Page 60 - 15FEB2019E

OPINION

Spouses play crucial

role in key people’s lives

There existed a definite period in the recent history of our country
DILEMMAS when wives did play a prominent role in the political struggles of

their husbands. But better halves rarely admit their contributions
HUMRA
QURAISHI
ave you noticed that we no its own. Ba was a fighter, both in life
longer talk of spouses’ role and in politics.” Not to be overlooked is
The Delhi-based writer in the lives of the political the fact that Kasturba Gandhi or Ba, as
and columnist’s books who’s who. Strange or not she was popularly called, was the first
include Kashmir: The really. I do realise that a Indian woman who voluntarily faced a
Untold Story. She co- H high percentage of mar- jail sentence in a foreign soil — in South
authored a series of riages are crumbling, but even if intact Africa- in her fight for basic rights for
writings with the late it’s the social sites which play the decisive Indian women.
Khushwant Singh and role in the very survival graphs of the Of course, not to be bypassed the de-
her short stories are modern day kings and the king- makers termined way in which she took on and
part of anthologies. of this country! Nah, not the wives! And fought for the causes and pledges started
The views expressed then, to top it all, we continue to talk and by her husband when he was jailed in In-
are her own over-talk of women empowerment and dia. She was his companion and partner
whatever goes along with it! in all his struggles. Standing by him and
Thankfully there existed a definite pe- with him all through.
riod in the recent history of our country There are several touching incidents
when wives did play a prominent role in detailed in this volume…perhaps, the
the political struggles of their husbands. most hitting is the last chapter carrying
In fact, what’s prompted me into writing details to Kasturba’s passing away in jail
this is this recently launched book on — in the Agha Khan Palace — where she
Kasturba Gandhi- Kasturba Gandhi — A was last jailed.
bio-fiction. Published by Niyogi Books, To quote, “On February 23, her body
written by Giriraj Kishore, it’s been trans- was placed for public view. About hun-
lated from Hindi by Manisha Chaudhry. dred and fifty friends and relatives had
It’s a 424 pages volume and I read it at come. Hindus, Muslims, Parsis, politicians
one go. You could say I simply flowed and Britishers — people from all commu-
along with the flow, as it’s brilliantly writ- nities were arriving. The pyre was burn-
ten. Deftly woven and inter-woven are ing when Ramdas arrived. He wished his
facts and all those significant incidents father and sat cross-legged on the floor.
from the lives and times of Kasturba Gan- He was reserved. That night, Ramdas and
dhi and her husband, Mahatma Gandhi, Devdas had permission to stay in the Pal-
and family. ace. As the two brothers sat by Bapu, their
You could describe this volume as eyes flowed with tears. Bapu placed his
the fictionalised biography of Kasturba hands on their shoulders. ‘For me it was
Gandhi but I would go ahead and call partnership of sixty-two years. Some-
it a historical novel which ought to be times I would think if both of us went
introduced as the school and college together…but death keeps her secrets and
levels, so that this upcoming generation takes everybody separately. I had prayed
can grasp the role played by Kasturba that if we cannot go together, take Kastur
Gandhi not just in the life of her husband first. I will manage, but how will she live
but also in the bigger and wider after having lived with a man like me…?
context. Work tires you out but parting and sor-
“Her personality has a vastness of row almost kill you with the strain …’”

TEHELKA / 15 FEBRUARY 2019 60 WWW.TEHELKA.COM

60-61 Opinion Humra.indd 2 2/1/2019 8:28:47 PM