Why Were Female Bengali Feminist Authors Not Household Names Growing Up?

Bengali female authors were not commonly talked about in pre-independence Bengal. Women were not encouraged to write during those days. As a result, Bengali feminist authors were not household names in that era. 

Despite identifying as a Bengali, I'm yet to embark on the journey of Bengali Literature. However, as a distant observer, the household names impressed upon me by my maternal grandmother never involved any female writers. 

Education wasn't recognised as a fundamental right for women back then. Born in 1939, it would be some years before my grandmother saw the Eighty-Sixth Amendment Act of 2002. Until then, however, from the stories she told me of her teenage years, education was a struggle for her. My grandmother came from an affluent family, so it's not like she did not have the means to access education. She completed her graduation which was not very common for women of her era. However, she would spend time spying on her male distant relatives and neighbours when their tutor came over. Hiding behind a wall or a window she would try to hear what the tutor was teaching. 

I share this personal story here to let you know what it was like for an ordinary woman even from an affluent family to access education in Bengal in those days. 

Therefore, it did not come as a surprise when she said to me women writers in her era were not encouraged or promoted. 

Now that we understand the backdrop of women writers in Bengal. Let us look at some superwomen who went against the tide. You'll have heard of some of these names. Others are lesser-known names I deliberately bring up because they deserve to be recognised. 

Suggested Reading: 5 Bengali Feminist Authors Who Should Be On Your Reading List

Underrated Bengali Feminist Female Authors 

Rassundari Devi 

When education among women seemed to pick up some momentum in the second half of the 19th century, Rassundari Devi's autobiography Amar Jibon made it to some people's reads. This autobiography was published in 1876. Rassundari Devi chained to household chores and motherhood would secretly educate herself. She tore a page from her son's school book and her husband's religious book to write. 

Swarnakumari Devi 

Swarnakumari Devi came from the Tagore family and was one of the first few women writers to make a name for herself in Bengal. It becomes exceedingly hard to prove one's worth when one is constantly overshadowed by someone else's name and success. However, published in 1876 Swarnakumari Devi's patriotic Deepnirban accomplished just that. 

Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain 

Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain was one of the few privileged women who was encouraged to study and write by both her family or origin and procreation. However, existing bigotry in society kept her work from gaining the expeditious acclaim that her male counterparts did. Her work Sultana's Dream, a feminist sci-fi, paints a picture of a matriarchal society where men have meted out the same treatment that women were in her time. 

Mahasweta Devi

Mahasweta Devi came from a family of non-conformists and repeatedly used her voice in her writings as an intersectional feminist. Some of her famous works are Draupadi, Hajar Churashir Ma, and Rudali. All of her works bring to notice how indigenous communities were wronged and the atrocities they suffered at hands of power holders. She is one of the few female writers with a good command over political writing. 

Suchitra Bhattacharya

Suchitra Bhattacharya is a well-known name in Bengal. Her writing came across as relatable to the masses because she wrote about everyday women. Her trademark to use simple characters to hold a mirror to society is what made her work extraordinary. A lot of her work was adapted into motion pictures. Some of her popular works include Hemanter Pakhi, Dahan, and Kacher Manush. 

Taslima Nasreen

Taslima Nasreen hailing from Bangladesh is one of the most prominent female writers that Bengal has ever seen. A staunch atheist and feminist, a lot of her work was simply banned for criticising religious fundamentalism both in India and Bangladesh. Some of her works French Lover, My Girlhood, and Shame received both critical acclamation and opposition. Currently 60, Taslima still contributes as a columnist to various English and Bengali newspapers.