[ELTWeekly Volume 6, Issue 19 | August 11, 2014 | ISSN 0975-3036]
Reviewed by Dr. Krati Sharma
This book has come out in celebrating 100 birth year of Begum Akhtar and Attia Hussain. The title of the book itself is amalgam of three languages that is English , Hindi and Urdu and so the book is also divided in three sections respectively. This book is a memorial of these Awadhi women who stood in thick and thin to achieve their identity by challenging a stereotypical society. It is a relevant book which covers the life sketches of thirty six extraordinary women belong to Awadh region in India. It covers the whole arena of women fraternity who are artist, writer, scientist, politician, begums, freedom fighter, ordinary women. In this book a concise life sketch is discussed about each women with a photograph. It offers the readers to peep into the life of courageous, confident and strong women of Awadh. The list is so long from Attia Hussain, Ismat Chugtai, Dr. engineer, Duradevi, Jaggi, Jairani, Chandbibi., Begum Akhtar, Gulab Bai and many others. They were daughters, daughter-in laws or the women who come and settle on the land of Awadh. It is give a good read to tracing down the history and surprise the readers with the valor of these fantastic women.
Each life sketch is written by different writer who is related to them as a friend, daughter or son or pupil or a close relative. These writers had seen them closely so there is no doubt in the reliability of the content. The language is simple and expression is candid.
Women discussed in the book are all ‘modern’ in true sense. Their modernity is exhibited in the deed they have done for the society. This book is an important document in recording life history secondly it is a n inspirational book which paved the way for struggle with a smile.
It is delight to read about these thirty six women who were pioneer in starting a Montessori school. Or college for girls or a institute and hospitals for the people of Awadh. Each feminist is discussed with a remarkable deed they had done for the society in their own way.
This book is like a legacy of Awadh women which has to pass on to the world. It opens new vistas of research on these women and recharges the contemporary women about their role models.