Of Women, For Women: The Life and Struggles of Kamla Chaudhary

She holds the baton and leads the crowd. Her words affect opinions. Mightier than the chains pinning her down, her pen moves mountains. From the confines of the zenana to a man's world, women have one thing in common - the struggle for identity. A life of poignant brilliance - author, poet, and revolutionary Kamla Chaudhary has carved a niche for herself on the golden pages of history.

(A rare image, source: SheThePeople)

When for centuries women have been denied the basic right of ‘living for herself’ shorn of the suffocating weight of a man's guardianship, the first step towards liberation seems like a seismic shift in womankind's fate. Kamla Dayal was born in 1928 to affluent parents who were also staunch loyalists of the Crown. The country at that time was undergoing incredible changes. Nationalist sentiments were raging and the resultant dilemma was seeping into the inner quarters of the Dayal household. Though young Kamla's initiation into British India's political landscape was one of subservience, she would eventually choose a path starkly different.

With a natural flair for writing, Kamla sought a degree in Hindi Language and Literature. Despite monetary security, her road to education was difficult. Growing up, she was developing an affinity for the cause of her countrymen. The demand for independence from the evil colonial power gripped her with passionate intensity.

Her foray into politics began with active participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930. This was followed by the famous Dandi March which ultimately culminated into the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. It was one step towards 1947. The Indian struggle for independence played a pivotal role in bringing women out of the four-walls of their homes.

Closely associated with Gandhi, she formed Charkha Committees to encourage greater participation of women in the Freedom movement. Such was the influence of the Gandhian principles of Ahimsa, Satyagraha, and Non-cooperation that she authored a book titled "Gandhi Ban Ja" ("I Want To Become Gandhi").

She was wedded at the young age of 15 to J.M. Chaudhary of Uttar Pradesh. Although very little is known about her husband, it may be assumed that she received support from him in all her ventures - literary and political alike. Kamla went on to serve as the Vice Chairperson in the 54th session of the All India Congress Committee held at Meerut, in 1946. One could easily notice her growing influence and popularity. Soon, she was elected as a member of the Board that formed the Constituent Assembly, becoming one of the 15 historical women to shape India's foreseeable future. With such visionary leaders, the Constitution would turn out to be an ideal we must keep striving to reach.

She also served as a member of the Provincial Government of India till 1952, and became a Member of the third Lok Sabha in 1962 by winning the General Elections from Hapur constituency.

Kamla Chaudhary's fame does not rest only on her political career. She was a firebrand feminist and had an engaging literary career with four volumes of short stories and a collection of humorous poetry published to her name. A wide range of themes - gender discrimination in families, female subjugation and loss of identity, lopsided power relations between the landowners and peasants, and poor condition of widows, found prosaic expression in her works. Some of her stories are - “Ankhe Khuli” (Realisation), “Suriya” (The Sun) , “Swapna” (Dream) and “Rup” (Face).

She delved deep into female psychology. In her writings one may find the firsts of mental health awareness - in “Sadhana ka Unmaad” (“The Passion for Fulfilment”), the protagonist is a woman desperate for her husband's affection, failing to gain which she spirals into morbid depression.

Kamla Chaudhary displayed a fine sensibility and gentleness which she used in her fiction. Her prose volumes are: "Unmaad", "Picnic", "Yatra", and "Bel Patra". Lending her voice to the marginalised, her descent into oblivion is rueful. So little is known about her even today. It is the need of the hour to revive her memory and acknowledge her contributions.

(The women who became the change they wished to see in the world, source: India Today)