नारी विमर्श

[Dark Saint Alaick]

Kishwar Naheed (18th June 1940 to date) published her first book in 1969. She has a unique perspective.

I need the freedom of geese sitting on the beaches.
My eyes and my being,
Both need freedom from confinement,

She frequently talks about the duality of self. By that she does not mean hypocrisy. The customs and traditions of this culture are dictated by men. Women have to walk on the paths that men have created for them. A woman has to suffer this oppression, and at the same time, pretend to the world that she is happy and content. This is the duality of self, in the words of Kishwar Naheed.

Me I am a playful person Naheed,
For I hold so many storms in me.

I have to cover my head for a person,
At whose site I can’t help but laughing.

The Urdu ‘Ghazal’ has traditionally been literally a man’s form of expression – traditionally even women poetesses had referred to themselves in first person masculine form. There was only ‘Raqeeb’ (Rival) in Urdu poetry, now we can see the “Sokan’ (Co-wife) as well. Their poetry cannot be considered similar to Hindi poetry, as the woman of Hindi poetry is innocent and simple. She knows only to submit. Kishwar’s protest against the exploitation of women Kishwar takes varied and strange shapes.