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    My favorite artworks from European Museums

    My favorite artworks from European Museums

    Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

    Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

    Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

    Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

    Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

    Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

    Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

    Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

    The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

    The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

    Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

    Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

    Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

    Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

    St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

    St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

    Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

    Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

    Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

    Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

    The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

    The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

    The Dohany Street synagogue in Budapest

    St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

    St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

    The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

    The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

    Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

    Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

    Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

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      My favorite artworks from European Museums

      My favorite artworks from European Museums

      Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

      Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

      Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

      Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

      Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

      Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

      Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

      Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

      The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

      The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

      Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

      Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

      Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

      Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

      St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

      St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

      Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

      Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

      Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

      Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

      The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

      The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

      The Dohany Street synagogue in Budapest

      St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

      St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

      The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

      The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

      Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

      Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

      Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

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      He Speaks for Her: Rekhti, or the Bol of Sexuality

      inBook and Publication, Sher o Sukhan
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      Though many verses were written to the beloved, there was never an attempt to understand her feelings. Why was she haughty and indifferent? Did she prefer someone else? What was her daily routine?

      Sadat Yaar Khan, the 18th century poet from Lucknow who wrote under thetakhallusor penname, Rangin, explored the feelings of the beloved. He named the genre Rekhti – as opposed to Rekhta, the name that was then given to Urdu ghazals about the inaccessible beloved.

      Rekhti gave full-throated expression to the sexual longing and desires of women. Here was a woman who was not afraid to speak out. Of course, one mustn’t forget that it was written by men, who often read it inmushairasdressed as women, and were its main consumers.

      Since it was considered voyeuristic and aimed at titillation, this genre was said to be disreputable and not to be repeated in front of well-brought up ladies, or in genteel gatherings, so as to not corrupt the gentler sex.

      Siddiqi in Lakhnau ka Dabistan e Shairi, quoted by CM Naim in Transvestic Voice? The Rekhti in Urdu. 
      Siddiqi in Lakhnau ka Dabistan e Shairi, quoted by CM Naim in Transvestic Voice? The Rekhti in Urdu.

      The feminine voices had not been heard in this form before; the critics were outraged.

      Carla Petievich writes, inFeminine and Cultural Syncreticism of Dakani Poetry,that Qutub Quli Khan (1566-1611) and Ghavasi (17th century) of Dakkan did indeed write in the feminine voice. Qutub Quli Khan is a very respected Urdu poet and said to be a pioneer of Urdu ghazals. The female voice in their ghazals was really feminine, soft and gentle. It talked of separation or union but in genteel tones. Not like the full-bodied longings and conversations that the Lucknow-Delhi Rekhti explored.

      For example Qutub Quli khan writes:

      Translation: Listen, my lord, to a thing or two: My girlfriends are jealous, ’cos I’m the one who’s yours 
      Translation: Listen, my lord, to a thing or two: My girlfriends are jealous, ’cos
      I’m the one who’s yours

      Compare this to the erotic verse in Rekhti from Mohsin Khan Mohsin:

      I had but to sit down, that he became unmanageable/ I don’t think this prisoner of his can ever forget his position 
      I had but to sit down, that he became unmanageable/ I don’t think this prisoner of his can ever forget his position

      This genre is invaluable as it describes the clothes, mannerisms and phrases used by women. It also explores love between the women themselves as well as adulterous relationships. These were things that were known but were brushed under the carpet.

      Translation: I saw a gold border on her bodice/ My heart received a fresh wound 
      Translation: I saw a gold border on her bodice/ My heart received a fresh wound

      In a song from the 1983 movie Mandi , there’s a song by Insha, another famous Rekhti poet:

      Chubhti hai yeh to mukhko yeh nigodi bhaari angiya (This wretched bodice is too heavy, it pricks me)

      This song describes many other items of clothes worn by women in those days.

      According to Prof CM Naim, barring a few women poets such as a woman named Naubahar with a takhallus ‘Zalil’ [shameless], or a temporary or mamtua wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, none of the other female poets wrote Rekhti.

      Naubahar Zalil was a maidservant employed by Mirza Sulaiman Shikoh, a Mughal prince living in exile in Lucknow. Mirza Sulaiman Shikoh was also Rangin’s patron and may have, thus, influenced Naubahar Zalil’s style of writing.

      The famous Rekhti poets are of course Sadat Yaar Khan Rangin, Inshallah Khan Insha, Mohsin Khan Mohsin and Meer Yaar Ali Jan.

      Sajid Sajni (1922-1993) revived this genre and was the last famous Rekhti poet. His famous couplet is often attributed to Meena Kumari:

      Translation: You are punishing by giving me a divorce in fury/ Do return my youth too, along with the bride money.
      Translation: You are punishing by giving me a divorce in fury/ Do return my youth too, along with the bride money.

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      Rana Safvi

      Come, explore and fall in love the Beauties of Delhi (Dilli ki Ranaiya’n) and the World with me, Rana Safvi

      I have a masters in medieval history from the prestigious Centre for Advanced Studies, Dept. of History, AMU. A firm believer in our Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb, I am passionate about gaining and sharing knowledge and these days I am doing it via the social media platform.

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      © 2018 Rana Safvi - A blog Exploring Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb of India, website handcrafted by Abu Sufiyan.