Category Literature

Muddupalani was a skilled courtesan (devadasi) in the court of Pratapasimha, a Maratha ruler who was a celebrated patron of arts. Under his tutelage, Muddupalani’s many talents as a dancer and poet flourished and not only did she create “Radhika Santawanam”, an epic balled of 584 poems, but also others – such as her experiments with saptapadalu or seven-lined songs; her translation of Andal’s “Thiruppavai”; and “Ashtapad”, a Telugu translation of Sanskrit poet Jayadeva’s eponymous work.

Not much is known about Muddupalani’s personal life expect that she came from a family of respected devadasis. Her grandmother Tanjanayaki was a gifted musician and well-known in the Thanjavur circles while her mother Rama Vadhuti was another talented courtesan. Muddupalani was named after the god Palani and her surname Muddu was placed in front of her name, which was a common practice in the South at that time.

A self-aware writer, Muddupalani often spoke highly of herself at the beginning of her work, talking about her illustrious lineage and her life. Her works were celebrated during her time and became a part of classical Telugu literature.

Another devadasi, Nagarathamma, 200 years later, found Muddupalani as a reference in literature on Thanjavur. It took a while for her to find an original copy of “Radhika Santawanam” and she prepared a new version published by a small press. It was banned by the British colonial authorities in 1911, and the ban was rescinded in 1947.

Muddupalani introduces herself in a rich fashion in “Radhika Santawanam”, offering glimpses into her life that is otherwise unknown.

Which other woman of my kind has

Felicitated scholars with gifts and money?

To which other woman of my kind have

Epics been dedicated?

Which other woman of my kind has

Won such acclaim in each of the arts?

You are incomparable,

Muddupalani, among your kind

A face that glows like the full moon,

Skills of conservation, matching the countenance.

Eyes filled with compassion,

Matching the speech.

A great spirit of generosity,

Matching the glance.

These are the ornaments

That adorn Palani,

When she is praised by kings.

During the Thanjavur Maratha reign, courtesans such as Muddupalani had access to learning, writing and the arts, unlike family women. They owned property, their work was held in high esteem and they enjoyed equality with men.

 

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Born in England to Thomas Dudley, a soldier of the British Empire, Anne had a comfortable upbringing. She benefited from  the Elizabethan tradition of educating girls, and was tutored in literature and history in Greek, Latin, Hebrew and English.

She was married at the age of 16 to Simon Bradstreet, and shortly after, in 1630, Thomas, Simon and Anne set sail for America. The journey took three months and the ship was part of a fleet of 11 carrying around 1,000 Puritans to America. The ship docked at Salem, Massachusetts, and the squalor and poverty there was a shock to Anne, who grew up in an estate and spent much of her time in libraries, reading books. The family moved constantly to newer places where Simon could wield more political power. Anne had eight children in 10 years.

Not much is known about her personal life beyond this, except her poetry and personal musings. She wrote epitaphs for her father and mother, and her poems often spoke of her husband and how much she missed him when he was out doing his duties as a powerful Puritan.

Her poetry was taken back to London by her brother-in-law, and these were published as The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung up in America. These were the only works published during her lifetime. Others, more personal and original with her unique style, were published after her time. Anne died at the age of 60.

Anne’s constant struggle between her love of the world and desire for eternal life was expressed her poem “contemplations”:

Then higher on the glistering Sun I gaz’d

Whose beams was shaded by the leafy Tree.

The more I look’d, the more I grew amaz’d

And softly said, what glory’s like to thee?

Soul of this world, this Universe’s Eye,

No wonder some made thee a Deity:

Had I not better known (alas) the same had I.

Anne’s life has always been linked to the lives of her husband and father, who were prominent figures and even aided in founding the Harvard University. Though she appreciated their love and protection, she wrote, “any women who sought to use her wit, charm, or intelligence in the community at large found herself ridiculed, banished, or executed by the Colony’s powerful group of male leaders”.

 

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Murasaki Shikibu is the descriptive name of a Japanese writer who was famous for her work “The Tale of Genji”. Murasaki was the name of the female lead in the book and ‘Shikibu’ or Ministry of Ceremonials, comes from where her father worked. Murasaki came from a branch of a powerful Fujiwara family, whose males occupied most of the highest positions in the imperial government. She was born between 970 and 973 AD and had two siblings. She was a bright learner and her father allowed her to learn Chinese along with her brother.

It is unsure when Murasaki began to write. She was married to a second cousin much older than her and had a daughter in 999 AD. Her husband died shortly after, probably due to the plague that devastated Kyoto in 1000 AD. Murasaki seems to have begun writing “The Tale of Genji” shortly after this. In 1006 AD, she began serving Empress Shoshi as the lady-in-waiting. She remained in imperial service for another seven years, after which she is said to have retired and spent the rest of her life in seclusion. All through this time, Murasaki continued to write.

Apart from book that made her popular, Murasaki also wrote poetry and kept a diary that chronicles her life in court. In long passages, she mentions how she learnt Chinese listening to her father teach her brother, and how, later, she taught the empress Chinese. A lot of her everyday musings on court life also makes its way into “The Tale of Genji”. She seemed to have had a dislike for the frivolity of court life.

Murasaki often used a style of poetry called waka. This style, which preceded haiku and other popular Japanese forms, had five sets with a set number of sounds or syllabuses. The pattern was usually 5,7,5,7,7. Haiku retains the first three lines of the Waka form.

Write to me as often as their wings inscribe the clouds, the brushing wings of the wild geese heading north, never stop writing.

Aristocratic Heian women lived secluded lives and were allowed to speak to men only if they were relatives. Murasaki’s autobiographical poetry shows that she often socialized with women but had very little contact with men other than her father and brother, she even exchanged poetry with women but never with men.

 

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Gul-Badan Begum was born in 1523 to Emperor Babur, who was the first Mughal ruler of India. She lived most of her life in Kabul, Afghanistan, having lost her father when she was eight. She was brought up by her brother Humayun. When she was 17, Gul-Badan was married to her cousin Khizr Khwaja Khan, a Chagatai noble.

When she was invited by her nephew Emperor Akbar to live in Agra with his family, she obliged and grew to be loved and respected in India. Her storytelling prowess was well-known, and so her nephew approached her to write what she remembered of her brother Humayun. The book was completed after Humayun’s death in 1556.

“Humayun Nama” is the story of the three kings that dominated Gul-Badan’s life – emperors Babur, Humayun and Akbar. It offers an intimate look into their households and lives, making it a much more detailed account of Mughal history than many others.

Gul-Badan also wrote about the nomadic nature of the Mughal women of that time. The book has a rare account of the women’s pilgrimage to Mecca and their lives from the sidelines. She was also a fluent Turkish and Persian poet but none of her poems has survived.

She passed away when she was 80 and Emperor Akbar is said to have constantly lamented about how much he missed his favourite aunt until his death in 1605.

When she was asked by Akbar to write the manuscript, Gul-Badan Begum began: There had been an order issued, ‘Write down whatever you know of the doings of Firdous-makani (Babur) and Jannat-ashyani (Humayun)’. At that time when his Majesty Firdaus-Makani passed from this perishable world to the everlasting home, I, this lovely one, was eight years old, so it may well be that I do not remember much. However, in obedience to the royal command, I set down whatever there is that I have heard and remember.

In her book, Gul-Badan Begum describes her pilgrimage to Mecca – a distance of 3000 miles – along with Hamida Banu Begum, Humayun’s wife. The women were hardy and faced many hardships. Gul-Badan stayed in Mecca for four years and on her way back to Agra, was delayed by a shipwreck. Eventually, she reached Agra seven years after she left on her journey.

 

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