Riswa, a genius creator: in the mirror of Amrao Jan Ada

Dr. Shagfta Yasmin
There are many authors who have written countless books but could not get recognition in their time, and there are some who have been granted eternal life by just one of their creations. Mirza Hadi Ruswa has passed away, but his masterpiece novel 'Umrao Jan Ada' is still enough to remind us of him. At a time when Urdu fiction was transitioning from dastaan to novel, Ruswa opened a new door for literary critics by writing 'Umrao Jan Ada'. His real name was Mirza Muhammad Hadi, he was a poet and used the pen name Ruswa. He was born in 1858 in Lucknow. His ancestors were from Iran and had come to India during the Mughal era, and his great-grandfather had settled in Awadh. He received his early education from his father, particularly in mathematics. When he turned sixteen, his father passed away, and the family's livelihood began to deteriorate. He had a passion for education and a taste for it, so he acquired proficiency in Persian, Arabic, English, and other languages and sciences.
He became involved in journalism and also took up other jobs, but his heart was not in it. He turned to alchemy, but that didn't work out either, and he became a teacher at a school in Lucknow. During this time, he privately passed some exams. In 1888, he joined the Red Christian College as a teacher, and in 1901, he moved to Hyderabad and took up a job, but due to poor health, he returned to Lucknow. In 1919, he joined the Darut Tarjuma in Hyderabad, where he translated several books and also wrote a book on comparative philosophy. Mirza Ruswa was a genius who had a deep interest in philosophy, logic, mathematics, medicine, theology, chemistry, music, and astronomy, in addition to poetry. In a short span, he wrote four novels, including 'Afshai Raz' (1896), 'Umrao Jan Ada' (1899), 'Zaat-e-Sharif' (1900), 'Sharifzada' (1900), and 'Akhtri Begum' (1924). Apart from these, several other books are attributed to Ruswa, including 'Fun-e-Zod Naveesi', 'Ruswa's Critical Letters', 'Qutbi Letters', 'Tilsam-e-Asrar', 'Khurshid Bahau', and 'Murqaa-e-Laila Majnu', which are notable works. Despite this, the reason for Ruswa's enduring fame and popularity is his masterpiece novel 'Umrao Jan Ada'. This novel was not only popular during his lifetime, but it has also been adapted into several films in later periods. On the surface, it is the story of a courtesan, told in her own words, but Ruswa has used the character of a courtesan to reflect a declining civilization. In this novel, Umrao Jan's character and the culture of Lucknow run parallel to each other. Umrao represents a civilization and narrates her story, and in the background, an era comes alive. While reading the novel, one wonders why a courtesan was chosen as the central character to portray the social, economic, and cultural life of a particular era. However, as the novel progresses, the answer to this question emerges with logical justification, and by the end, the reader is forced to appreciate Ruswa's choice.
At that time, when education was not widespread, and there were no modern means of entertainment, the courtesan quarters were not only the center of entertainment but also the hub of culture, where the aristocracy would send their children to learn etiquette, sitting, and polite conversation. These quarters were the institutions where one could learn the nuances of language, poetry, dance, music, and the finer aspects of culture. Ruswa wanted to portray a civilization, and all the characters that represented this civilization could be brought to the scene through the courtesan quarters. From the aristocracy to the lowest classes, everyone had access to these quarters, as long as they had the purchasing power. In this novel, on one hand, there are characters like Khanum Jan, Bua Hussaini, Maulvi Sahib, Bismillah Jan, Khurshid Jan, and Gohar Mirza, and on the other hand, there are characters like Dilawar Khan, Pir Bakhsh, Karim, Ali Bakhsh, Nawab Sultan, Nawab Chhaban, Fazl Ali, Faiz Ali Khan, Raja Dhiyan Singh, and Akbar Ali Khan, each with their own story and character, and they all contribute to the plot of the novel through their actions, behavior, and conversations. Ruswa has skillfully portrayed the culture, traditions, and lifestyle of the lower, middle, and upper classes of Lucknow through these characters.
The existence of a courtesan has always been controversial. It is a creature that even the so-called civilized society shuns. The selection of the courtesan market is not a matter of choice but rather a matter of fate. From Amiran to Umrao, her journey is not a matter of her own will. She was a tender shoot in her father's courtyard, which was plucked before its time and turned to dust. The honesty and integrity of her father are punished, and Amiran spends her entire life paying the price. Fate is a powerful force. Amiran ends up in a courtesan quarter, while Ram Dei ends up in a noble's harem. The situation could have been reversed, but Umrao is checkmated, not once but twice.
Some critics believe that Umrao Jan's character is a product of Ruswa's imagination, and indeed, such a character may not have existed in reality. However, Ruswa has confessed in his introductory remarks that Umrao's speech was very refined, and why not? She was educated and had been raised in a high-class courtesan quarter, had the company of princes and nobles, and had access to royal courts and begums. As she narrated her story, I would write it down, hiding from her. After completing the manuscript, I showed it to her. She was very upset, but what could be done? She read it herself and corrected any remaining errors.
I have known Umrao since the time she had a relationship with Nawab Sahib, and I would often visit her. Whatever is narrated in this story, I have no doubt about its accuracy, but this is my personal opinion. Readers can draw their own conclusions.
The fact remains that the social and cultural portrayal in this novel is so effective and heart-wrenching that it seems more like reality than fiction. This novel is a portrait gallery of 19th-century Lucknow, where the lifestyle, attire, language, literary trends, religious beliefs, and customs of the people of Lucknow and some surrounding towns are vividly depicted. Ruswa's descriptive skill is exceptional. Whether it is the description of Umrao's ancestral home and its surroundings or the grand courtesan quarter and its garden, or the scenes of the fair in Aishbagh, it seems as if the reader has actually arrived at the scene and is witnessing everything with their own eyes. The description of the fair in Aishbagh is particularly noteworthy.
The strongest aspect of this novel is the psychological analysis of its characters. The characters of Nawab Sultan, Nawab Chhaban, Bismillah, and his lover Maulvi Sahib, Khurshid Jan, Gohar Mirza, Bua Hussaini, Khanum Jan, and Umrao Jan herself are each unique. Khanum Jan's remark, "What's the point of coming if you don't have money?" is enough to reveal the psychology of a courtesan. The novel's emotional portrayal is unmatched, especially the scene where Umrao arrives at her hometown of Faizabad, sees her old house, the amli tree, and her mother, and is overcome with emotion. The scene where her mother, after initial hesitation, finally meets Umrao and breaks down upon seeing the scar behind her ear is so poignant that it moves the reader to tears.
Throughout the novel, a sense of sorrow and longing pervades, whether it is the decline of the Mughal civilization, the disintegration of values, the hollowness of pretentiousness and superficiality, or the plight of women, which has been a constant companion to their existence since time immemorial.