Tehmina Durrani, born into one of the richest families of Lahore, was raised in a so called high society. Like all women of her status, she was expected to and wanted to marry a prosperous Muslim from a respectable family, bear him many children and lead a lavish & sheltered life. At the outset, marriage looked like belonging to just another well heeled family, thus reaching the pinnacle of womanhood in a male dominated Muslim society. In her early twenties, Tehmina entered into wedlock with Mustafa Khar, a former chief minister of Punjab province of Pakistan. Punjab, being the largest province, wielded great political power in the federal government; therefore, its chief minister was a man of consequence. Marriage with Mustafa was a kind of ‘dream come true’ for Tehmina. But soon after their marriage, this dream turned into nightmare.
Tehmina Durrani, in her autobiography- My Feudal Lord, unfolds the startling story of her married life with Pakistan’s eminent politician Mustafa Khar. Malevolent, possessive and jealous, he succeeded in cutting Tehmina off from outside world. For fourteen years, she suffered alone, in silence. My Feudal Lord tells us about these fourteen years, about how a sensitive wife and kind mother danced to the tunes of a whimsical brute. Tehmina dealt with great mental anguish through all these years, and finally decided to rebel. And this very act of rebellion, caught attention of whole world. It was no inconsequential matter anymore. Roar of the wounded lioness deafened the Muslim community across the globe. Tehmina had appealed for a legal divorce from Mustafa. The price she paid for this freedom was extremely high: as a Muslim woman seeking a divorce, she signed away all financial support, lost custody of her four children, and found herself alienated from her friends and repudiated by her own parents.
While unraveling this horrifying truth, author talks about contemporary politics in Pakistan then. Details about politics are well knitted in main story and in fact give a fine finishing touch to the collage – My Feudal Lord. Like many other women authors then, Tehmina Durrani has not delved into description of her inner turmoil. Few instances, when she has gone beyond narration, leave you stunned and shocked. One of the many remarkable qualities of her writing is total frankness, which is far away from bending one’s ear for cheap gossip. She has maintained candid approach towards series of ruinous incidents of her life. This approach
indeed deserves a genuine admiration. This autobiography can truly serve as an inspiration to many women all over the world who are being humiliated and insulted at every stage of their lives, an inspiration to fight back for their basic right – to live as a free human being.
Contributed by - Aparna Dixit
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