BHOPALI BIYAS - FROM BEAUTIFUL TO BOLD
The filing of the chargesheet in the murder of Shehla Masood may have brought this shocking tale to an end, but has left a question mark on the Bhopali society and women in particular. The whole episode was orchestrated by the women against a woman, all belonging to the same community, in the most auspicious and holi month of Ramadan. All the girls have pious religious parents & family background, educated in the best schools & institutions of the city. The life style of Shehla, Zahida & Saba is largely reflected in many household of the bhopali families. The story narrates a shocking tale of ambition in the women of this rather sleepy town with a large number of muslim population. Shivraj singh Chowhan must have found it difficult to build inroads in some areas of this town due the traditional Muslim- BJP anarchy but his MLA seems to have build inroads into the heart of the community’s women. The story of ambition, love , hate and competition between Zahida & Shehla reflects the falling standards of society and culture among the traditional Bhopali Muslim
Bhopal has been known as the city of begums as it was ruled by the women for more than 150 years. Bhopali women has always been extraordinary not only in the sense of their beauty, complexion & traditions, but also in their state of empowerment. A culture which discourages dowry and welcomes the birth of females has always stood out. During the weddings the family of the girl always have an upper hand while deciding the formalities. They take all the major decision from the number of guest to the amount of Mehr (dowry to be paid to the bride and entered in the marriage contract). Giving dinner to the baraties is an option and not mandatory with the girls family. Asking for dowry in Bhopal is still rare, though many dowry cases are registered in Bhopal courts which are quite often used as a tool in case of bitter divorce battles. A daughter in a Bhopali family is cherished and appreciated. They are brought up with more love and attention than the boys. All this infuses them with a rare self-determination and freedom. One walk in the by lanes of Chowk Bazaar and you get to understand the remarkable spirit and independence of this rare class. Although dressed traditionally and often in a hijab they could be seen driving from a scooter to a typical Bhopali jeep on the roads without apprehension. Women empowerment might have been a recent phrase in the vocabulary of gender literature, but Bhopal had embraced it for over a century ago.
The ghastly Murder of the daring RTI activist, Shehla Masood was traumatic to the upper middle class Muslim Bhpalies living in the Kohe- Fiza and other Muslim dominated area of the old town. It was a setback for the high spirited, educated and ambitious Bhopali women. Zahida belongs to a traditional and well placed family of Bhopal. Young, beautiful and self-sufficient – Shehla, Zahida & Saba are the symbol of a new breed of educated, independent and daring muslim girls of the society. Their story and lifestyle has posed several uncomfortable questions for all. Their proximity to RSS /BJP activist and politicians reflects their fierce ambition and attitude in order to attain success in their professional life. While they flaunted their connections, no one in their family ever objected. The whole incident happened in the Holy month of Ramadan, which the devout bhopalies spend in prayers, charity and self introspection. Unfortunately the planners & perpetrators of the murder were all Muslims. Erosion of religious values is evident here.
One is forced to ponder if this is an isolated case of revenge between two women fighting for the attention of a flamboyant MLA, or is this a picture of deteriorating social structure and decaying Bhopali “tehzeeb’. The rising cases of Divorce and ‘Khula’(a practice where a women asks for a divorce forfeiting her mehr) is already a cause of worry among the Mullahs and community elders. Divorce is not a taboo in Bhopal and women often get remarried here with much ease which needs to be appreciated. But it is often attained for frivolous reasons. A typical Bhopali Bia is miles apart from her counterparts residing in different part of Bhopal. Their lifestyle attitudes and priorities are bizarre. This is easily reflected in any party, function or a marriage. Attending anybody & everybody’s function is a must. Always late to arrive past 10 pm, their dedication to self is above all and is clear from their mannerism & makeup. Latest fashion in clothes, extreme glittering makeup with matching eye lenses straight out of salon and late nights, defines them. A working day ahead or their children’s school does not deter them. The children are fine tuned to this routine from their childhood. Most of these families sleep late after midnight and wake up late. One reason why there was no witness to Shehlas’s murder is that the majority of Muslim dominated areas of Bhopal come to life after 10 Am compared to other areas of working class like BHEL. Even the educated and non working mothers depend on private tutors to take care of their kids homework of class one & two. One look at the Urdu section of any CBSE schools (which consists of 95% bhopali kids of good families) tells you the sorry state of these children’s education. Lack of seriousness on the part of parents is often the cause for pathetic standards of these children. Although the children are given good education in elite schools of Bhopal but the contribution to their studies at home is negligible. Girls largely excel in education leaving behind the Motorbike crazy teenage boys carrying their proud mothers as pillion riders without license of course. Majority of the Boys start driving without ever attending any driving school or getting a valid license much before 16 years. What amazes me are that often the most notorious of children in bhopali families have extremely religious parents. They are least participative in their children’s activities & lives. Most teachers agree with my opinion of poor parenting and lack of attention to the children in these families to be one of the cause of notoriety in them . Largely the women in bhopali household have the power and the capacity to regulate their day- to- day lives in the social, political and economic terms unlike their counterparts in other cities. This power has enabled quite a number of them to move from the periphery to the centre stage of Politics, business and society. I admire the independent strength of many of these Bhopali ‘biyas’ and a large number of them have brought in a positive change in the society. But the wanton spirit of the likes of Zahida and alike is a warning to many homes. The Shahla Masood episode is a wakeup call for the Bhopali society.
