The Madness of Waiting by Muhammad Hadi Ruswa

Author:Muhammad Hadi Ruswa
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: feminism, women, gender, semi-fiction, literary narrative, paratext, 19th century, lucknow
Publisher: Zubaan Books
Published: 2013-06-19T00:00:00+00:00

The correct translation is the one I have written above, but I think that Mirza Ruswa has transcribed this letter differently in Nala-e Ruswa. There is not much difference between this translation and that one. However, one difference which is crucial is that Sofia has addressed him as “my dear friend” while Mirza Ruswa inserts his nom de plume. By extrapolation we know that until that moment, Sofia did not know of his poetry or of his pen-name.

The letter is as follows: “Dear Ruswa, I haven’t seen you for ages. A lot of troubles have befallen me, great disasters have befallen me. You didn’t come even once to ask after me. I did not expect that from you. Was amity restricted only to our elders? Alas! What has happened to that cordiality? Oh how I remember those people and why wouldn’t I remember them fondly? In fact they were the only good people I knew. My father loved you dearly, and my mum dearest was intimate with you as well. You used to visit them often, frolic and play with me all day. However, after their death you turned away from me. You seem to have abandoned all thought of me. You seem to have forgotten all the warmth and courtesy of our childhood days. Have you forgotten how to maintain a friendship? Do you not remember our childhood games? Do you not remember our adolescent meetings? That house and that garden have not been uprooted. That house and that garden are not too far away. If you came across that house and garden in your wandering, your feet would not tire from the excursion.”

“How ungracious and discourteous you are! Heaven forefend the one who loves you! Ours is the inseparable union of two souls. Where does one find again the inseparable friendship that one had with a childhood friend? I didn’t know the address of your house, nor did I know anything of your whereabouts. Ever since that ancestral house was dug up, I have become uncertain of any landmarks. I have been thinking of you since yesterday, and I have written this letter with a lot of difficulty. I hear that you are studying at Martinère. If that is true then this letter will not be lost. How strange if it does indeed reach you in a timely fashion? Do write back soon if you get this letter. Rather, what is the need for a response? Come yourself if you have time.”

“I know the reason that you stay away, but that is a silly excuse to hide your face. If you are human then so am I. Do you think I am completely innocent? I understand that you are a man with self-respect, but I think that false pride is keeping you away. I know your heart is pure, so let’s forgive our mistakes in friendship.

Waiting expectantly for the boundless joy that will come with your arrival,

Your candid friend,

Sofia”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.