane Minister really ruling
the country.
"Our good Qucen liked science very nuch. She circulated an order
that all the women m her country sbould be educated. Accordingly a
number of g1rls' schvols were founded and supported by the Govern-
ment. Education was spread far and wide among women. And early
marriage also was stopped. No woman was to be allowed to marry
before she was twenty-one. I must tell you that, befure this change we
had been kept im strict-purdah."
How the tables are turned," T nterposed with a laugh.
"Bur the secusion is the same. stc sand. "In a tew yeats we had
eparate universstics, where no men were admitted.
"In the capital, where our Qucen ives. there arc two universties
One of these invented a wonderful balkoun. to whuch they attached a
urmber of pipes. By means of this captive balloon which they managed
to keep atloat above the cloud-land, they could draw as much watcr
from the tmosphere as they pleased. As the water was incessantly
beng drawn by the University people, no ckoud gathered and the in-
genous lady Principal stopped rain and storins thereby.
"Rcally' Now I understand why there is no mud here! sard I But
T could not understand how it was possible to accumulate water in the
popes. She explained to me how it was done: but I was unable tu

346 REFORM ANI» NATONALIST MovEMENTS

understand her. as my scientitic knowledge was very limited. How-
cver, she went on,-
Whcn the other university came to know of this, they became ex-
cecdingly jealous and tned tor do something more extraordinary stil.
They inventod an instrument by which they could collect as much sun-
heat as they wanted. And they kept the heat stored up to be distributed
among others as required.
"While the women were engaged in scientitic researches, the nen of
this country were busy increasing their military power. When they
came to know that the female universities weTe able to draw water
from the atmosphere and collect heat from the sun, they only laughed
at the members of the universities and called the whole thing 'a sen-
timcntal nightmareT"
Your achievements are very wonderful indeed! But teil me, how
you managed to put the men of your country into the zenana. Did you
entrap them first?"
"No."
"It is not likely thar they would surrender their free and open air
ife of their own accord and confine themselves within the four walis
of the zetarua! They must have becen overpowercd."
Yes, they have been!
"By whom?-by some lady-warriors. I suppose?"
"No, not by arms."
*Yes, it cannot be so. Men's arms are stronger than women's"

Then?
By brain"
"Even their brains are bigger and heavier than wonen's. Arc they
not?
"Yes, but what of tha? An clephant also has got a bigger and heavier
brain than a man has. Yet men can enchain elephants and cmploy them,
according to their own wishes."
Well said, but tell me please. how it all actualy happened. 1 amn
dying to know it"
Women's brains arc somewhat quicker than men's. Ten ycars ago,
when the military offhcers called our scientific discoverics 'a sentimen-
tal nightmare,' sorme of the young lades w anted to say something in
reply to those remarks. But hoth the Lady PrincipaBs restrained them
and sand. they should reply, not by word, but by deed, if ever they got
the opportunity. And they had not long to wait for that opportuniry."
"How marve!lous"" I heartily clapped my hands

ROKEYA SAKHaWaT HossAIN 347

 And now the proud gentlemen are dreaning sentimental dreams
themselvcs.
"Soon afterwards certain persons came fromn a neighbouring country
and took shelter in ours. They were in trouble having comnstted sone
poitcal ofence. The King who cared more for power than for gocd
them over to his
gOvernent askod our kind-hearted Qucen to hand
officers. She refuscd. as it was against her principle to turn out refu-
Rees. For this refusal the King declared war against our country.
*"Our miitary oficers sprang to their feet ar once and marched out

to meet the encmy.

"The enemy however. was too strong for them. Our soldiers fought
bravely, na doubt. But in spitc of all their bravery the foreign army
advanced step by step to invade our country.
"Ncarly all the men had gone out to fighr; even a boy of sixteen was
not ieft home. Most of our warriors were killed, the rest driven back
and the enemy came within twenty-five miles of the capital.
"A meeting of a number of wise ladies was held at the Queen's
palace to advise (as) to what should be done to save the land
"Some proposed to fight ike soldicrs; others objected and said that
women were not trained to fight with swords and guns; nor were they
accustoned to fighting with any weapons. A third party regretfully
remarked that they were hupelessly weak of body.
"If you cannot save your country for lack of physical strength, said
the Qucen, try to do so by brain power.
"There was a ded silence for a few minutes. Her Royal Highness
sad again. T must commit suicide if the land and my honour are kost.
"Then the Lady Principal of the second University. (who had col-
lected sun-heat). who had been silently thinking during the consulta-
tion. remurked that they were all but lost: and there was little hope
left for them There was however, one plan which she would like to
ry, and this would be her first and last efforts: if she failed in this.
there would be nothing left but to commit suicade. All present sol-
cnly vewcd they
that never allow themselves to br
wauld enslaved
what
no matter
happened.
"The Qucen thanked them heartily, and asked the Lady Principal to
try her plan.
The Lady Principal roe agan and satd,. betore we go out the men
must enter the
Yes, of course.'
zenanas. I make this prayer tor the sake of
purdah.
replied Her Royal Highness.
On the following day the Qucen called upon all men to retre into
zenanas tor the sake of honour and
1berty.
348 REFORM AND NATIONALIST MOVEMENTS
 Wounded and tired andasthey were, they took that order rather fora
ctered
boon! They bowed low the zenanas without uttering
single word of protcst. They were sure that there was no hope for this
a

country at all.
"Then the Lady Principal with her rwo thousand srudents marched
to the battieficld, and arriving there directed all the rays of the con-
centrated sunlight and heat towards the enemy.
The heat and ight were too much for them to bear. They all ran
away panic-stricken, not knowing in their bewilderment how to coun-
teract that scorching heat. When they fled away leaving their guns and
other armunitions of war, they were burnt down by means of the
same sun-heat.
"Since then no one has tried to invade our country any more."
"And since then yur countrymen never tned to come out of the
zenana?"
"Yes. they wanted to be free. Some of the Police Commissioners
and District Magistrates sent word to the Qucen to the etfect that the
Military Oicers certainly deserved to he imprisoned for their failure;
but they never neglected their duty and thercfore they should not be
punished and they prayed to be restored to their respective offices.
"Her Royal Highness sent them a circular letter intimating to them
that if their services sbould ever be necded they would be sent for. and
that in the meanwhile they should remain where they were.
"Now that they are ccustomed to the purdah system and have
ceased to grumble at their sechusion, we call the system 'Murdana'
instead of 'zenana"
"But how do you manage." I asked Sister Sara, "to do withour the
Police or Magistrates in case of theft or murder?"
"Since the 'Murdana' system has been established, there has been no
more crimne or sin; therefore we do not require a Policeman to find out
a culprit, nor do we want a Magistrate to try a eriminal case."
That is very good, indeed. I suppose if there were any dishones
person. you could very easily chastise het. As you gained a decisive
victory without shcdd1ng a single drop of blood. you could drive off
crime and criminals too without much difficultey!"
Now. dcar Sultana, will you it here or come to my parlour?" she
asked me.
Your kitchen is not inferior to a queen's houdoir!" I replicd with a
pleasant snmile, "bur we must leave it now; for the gentlemen may be
cursing me for keeping them away from their duties in the kitchen so
long." Wc both laughed heartily.

RoKEYA SAKHAWAT HossAIN 349

 amazed. when I go
will be amused and
fraends ar home rule o v e r the
"How my
far-off i d y l a n i , ladaes
the
back and tell
them that in in the
inatters, while gentlennen are kept
control all social
country and and to do all
sorts ot domesti
babies, to cook
Murdanas to mind i plcasure
a thing that it is siTipiy
is s o easy
work: and that cooking
to cook!
about at you see here."
*"Yes, teli them cultuvation and how
on lar1d
"Please let me know, how you carry
work."
other hard manual
the land and do
you plough electricity, which supplies
notive
ficlds ate tilled by mcans of
"Our it tor our aenal
well and we cnmploy
power for
other hard work as
here."
too. We have no railroad
n o r any paved streets
conveyances
sad I
"Therefore neither street n o r railway
accidents occur
here,
asked.
Do not you ever suffer from want
of rainwater?"I
the big
"Never since
has bren set up. You ser
the 'water balloon uch
thereto. By their aid w e can draw as
balloon and pipes attached
flood or thun-
rainwater we Nor do we e v e r sutfer trom
require. inuch as she
derstorms We are making nature yeld as
all very busy
sit
to quarrel with one another
as w e never
Can. We do not find time
fond of Botany; it is her ambition
idle.Our noble Queen is exceedingly
to convert the whole country into one graid garden."
The sdea 1s cxcellent. What s your chief food?"
"Fruits
"How da yau keeP your country cool in hot weathe? We regatd
the raintall tn sumner as a bless1ng from heaven.
When the hrat becommes unbrarable, we sprinkle the ground with
showers drawn from the artificial fountains And in cokd
plentiful
weather we keep our room warm with sun-heat
She showed me her bathruom, the roof of which was remnovable.
She could enjoy a showeT bath whenever she liked. by simply remov-
ing the roof (which was like the id of a box) atnd turning on the tap
of the shower pipe.
"You are a lucky pcople!" ejaculatod I *You know no want. What
is your relgion, may I ask?**
Our religion is based on Love and Truth. It is our religious dury
to love
ose another and to be absolutely truthful. If any

she or he i s
peron lies.

"Pumsled with death?"

"No; not with death. We do not take pleasure n killing a creature
of God,-speciaily a human being. The iar is askcd tw leave this land
tor good atid ncver to come to it agan

350 REFORM ANID NATIONALIST MOVEMENTS

 "Is an ofender never torgiven?
person repents sincerely."
*"Yes, if that
"Are you not allowed to see any men. exccpt your own relations?

*"No one except sacred relations.

very limited to, even tirst cousns
"Our circle of sacTed relatñons is

re not sacred.
"But ours is very large; a distant cousin is as sacred as a brother.

I Purity itself reigns over your land. I should

That is very good. ser
and
like to see the good Queen, who is so sagacsous and tarssghted

who has made all these rules."

"All right," said Sister Sara.
To
Then she screwed a
couple ot seats on to a squarc pece of plank.
smooth and well-polished balls. When
this plank she attached rwo

were hydrogen balis

asked her whar the balls were for, she said, they
The balls were
and they were used to o v e r c o m e the torce of gravity.
of different capacities to be used according to the ditferent weights
desired to be overcome. She then fastened to the air-car two wing-like

blades, which, she said, were worked by clectricity. After we were

comfortably seated sbe touched a knob and the blades began to whirl
to the
oving taster and faster every moment. At first we weTe raised
six o r seven feet and then off w e tlew. And before
height of about
coulkd realizc that we had commenced noving, we reached the Garden
of the Queen.
the action ot the ma-
My nend lowercd the air-car by reversang
chinc, and when the car touchcd the ground the machine was stoppcd
and we got out.
T had seen fron the air-rar the Qucen walking on a garden path with
her little daughter (who was four years old) and her maids of honour.
"Halloo! you here'" cricd the Queen addressing Sister Sara. I was
introduccd to Her Royal Highness and was received by her cordially
without any ceremony
I was very much dclighted to make her acquaintance. In jthe| course
of the conversation I had with her. the Qucen told me that she had no
objection to permitting ber subyects to trade with other countres
"Bur." she continued, "no trade was possible with countries where the
women wetre kept in the zenanas and so unable to come and trade with
us. Men, we find, are rather of lower moras and so we do not ike
dealing with them. We do not covet other people's land, we do not
fight for a piece of diamond though it may be a thousand-fold bnghter
than the Koh-i-Noor, nor do we grudge a ruler his Peacock Throne
We dive deep into the ocean of knowledge and try tu find out the

ROKEYA SAKHaWAr HossaiN 351

 precious gerns, which Nature has kept in store for us. We cnjoy Na-
ture's gifts as much as we can.
After taking leave of the Qucen. I visited the famous universties.
and was shown over some of their manutactories, iaboratorics and
bservatories.
After visiting the above places of interest we got agan nto the air-
car, but as soon as it began moving I somehow slipped down and the
fall startled me out of my dreamn. And on opening my eyes. I found
myself in my own bedroom still loung1ng in the casy-cha1r.

BAHINABAI CHAUDHARI.
(ca. 1880-1951) Marathi

t was like treasure buried in a field when Maharashtra discovered Bah-

nabat's puctry last ycar." P. K. Atre wrote in the pretace to the first
cdition (1952) of the poems of this cotton farmer from the Jalgaon district.
Bahinabai's songsipoems ire composcd in the oni neter traditionally
used in rhythmic accompaniment to the grinding of grain on the hakks
(hand mlh and in hullabies. But like grinding or pounding songs, work
songs, or lulabres in all Indian languages, they range widely in theme,
mxd. and tone. She uses a mixture of two diakcts prevalent in the north
ern coton-farming distrcts of Maharashtra: Khadesi and Varhadi. She
wis no literate. but as is obvious from her philosophical poetry. she was
far from uneducated In one of her pocms she declares that Ram was he
school and Saraswat1 her teacher. She is obviously referring to the rich
ural traditson of religious literature recited in the katka kitans, but to that
her experienee as a coton farniea, woman, a
shemight have added
maher, and fricnd.
The story of how these poems cCame to be written and later published is
wth reounting. Her son. Sopandev Chaudhari (1907-1982). a poct
himselt, oeICe read the story of Savitri and Satyavan to her from his pri-
11ary school textbook. By next morning she had transfornied the take inta
song in the ovi meter. Sopandev. struck by his mother's talent. wrote
down s o w ot her songs in a notebook, but they were set iside and
for
goten. Several years later, after her death, when he was sorting out her
he came
things, acros the notehook again The story is now taken aver
hy Atre. Sopandev, he writes, "was a shy man He must have thought
that the 'educated and cultured' reader of Maharashtra would not appre-
cTate the beauty of his mothet's Khandesi dialect. He happencd to visit me

352 RErORM AND NATONALIST MoVEMENTs