About the author

·         21 August 1915 – 24 October 1991

·         Urdu language novelist, short story writer, and filmmaker.

·         Wrote extensively on themes including female sexuality, middle-class gentility, and class conflict.

·         awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1976.

About the Story, The Quilt (Lihaaf)

•       Published in 1942

•       Published in an Urdu Literary journal Adab-i-Latif, a Lahore-based literary journal

•       Originally written in Urdu

•       Controversial issues (homosexuality)

•       Considered feminist work

•       Author faced trial for obscenity which she refused.

Summary

The story is a terrifying memory of the narrator that happened during her childhood. Whenever she takes the quilt over herself the haunting memory pops up. She tells that she was different from other girls of her age. She always used to fight with her brothers and her friends.  Her mother did not like her behavior. Once when her mother went to Agra she was left with her mother’s sister (not real but adopted), Begum Jan. Beguam Jan was married to Nawab Saheb, a man much older than her. Nawab was a reputed man because he never visited any prostitute. People respect him but nobody knows his secret that he was not interested in women but in young men. After marriage Begum Jan felt helpless because all her efforts of gaining attention of Nawab Saheb resulted in nothing but making her more and more frustrated and depressed. She became restless and had sleepless nights yearning for love of her husband. Like every newly bride she had physical desires but desires were never fulfilled. She became pale and dull. She fell ill with strange skin disease. She found some relief from oil massage given by her maid, Rabbo. Bagum Jan started gaining her lost glow. Oil massage became her basic necessity. The narrator, a small girl could not bear the sight of Rabbo massaging Beguam Jan all day and everyday. This became gossip stuff for other maids. The narrator had to sleep in Begum Jan’s room near her bed. She found something strange happening with Begum’s quilt. The quilt was shaking vigorously as though an elephant was struggling inside. Once when Rabbo went to meet her son Begum Jan again fell ill without her oil massage. She refused to eat and sleep. The narrator offered to give oil massage to Bagum and she agreed. Begum allowed her to touch all part of her body that made the little girl feel awkward. That night the girl had to sleep with Begum Jan in her bed. Begum started rubbing her body with the body of narrator which made her nervous. The girl frightened and wanted to scream. Soon Rabbo returned. The little girl could not stay any longer. She missed her home badly and started crying. One night she heard her some peculiar sound. Quilt was swaying like an elephant. The girl switch on the light in fear. She saw something which she could never forget. Her statement was, ‘Good, God. I gasped and plunged into my bed.’

Characters

•       The Narrator: a young girl who is niece of Begum Jaan

•       Begum Jan: wife of Nawab Saheb and protagonist of the story

•       Nawab Saheb: A well reputed Nawab and a homosexual

•       Rabbo: Begum Jan’s maid

Themes

•       Female sexuality and desire

•       Homosexuality

•        Marriage as an oppressive institution

•       Patriarchal system/ women Oppression