Fahmida Riaz dared to decry the dictators in her firebrand poetry
It was on Women’s Day way back in 1983 that one made the first connection with the firebrand verses of Fahmida Riaz. That was the time when a feminist group, Hamshira (Sisters), was put together and a mushaira was organised at the local Young Women Christian Association (YWCA). The star guest was Fahmida. She was staying with a friend in Shimla and happily came down to support the sisterhood.
She was inspiring with her radical poem, ‘Chadar aur Char Divari (Veil and Four Walls)’ challenging the oppression of women in Islamic society. With bated breath, the audience listened to her defiance of the purdah system as she said: “Huzoor main is siyah chadar ka kya karungi/ Ye aap kyun mujh ko bakhshte hain basad inayat/ Na sog mein hoon ki usko odhoon, gham-o-alam khalq ko dikhaun (What will I do with this pitch dark veil/ Why do you gift it to me time and again/ I am not in mourning that I should wear it/ To show my sorrow to the world).”
Fahmida, who passed away in Lahore on Wednesday after illness of few months, left many recalling her unflagging spirit. She protested against the ban on student politics during the reign of Ayub Khan and her clash with the dictatorial regime of Ziaul-Haq made things tough for her and her husband, Zafar Ali Ujan, a Left-wing political worker. The liberal and radical tone of ‘Awaz’, a journal brought out by her, led to some 10 cases being filed against the couple. Fahmida was charged with sedition and Ujan was arrested but a fan of her writings bailed her out. She fled to India with her two children on the pretext of attending a literary meet. Her friend and philosopher, Amrita Pritam, spoke to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and asylum was granted to Fahmida.
Interestingly, my first meeting with Fahmida happened in Amrita’s home and somehow we got talking about Simone de Beauvoir’s novel, Mandarins. Talking about the betrayed woman in the book, Fahmida said: “I was hopelessly in love with a boy in my college days but the pathetic state of Paula depicted in the novel cured me. I decided that I would not reduce myself to madness for a man who did not care.” I nodded in agreement that the novel had helped ‘me too’ and a bond was struck.
BRIGHTEST OF LIGHTS
Born in Meerut in an educated and literary family, she moved with them to Hyderabad in Sindh when her father was transferred there. Her first collection of poems in Urdu, Pathar ki Zubaan, came out when she was just 22, proving her a literary debutante with a difference. Her collections of poetry include Dhoop, Poora Chand and Admi ki Zindagi. She published three novels Zinda Bahaar, Godavari and Karachi.
Tributes to Fahmida have been coming from Pakistani and Indian writers alike and social media is full of accolades. Indian poet Mangalesh Dabral recalls her poem against the rise of fundamentalism on this side of the border: ‘Tum bhi ham jaise nikle/ Ab tak kahan chhupe thhe bhai! (So you too turned out to be just like us/ Where were you hiding all this while)!
Pakistani-British writer Kamila Shamsie says: “Heartbreaking news!... Fahmida was one of the brightest of lights in the dark days of Ziaul-Haq, and beyond.”
FAHMIDA, WHO PASSED AWAY IN LAHORE AFTER A PROLONGED ILLNESS, HAD SOUGHT ASYLUM IN INDIA AFTER SHE FLED PAKISTAN WITH HER KIDS