Modernist Trends and varied responses: Reflections on Muslim Women in Urdu Prose by Male authors of South Asia (1900-1936)

Many Indian writers and activists in the 19 century South Asia made the subject of women as central topic as their agenda of cultural reform, expressing the same concern, above all, through the newly available medium of print. The main objectives of these writings were to check the decadence and resuscitate the values which had gone dormant. In order to do that, a few authors supported the British and others criticized it and tried to find out the solution in the religious or traditional education. Whether Hindus or Muslims, they were now seen at least in part as colonial collaborators. These are, above all, people who internalized the Orientalist argument that Indian traditions had fallen into decay and stagnation, and prescribed the western education necessary for their revitalization. Education for women, in particular, was not catered for. This paper argues that Urdu journalism was the dynamic tool for persuading the common people to educate their female folk to enable them to face the changed socio-political circumstance, which had impinged upon the traditional family structure. The development of that new literature focusing on Muslim women pointed to the emergence of Urdu as the common language. It also became the medium of instruction for women. By publishing of various books and journals led to the establishment of the educational institutions and societies. That’s why the Urdu literature with theme centering on women in the latter half of the 19th century also helps us to visualize various aspects of different local cultures, customs, the regional idioms, proverbs and parables that formed the essence of the local language used only by the women. These writings also underscore the emergence of Muslim women from middle echelons as professional ladies.