The colonial rule and oppression of India brought about a plethora of socio-cultural developments, with the rising nationalist ideologies capturing the popular spaces. Print and performing mediums became the essential hotspots to churn and disseminate the ideals of nationalism, which were supplemented by the hardening of gender binaries and gender roles in the wake of the rise of middle-class and reformist activism. Women were stepping out of the domestic spheres; however, it was not a plausible deed back then, as the ideal Bengali bhadramahila had essentially metamorphosised into a woman who was literate yet contained to the domestic margins.
Binodini Dasi, also known as Noti Binodini, gained prominence for her sharp criticism in her autobiographical columns. This was a fresh wave of literature that caught the readers with a quick storm as the stage actress broke the literary barriers by picking up a pen to express her deepest sorrows while defending the women of her profession.
Binodini was a critically acclaimed face of public theatre in the times when the roles of women were also dominated by men. Women barely had any access to the public stage until the late nineteenth century, when Binodini became the first-generation actress to adorn the stage and earn fortunes. Her fame, however, also brought her the undesirable label of a “public woman,” which was reminiscent of her past ties to prostitution.
Amid all this, Binodini dazzled the stage with the bold representation of characters like Manorama, Chaitanya, Sita, and Chitrangada, among others, who instilled the vigour of ideal roles of “chaste women” and men in the rapidly expanding urban Bengal. Her autobiographies titled Amar Katha and Amar Abhinetri Jibon emerged, giving a colonial outlook on women in theatre. The transition from prostitution to acting and the change in status of a nautch girl (used for prostitutes) became imperative in studying the lives of working women, especially in showbiz during the colonial rule in India.
Amar Abhinetri Jiban
Nati Binodini was aware that her write-ups would stir the reading population with severe criticism for giving ample space to the grief of her life, which wasn’t the norm. Her poems and articles would get published on Saurabh and Basana periodically, which were later collectively published as her autobiography, giving a peek into her personal life and career.
Amar Abhinetri Jibon both captured some intriguing instances of her career graph and how she honed her skills to climb the ladders of success. Binodini was not only a successful actor but also a woman with immense wealth who established herself among the Bengali bhadramahilas who were also writing from the inner spaces of their households, or sansar.
Binodini was confident enough to call it “her story” in a time when women barely found their lives worth reading. Female autobiographical literature up until then, in comparison to the male personalities, was bereft of the idea of having an individual life worth writing a memoir.
Girishchandra Ghosh, a renowned playwright and producer, was critical of the writing style of her autobiography in the preface of its first publication in 1912. Ghosh claimed that he expected the writings to be rich in the history of the rise of public theatres instead of the personal anecdotes also called bedonakatha (poignant tales). Nati Binodini was the earliest theatre star to claim individuality in a time when autobiographical publications of women were in a deluge of proclaiming the importance of choosing the title of their writings.
Binodini was confident enough to call it “her story” in a time when women barely found their lives worth reading. Female autobiographical literature up until then, in comparison to the male personalities, was bereft of the idea of having an individual life worth writing a memoir.
Owning up the title of a fallen woman
Binodini not only called herself a “fallen woman” but also acknowledged the insults a woman in her profession faced from upper-class men and women alike. How her past ties to prostitution were often dragged consistently to highlight the ingrained idea of an “abhadra mahila” (savage) in urban colonial Bengal. She plunged into the debate of defining the role of a woman in colonial Bengal by attempting to erase the boundaries of a “moral” and “immoral” woman. But also seemed to agree that the janmashaap (birth roots) may not easily be forgotten through the “assigned” social status.
She owned up to phrases like “A Barren Existence” and “Fallen Woman” as she defended the women of her “class” by questioning the double standards granted to men. She rattles her readers by questioning bluntly the role of society in formulating the identity crisis that she faced all her life. In one of her writings, where she expressed her anger against society for not letting her daughter enrol in a school, she explicitly questioned the society: she writes “…these unfortunate wretches may have had to become prostitutes because of their circumstances, lacking shelter, lacking any other protection. But they too came into this world with the heart of a woman. They too belong to that tribe of women who are loving mothers. They too belong to the tribe of women who leap into the burning pyre (and die) with their husbands… If the life of a prostitute is despicable, where does the stain of impurity come from? …If it is God who decides our birth and death, then surely they cannot be held responsible (for their birth)?.. It is worth considering who first made them despicable in this life.”
Binodini first appeared on the stage in 1874, at a very young age for Sati Ki Kalankini, after which she landed a lead role in female-centric plays also known as Geetinatyas. Her transition from the alleys of a brothel to the stage of becoming the public eye candy earned her material fortunes, yet it didn’t bring her the social upliftment and respect similar to that of a middle-class literate woman. Binodini’s writings were convoluted with the dark themes of despair and hope. The titles of her published poems were “The Sorrow of the Heart,” “Once More,” and “Repentance,” among others, that explored the imagery of a desert, mirage, or quicksand depicting unfulfilled ambitions in her writings.
What defined the Bhadra and Abhadra status of women?
While marking her territory in the print mediums through her writings, Binodini ensured her writings blurred the distinctions between a bhadramahila and herself with similar narratives in her autobiography. Her fashion, her stylistic writing, and her persona reflected the flair and talent she earned with her talent. Binodini would often draw comparisons with her contemporary bhadramahilas call herself a free soul.
The colonial administration encouraged the urbanisation of Indian cities and towns. This is reflected in the social formations of family structure and women seeking further independence. Literacy among women plunged higher, which was frowned upon by the upper-class men. A literate woman who earnestly dreamt of educating herself was threatened with the backward belief that she would become a widow, bring bad luck, or be dragged into facilitating adultery like the prostitutes and theatre stars.
Throughout her autobiography, we see instances of confusion and identity crisis subjected to the narrowing definitions of class and gender-based marginalisation faced by theatre actresses. 19th century Bengal had developed into a state that encouraged reformist activism and education among women, yet the ostracisation of the women in the acting profession was barely taken into consideration for upliftment in the social ladder. The idea of a respectable woman dwindled around her active role in a Sansar (family), as a mother or sati in the colonial Bengali popular culture. From literature to theatre, everything revolved around shaping the identity of a woman amid the brewing freedom struggle.
Birth in a middle or upper-class family became the sole tool to gain the exclusive rights of being a bhadramahila. One could say birth became the berth to upward social mobility for women who were literate but confined to spaces defined by men. The image of Bharatmata and an ideal woman was taking shape in the era that believed a woman’s body and her agency would lie in the restrictions decided by the men to maintain the sanctity of her being. However, pursuing education and breaking free from domestic confinement became a crucial step for women seeking employment and independence in urban Indian cities.
Nati Binodini was aware that her words may not get wide support yet she was hopeful that a star with a rapport like her could carve a niche for herself where she was free to express herself boldly. Despite accepting the title of a “fallen woman,” she refuted the label of an “immoral woman.” Contradicting the prejudice of independent women in theatre being deceitful she asked in her autobiography, “Has anyone ever sought to know whether it was we who first deceived or whether we learned deception only after we were ourselves deceived?”
This question leaves us with the thought of who is the beholder of the moral compass and whether the colonial mindsets have refused to leave the independent population of India in the 21st century.
References:
Mukhopadhyay, S. (2019). A ‘FALLEN’ WOMAN’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, 80, 707–714. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27192924
Hansen, K. (1998). [Review of Binodini Dasi, “My Story” and “My Life as an Actress,” by R. Bhattacharya]. Theatre Journal, 50(4), 555–557. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25068613
