A tribute ...

The other day I happened to watch the movie Pakeezah of Meena Kumari .. Her song Chalte Chalte had always mesmerised me... So on a particular Saturday on a day all by myself I watched the movie ….

The movie and the story of Pakeezah is simply put a love story and the journey of a prostitute from a being wanted by everyone as the glamorous dancer and singer to a woman yearning for the love of a single man she never knew ….I recollected the novel ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ ….

Now if you ask me the resemblance of both...first I am in a very bad start I have in my mind compared the Novel Memoirs of a Geisha and the Movie Pakeezah on screen, so it may be a little unfair but nevertheless this is what I felt ….

Both woman Pakeezah in Pakeezah and Sayuri- San in Memoirs of a Geisha have in a way travelled the same journey of emotions while seeking their true love, but in many respects they had different destinations, What I have written is simply the differences and the similarities of two different woman – one real and another fictitious – one read and one seen by me …

Starting with the similarities..Pakeezah and Sayuri San were not their real names...Pakeezah was known as Shabnam Jaan and Sayuri San was known as Chiyo- Chan.. Though both were named at different ages and for different reasons …Pakeezah meaning purity was named by her lover while asking for her hand the first time whereas Sayuri San was the geisha name given by her Teacher Mameha - San after consulting various charts and significance.
Both woman were an art form...I would never brand both in the common platform of Prostitution. It would be an insult to glorify only their beauty and not their talent…..Pakeezah in the song ‘Thade rahiyo’ her every movement is an art , is the mastery of how to tame wild imaginations, the way she picks up the silk scarf to dry herself holding it only near her neck , the way she sits to display the whole work of her dress making her more beautiful when she gets up, the way she tries to stop a man who has got up in between her song , every step taken is like prayer offered to art.
Sayuri- San similarly has an elaborate explanation as to how to tie the orb and to match their kimono with their underlying sash so that they match, the reason why the wear okobo – so that it looks like they are gliding on wind below their kimono- their dances and their training in various instruments from shamisen to drums – every instrument or an art form was tuned to make them desirable and present this in a wonderful way before men.
The dressing that both women carried throughout was never showing flesh. Pakeezah never showed herself without her dupatta over her shoulders and Sayuri did not show her body through the kimono. Both their dresses – one in a Salwar Kameez and a Kimono was always decent – but still there is never a moment we feel they are not beautiful – infact it never matters. Pakeezah wore ornate ornaments from her head covering her neck and her hands, Sayuri had less choice in ornaments as her kimono itself were worth anything ornate but did decorate her hair.
Dance again is a common thing between both women, Pakeezah’s eyes while dancing on ‘Chalte Chalte’and her graceful movements would have and has captured many hearts by now- Sayuri had to learn dance and she was wonderful once she mastered it by thinking about her beloved as inspiration.
Finally both their professions become their main obstacle in being with their lovers. Pakeezah for the fear of reputation and Sayuri for selecting her ‘Dannah’ to secure her future or to choose her love, but again it was their professions that made them meet in the first place.

Now to the dissimilarity between two women – On a personal note I believe Sayuri was the strong minded than Pakeezah. Sayuri had seen the world transforming in front her... from her house in Yorido to her innocent trust broken by Mr Tanaka in selling her off. Her hardwork, Hatsumomo’s taunts to her in every aspect of her life even ultimately in becoming a well known geisha. Sayuri had learnt the art of becoming a Geisha from being a fishermans daughter.
Pakeezah on the other hand was born to a known prostitute and was bought up in the lap of dance and music and pleasing men in the form of art. She knew what her care takers expected of her, she knew what her plus points were, and she knew this was her only aspect of life until she met her beloved. Sayuri on the other hand chose to become a geisha once she understood the importance of her love; she knew the only path to reach the Chairman was this. Pakeezah met her love when she was a prostitute and Sayuri became one when she met him.

Both women had something of their beloved that they always kept with them – Pakeezah kept the note left by her Salim on hair jewellery always near her and Sayuri kept her Chairman’s handkerchief in her orb. But Sayuri never disclosed this to anyone not even to her best friend and teacher Mameha-san , whereas Pakeezah discloses it to Bibban- This one simple event did plant a seed of doubt in Pakeezah’s mind as her friend very painfully reminds that she is a prostitute who has to land her feet on the ground and dance before everyone and not keep it beautiful as her lover had asked her to. Both women for reasons only known to them with this event had actually decided the course of their life and decisions. Sayuri had the handkerchief as a hope and inspiration with her, whearas for Pakeezah the note was a reminder both of her beloved and her friend’s suspicion.

Sayuri-San does mention at some point that her life was like river which would ultimately meet its destination and according to her it was The Chairman- and she believes in it so well – In Pakeezah’s life this is what literally happens it’s a broken boat on a river that she meets her beloved for the first time. This is mere coincidence or may be the extent of my imagination.

Pakeezah taunted by the unhappiness she may give to Salim refuses to marry him in the first instance but Sayuri-San does try in all ways to get her Chairman – Nothing or noone diminished her ambition. The reason why I think Sayuri – San hence is more strong minded. Pakeezah was an innocent bystander who was caught in a whirlpool which led to confusion and then her love but for Sayuri the chairman was the clear air after the confusion and whirlpool in her life.

If I go on I may write pages and pages of both women but this is where I will have to stop. Both women with all their heart desired someone- travelled the path of love with pain- and ended with their beloved after winning their own battles. In my mind I imagine… on a serene boat if Pakeezah and Sayuri San meet they don’t have to exchange any words as they both know what love is and what all it takes to get it in life. Both women know that inside the ornate jewellery, dresses and smiles they are and were simply two women who followed their heart and destiny helped them in the process.

This blog is simply a tribute for the writers Arthur Golden for ‘Memoirs of A Geisha’and to Kamal Amrohi for ‘Pakeezah’.