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Exploring the plight of Indian women of the 20th

Century in Chugtai’s “Homemaker” and Bagul’s
“Mother”

Simrah Haindaday- 22BA232

Ashmi Jain- 22BA234
Srushti Mahale- 22BA235
Rincy Mehta- 22BA236
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Introduction
Literature acts as a lens into a culture, and the stories written in the 20th century intensify and
exemplify the numerous issues which Indian women faced in that time. In this paper, we have
made a humble attempt at pointing a finger to the plight of Indian women of the 20th century
reflected in Ishmael Chugtai’s “Homemaker” and Baburao Bagul’s “Mother”. We have tried
to condemn and highlight the inequalities and injustice in the treatment of society towards
women and some of the ways in which they have been a victim of the patriarchal society.

The Discrimination and Marginalisation of Women of Lower Class

The short story “Mother” reflects on the various atrocities faced by Dalits in their daily lives,
especially emphasizing on discrimination and exploitation of Dalit women. Pandu's mother
endures unrelenting insults, exemplified by her words, "You’ve all tortured me - you, your
father, the men in the street - also women," underscoring her constant scrutiny and
questioning. Her vulnerable position exposes her to objectification, compounded by her lower
caste status, which seemingly renders her more accessible to men's advances. Even random
people on the street would sexualize her. Do you think the same would have happened, if it
were a woman of a higher caste? The story highlights the hypocrisy of higher-caste men who
maintain strict social segregation yet shamelessly exploit Dalit women. Another very
shocking thing I noticed is how the kids who are of the same age as Pandu would shamelessly
call his mother a whore or a slut. One such dialogue said by one of Pandu’s classmate that
goes as, “ Don’t touch Pandu, any of you. My mother says Pandu’s mother sleeps with the
Mukadam”. Such dialogues horrifies me because such words are coming out of a kid’s
mouth. It was that easy to insult a woman, that convenient! You also realise that being raised
in such an environment where Pandu faced discrimination every day, he grew up too early, so
much so that he actually was worried about his mother’s respect. One such line to indicate
that was, “He was an orphan, and his mother, an unprotected widow. He was afraid that
Dagdu, their neighbour, would pick another fight with his mother, try to strip off her sari”.
This again makes one question: is it that easy to insult a woman? It shows both, the big egos
of men in the story who can go on to any lengths to avenge the smallest of insults and the
utter hopelessness of Dalit women who actually have to live their lives with such fear.
Furthermore, the story unveils the complexity of identity for Pandu, who considers himself an
orphan despite having his mother. The mother's work at construction sites, necessitated by her
Dalit status, makes her vulnerable to harassment from men of all castes. In the case of Lajo in
the short story “Homemaker”, though there was no mention of the caste of Lajo, she still was
an orphan working as a maid, which in a way indicated that she didn’t necessarily belong to
the upper class. Lajo's background as an orphan and a maid contribute to the way she is
perceived and treated by the men around her in the story. Her socio-economic status and lack
of a strong support network expose her to exploitation and objectification in the society.
Lajo's vulnerability as an orphan and a maid makes her more susceptible to the sexualization
and objectification by men. The lack of a familial or social structure to protect her leaves her
at the mercy of those who hold positions of power and authority. The disregard from men for
her feelings and agency is likely influenced by their perception of her as someone from a
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lower social status, making them believe that they can take advantage of her without
consequences. Furthermore, the absence of respect and genuine concern for Lajo's well-being
from the men in the story reflects the broader societal attitudes towards women, especially
those occupying marginalised positions. Her role as a maid contributes to the perception that
she is more accessible or "available" to them.

The Different Roles of Women and the Expected Behaviour from them

When these short stories were published in the middle of the 20th century, many South Asian
women were constrained by unspoken social norms that kept them inside the home and
lacked considerable economic independence. Ishmat Chughtai in her short story “The
Homemaker”, shows how marriage was a gamble because the waves break as they come into
touch with the rock. It claims that despite this, they continue to throw themselves against the
rock because they have no other option. Some women of the time were dependent on men
and their whims, losing their independence through marriage and becoming little more than
belongings. Her protagonist Lajjo, through a series of events, faces the backlash of society
when she “fails” to fit into their mould of an “ideal Indian woman”. Additionally, the
expectations from Lajjo take a turn once she is married to Mirza. All of a sudden, she was
expected to dress and act like a lady. She was not permitted to wear skirts as she was
accustomed to, so she was forced to hide her legs by donning tight pajamas. She was also
expected to hide her sexuality and behave modestly, as proper ladies do. And this is done to a
person who not only understands her sexuality but is accustomed to using it as a weapon.
Lajo challenges the stereotype of a “pious” lady. Mirza makes vain attempts to tame Lajo and
transform her into a "good" woman. However, as soon as he fails to do so and realises that
Lajjo would never follow the “roles” of an ideal wife in an Indian society, he leaves her.

Along with “The Homemaker”, Bagul’s “Mother” also raises some important issues
regarding how women are treated in traditional societies. It shows how the role of women is
specified. The social conventions that have been established control her existence. Even
today, choosing the direction of one's life can be quite challenging for a young widow. The
protagonist of the novel faces additional difficulties and disadvantages since she belongs to a
socially stigmatised group. She is a "mother," therefore any attempts she makes to pursue
personal happiness in a conventional society would be seen with suspicion. Her neighbours,
both men and women, traumatise her. They view her as a disobedient widow who violates the
propriety of widowhood. She is forced to choose between her limited amount of personal
satisfaction and her motherly duties. The economic ramifications for Dalit women in India
are severe since they have been exposed to unfair labour laws, few job prospects, and
educational obstacles. This feeds a cycle of marginalisation that affects their body politics.
They have not only been limited to low-paying jobs with precarious work but they are also
thought of as a financial burden. As a “mother”, she is expected to stay at home and take care
of her child. However, as a widow, she is also expected to provide for him and his needs but
the way she chooses to fulfil those expectations is questioned and criticised by society.
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The Taboo of Sexuality of Women in Indian Society

Baburao Bagul and Ismat Chughtai both delve into the complex theme of women's sexuality
and their roles within society. These stories challenge traditional norms and shed light onto
the struggles and limitations imposed on women by societal constructs. In Mother, the dalit
woman becomes a subject of her brother-in-law’s lust and in turn is subjected to ‘dark
suspicion’ by her husband where he believed that she sold her beauty for a price and hence
was asked to undergo the degrading act of being stripped and ‘examined’ by him to seek
proof that she was indeed an adultress. After her husband's death, she is desired by men and
has to face the slander of women. She is heavily objectified and faces criticism for what
others assume is a parade of her sexuality.Her own son Pandu, slowly started detesting her
who had merely been a victim of circumstances. The words like slut, whore etc. used to
describe her as well as both men and women alike portray the insecurity of the society in
relation to a widow who makes a choice to enter a relationship. She is a ‘mother’ and
therefore, her attempts at personal happiness, in a traditional society, would always be
questioned. Society sees her as a transgressing widow, someone who flouts the sanctity of
widowhood. It also points out the double standards prevalent in society, which celebrate
motherhood but shame women for even remotely expressing their sexual desires.The
portrayal of sexuality in ‘Mother’ is not meant to explore female sexuality in a conventional
or celebratory sense. Instead, it serves as a critique of the larger societal structures that force
individuals into degrading and dehumanising situations.
In “Homemaker”, by Ismat Chughtai, she breaks the traditional power nexus of man as the
subject and woman as the Other in the politics of sexuality. Lajo, with her bold and
authoritative sexuality, chooses her sexual relationships on her own and puts herself at the
centre of those relationships. Lajo’s sexuality has empowered herself. Mirza attempts to
‘tame’ Lajo to become a good woman. The ‘male gaze’ and the fact that she is heavily
desired leads people to believe that she should not be respected.Through Mirza, Ismat
Chughtai lays bare the hypocrisies of the polite society that on one hand, demands wives to
be chaste and but lets its men philander. Lajo not only defies the ‘pious’ woman archetype
but more importantly because it questions the validity of conjugal unions institutionalised
through marriage. Chughtai rebukes marriage as farcical, devoid of emotions such as love,
founded only on the need to repress and regulate female sexuality and to glorify monogamy.
Both "The Mother" and "Homemaker" shed light on the societal taboo surrounding women's
sexuality in relation to their roles as mothers and homemakers. These stories challenge
conventional norms and offer critical perspectives on the limitations placed on women's
autonomy and self-expression.They highlight the hypocrisy that exists within a patriarchal
society, where women are condemned for expressing their sexuality while men are often
absolved of similar moral judgments.

Assertion of Male Dominance and Privilege

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In “Homemaker”, the husband is depicted as the primary breadwinner, while the wife's role is
limited to domestic chores and taking care of the household. The husband's behaviour and
attitude towards his wife reflect the deeply ingrained societal norms of the time, which
upheld male dominance and the idea that a woman's place was within the confines of the
home.
The wife's life revolves around her husband and children, and she is expected to cater to their
needs without questioning her own desires or aspirations. Her existence is largely defined by
her roles as a wife and mother, and she lacks agency or autonomy in her own life decisions.
Ismat Chughtai uses "The Homemaker" to critique and highlight the unequal power dynamics
and the stifling effect of patriarchal norms within the household. Through her characters, she
presents a commentary on how women were often trapped in traditional roles, unable to
express themselves fully or pursue their own dreams and aspirations.
Chughtai's work, including "The Homemaker," is a reflection of her feminist perspective and
her efforts to challenge societal norms that restrict women's opportunities and agency. By
portraying the assertion of male dominance and privilege within the story, Chughtai
encourages readers to question and challenge these norms, leading to a broader conversation
about gender equality and women's rights.

Similarly ,“Mother” is a complex narrative which puts forward many layers of Dalit
masculinity and femininity as co-constituted by the larger framework of the Brahmanical
patriarchy. The story shows how Pandu’s own Dalit masculinity is formed inside the school
that acts as a microcosm of the society, with the children taunting and victimising Pandu
based on his mother’s what??
“Kisan yelled cruelly, ‘Don’t touch Pandu, any of you. My mother says Pandu’s mother
sleeps with the mukadam like this...” .These are two noticeable strands here in the formation
of Pandu’s masculinity: his masculine identity is slowly getting shaped in juxtaposition to his
mother’s Dalit female sexuality. Also, the second thing to note here is the complicity of the
other women of the locality, such as Kisan’s mother, in building and sustaining the narrative
of Brahmanical patriarchy, the trope of the Dalit woman as a hypersexualised entity. Pandu’s
oppression and his classmates’ privilege because he is an orphan and his mother works for a
living, unlike most mothers of the neighbourhood. Pandu’s own emasculation thus begins
from a very young age as he is torn between his love for his mother, which is bereft because
she needs to work incessantly due to her underprivileged class location and the barbs that
construct the mute disgust and hatred in Pandu’s subconscious for his mother. He tries to
uphold his mother’s honour but is bullied violently and by brutish force along with insults
such as ‘pimp’. The abusive gestures of his classmates make him burn with shame and anger,
and that is where his own violent masculinity begins to form:
"My mother has certainly changed, she is not the mother of old...looked at herself from all
angles."
This shows that even though Pandu’s mother was economically independent, she wasn’t
independent from the tropes of motherhood that denied her the subjectivity of womanhood
and narrowed her role to “Vatsalya Sindhu” in Pandu’s eyes, robbing her of an alternate
subject position.It promotes the thoughts of “shame and dishonour” in him that fight with his
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own misery because he cannot share his confusion and helplessness with anyone for the fear
that people “would start abusing his mother in front of him”.

Conclusion
Chugtai’s “Lajjo” and Bagul’s “Mother” effectively convey Indian sensibility and advance
Indian feminism through their actions. Both of these female figures have an aspect of realism
that is very apparent. They effectively highlight the injustices that society continues to inflict
on women. These stories reflect the societal behaviour towards women and the living and
psychological conditions of women of the 20th century.

References-
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hughtai/
2. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/12/4/63
3. https://beautyandherreads.wordpress.com/2019/09/25/gharwali-the-housewife-ismat-c
hughtai/
4. https://www.gapbodhitaru.org/res/articles/(39-41)NOWHERE%20TO%20GO%20PR
EDICAMENT%20OF%20A%20MOTHER%20IN%20BABURAO%20BAGULS%2
0MOTHER.pdf
5. https://feminisminindia.com/2017/05/25/feminist-reading-baburao-bagul-mother/?am
p
6. http://cdetu.edu.np/ejournal/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/11_shantanu-114-123.pdf
7. https://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1901512.pdf
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9. http://www.rjelal.com/6.3.18/96-99%20MD%20AJMAUL%20ANSARI.pdf
10. http://pintersociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Chakraborty-Sayantika-3.pdf