Rokheya, Sultana and the Muslim Women Dreaming of Gender Justice in Sri Lanka
‘Where are the men?’ I asked her.
‘In their proper places, where they ought to be.’
‘Pray let me know what you mean by “their proper places”.’
‘O! I see my mistake. You cannot know our customs, as you were never here before. We shut our men indoors.’
‘Just as we are kept in the zenana?’
‘Exactly so.’
‘How funny,’ I burst into laugh.
Sister Sara laughed too. ‘But dear Sultana, how unfair it is to shut in the harmless women and let loose the men.’
Sultana’s Dream
CHULANI KODIKARA-on In Sultana’s Dream, Rokheya Sakhawat Hossain’s novella, women reign over Ladyland, and men are in seclusion in merdanas tending to all domestic chores. However, men enter purdah voluntarily after sustaining injuries in a war. Women take over, win the war through non-violent means and continue to rule Ladyland. With the aid of technology women engage in agriculture, which does not require manual labour, have flying cars, harness solar heat and manage the weather. Women are so efficient, they only work two hours everyday and have time to knit and do embroidery. Child marriage is banned and the minimum age of marriage for women is twenty one. All women are entitled to an education.
