Twilight in Dehli

In Twilight in Dehli Ali describes the life of Bilqeece, the example of a “normal Indian woman.” She had been constantly told that one day she would have to go away to someone else’s house, and that she must always behave properly. She was taught the arts of cooking and sewing and behaving like ea perfect housewife generally…By education and hearsay she is made to believe that passion is the worst kind of sin”. The discussion of a “proper” education for a woman is a theme that many of the books we have read have taken up. Here Ali is adding commentary to the fact that women are vessels that get taught lessons only in how to behave and cook; passion in a personal sphere is nonexistent. However, this becomes really problematic for Asghar, Bilqeece’s husband, as he yearns for a woman who is cultured, passionate, a bit sultry even. It seems that in history, no matter what a woman is doing, she is always lacking one aspect to be deemed whole, ideal, and good. She is constantly having to become more devout, more learned, a better cook, and a passionately lover, despite the contradictory elements of those traits. A woman just can’t win it seems.