English: Indian Writing in English Translation

Q1. (a) Explain with reference to context:
"In winter when I put a quilt over myself its shadows on the wall seem to sway like an elephant. That sets my mind racing into the labyrinth of times past. Memories come crowding in."

Answer -

Introduction
These lines are from the short story Lihaaf by Ismat Chughtai written in 1941 and published sometime later in 1942. The story is narrated by a young girl who recalls her past experiences whenever she sees a quilt moving in winter. The moving shadows of the quilt remind her of a scary memory from when she was a child. This triggers a flood of memories, taking her back to her stay at Begum Jan's house. The quilt becomes a powerful symbol in the story, representing hidden emotions and suppressed truths.

Click Here For Full Notes

About the Author

Ismat Chughtai (21 August 1915-24 October 1991) was an Indian Urdu novelist, short story writer, liberal humanist and filmmaker born in Badayun, a small town in western Uttar Pradesh. She was a strong feminist write who wrote on themes such as female sexuality, femininity and middle-class gentility. Her famous works include: Amar Bel, Chauthi Ka Joda, Jawaani, Bichchu Phupiy. She became notorious in 1942 for her work Lihaaf which is based on homosexuality. Ismat Chughtai remains an integral figure in Urdu literature till date.

Click Here For Full Notes

Summary of The Quilt (Lihaaf):

The story Lihaaf is told from the perspective of a young girl who stays at her aunt, Begum Jaan's house. Begum Jaan is a beautiful woman who has lived a very sad life after marriage. Her husband, the Nawab, is much older and is respected for never visiting prostitutes. However, it is later revealed that he is not interested in women but in boys. This leaves Begum Jaan lonely and unhappy.

She finds comfort in Rabbu, her servant, who is always massaging her body. Rabbu is not very pretty but is skilled with her hands. When the narrator stays at Begum Jaan's house, she notices strange things. At night, she sees shadows moving under Begum Jaan's quilt, which scare her. When Rabbu is not around, Begum Jaan becomes irritated and upset.
The narrator is deeply disturbed when Begum Jaan behaves inappropriately with her in Rabbu's absence. One night, she turns on the light and sees something under the quilt that shocks her, but the story ends without revealing what it is.
The story hints at a close relationship between Begum Jaan and Rabbu, but it is never directly stated.
"In winter when I put a quilt over myself its shadows on the wall seem to sway like an elephant. That sets my mind racing into the labyrinth of times past.
Memories come crowding in,"

Click Here For Full Notes

Explanation with Reference to Context

• In Lihaaf, the quilt (lihaaf) is an important symbol. It represents both comfort and hiding. The main character, Begum Jaan, is a lonely woman. Her husband, Nawab Sahib, does not care about her and spends time with his male friends instead. Feeling alone, Begum Jaan finds support and closeness with her maid, Rabbo. The quilt acts as a cover, both literally and symbolically, hiding their relationship from society.

"In winter when I put a quilt over myself its shadows on the wall seem to sway like an elephant."

• The line in question reflects the young narrator's perspective and aligns with the themes of the story. When the narrator describes the quilt's shadows swaying like an elephant, it evokes a sense of mystery and hidden truths. The elephant, a large and imposing creature, symbolizes something that cannot be ignored yet is often overlooked or misunderstood. In the context of Lihaaf, the elephant-like shadows represent the unspoken and repressed desires that lie beneath the surface of Begum Jaan's life. The quilt, with its shifting shadows, becomes a metaphor for the complexities of her emotions and the secrets she hides. The young narrator, in her innocence, may not fully grasp the depth of this terror, but the imagery evokes a haunting and foreboding sense of the secrets that linger just beneath the surface, waiting to be discovered.

"That sets my mind racing into the labyrinth of times past."

• The phrase reflects the narrator's journey of understanding and interpreting the events they witnessed as a child. The narrator, now older, looks back on their time spent in Begum Jaan's household and tries to make sense of what they saw. The "labyrinth of times past" suggests the confusion and complexity of memory, as the narrator pieces together fragmented recollections to uncover the truth about Begum Jaan and Rabbo's relationship. The labyrinth also symbolizes the societal norms and taboos that shrouded such relationships in secrecy, making it difficult for the narrator to fully comprehend what they observed.

"Memories come crowding in"

• "Memories come crowding in" highlights the overwhelming nature of these recollections. The narrator is flooded with memories of Begum Jaan's loneliness, her dependence on Rabbo, and the moments of intimacy they shared under the quilt. These memories are not just personal but also reflect the broader societal context of repression and the stifling of women's desires. The quilt, which initially seemed like a simple object, becomes a gateway to understanding the hidden struggles and emotions of the characters.

Conclusion

The story Lihaaf shows themes of loneliness, hidden desires, and societal restrictions through Begum Jaan's life. The quilt symbolizes secrecy, hiding emotions and relationships. The narrator's memories reveal Begum Jaan's reliance on Rabbu. The story hints at hidden truths without directly stating them, leaving readers with deep thoughts about human emotions and societal rules.

Click Here For Full Notes