My life at Saudi Arabia became an apt platform to develop interests in Muslim society and their culture. I bought Tehmina Durrani’s novel My Feudal Lord because of three reasons- the novel dealt with woman’s issues, my newfound interest in Muslim culture and as a souvenir for my visit at Bahrain.
The novel dealt with Tehmina Durrani’s second marriage with Mustafa Khar with a few lights on her own parents' family, contemporary political issues and culture of Pakistan. This autobiography is written as a fiction to hold the interest of the readers and to convey the message easily.
Tehmina Durrani was the fourth wife of Mustafa Khar, one of the leading politicians of the time. The handsome and alluring Mustafa took Tehmina out of her secure and comparatively happy family life with Anees and their daughter. Though the romance broke many hearts in the initial stage, Tehmina was blind with love to take care of them. Subsequently the inevitable followed- she became a helpless victim to a possessive, jealous and playboy husband who mastered her away from the outside world.
Tehmina went through the worst of domestic violence for fourteen years with three attempts to escape from the prison of marriage. However each time, she had to return in misery. At first she loose the custody of her four children, second time no support comes to her even from the parents and third time she had to fear the wrath of the society.
Tehmina finally gets divorce after Mustafa Khar regains his political power. Though this time, Mustafa does not prevent her from getting out since he was taking his fifth wife. The author says that Mustafa’s words after their divorce, prompted her to write the novel.
“Once you were Begum Tehmina Mustafa Khar. Now, you are just Tehmina Durrani. When you ring up people you have to introduce yourself as my ex-wife. You’ve no identity of your own.” (P. 374)
The novel seemed to shake the Pakistan Society to its foundations. When Mustafa had called Tehmina to argue about the book, she concluded, “Well, Mustafa, now the world will soon know you as Tehmina Durrani’s ex-husband.”
I was not at all aware of the Pakistani culture until I met some ladies from Pakistan. Still I have only a glimpse of their culture. But it strikes me that though there is a difference in religion, they are so much like Indians only. I asked one of them about “My Feudal Lord.” She said, “All written in the book is not true. She has exaggerated a lot.”
The exaggeration must have been for fictitious purposes. However, the reader will feel that something is left untold after reading the book.
The novel became a bestseller in European countries. However, I later judged this success as a wild reception of westerners for anything that throw a stone at the Islamic society. Also, this book is only one side of a coin and we don’t know the other side until the voice comes from there.
This book is a good suggestion for those who are interested in woman’s rights.
Publisher: Corgi Books
Price: 4.70 BD
