The Evaluation of the Indian Neo Women: A study of Attia Hosain's "Sunlight on a Broken Column”

Abstract

Indian women over the centuries have been presented as embodiments of pain, hardship, and struggle for identity, dignity and individuality. They have always been shown as dependents. Attia Hosain's Sunlight on a Broken Column traces the journey of Laila, the protagonist, from adolescence to adulthood, against the backdrop of the feudalism and the tempestuous partition of the Indian Sub-Continental. Laila's struggle to extricate herself from "Patriarchal Codes” and her attempts to reach out to define her "Self” epitomize her indigenous kind of feminism.

As a "narrative about the emerging Indian nation and about emerging national identities” and narrative of partition Sunlight on a Broken Column, presents a feminine view of nation formation and national identities in contrast to ‘official' nationalism that is dominated by the male and male narratives of nationalism, where an ‘author claims the authority to speak on behalf of the entire nation and its diverse inhabitants'. The novel exposes a Muslim woman's point of view in nation formation. Nationalism subjugates women and they have an "indirect relationship” with nationalism and the nation through men. The dichotomy of male/female sphere is attributed to nationalism. Social sphere was specified as a male realm in order to counter colonial onslaught. Women were confined to the inner sphere or the family space, as the family space was consider more vulnerable   to the cultural onslaught of colonialism. Nationalism puts the onus of cultural preservation on women, relegating them to the inner sphere of society. The image of the mother figure was projected in order to depict the colonized nation. In the freedom struggle, the image of the oppressed female desecrated by the colonizers was depicted in order to awaken the nationalist men to avenge the violation of the mother figure. In this nationalist discourse, the role of the mother was assigned to women to nurture and bring up nationalist sons. The women were assigned the responsibility to instill cultural and nationalistic values in their progeny.

Attia was a girl with a strong "will”; her struggle for her own independence matches that of India herself.  Attia portrays the claustrophobia of this world and frustration felt by forward thinking young women to perfection. Brought up in a world where the traditional rules of obedience, honour and dishonour are more important than personal happiness and the feudal society is still controlling the lives of women. Attia begins to pull against this. Because of the autobiographical aspect of the novel, there are many convergences between Attia Hosain and her fictional protagonist, Laila. Laila's observation of socio-political events of mid-twentieth century and their ramifications on her own life, her family and her community are extensions of Attia Hosain's own experiences. The world of Laila is a reflection of Attia Hosain's contemporary society. Laila's strong will to counter the patriarchal oppressions and feudalism makes her remarkable. Her radical approach against the pseudo morality and strict gender segregations in the novel shows path to the progressive women.