Sultana's Dream

The author of “Sultana’s Dream” is Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, popularly known as Begum Rokeya (“Begum” is the Urdu equivalent of Mrs.). The story is a science fiction social satire that features a feminist utopia called Ladyland. As the title suggests, the narrative takes the form of a dream that the narrator experiences. The narrator is a woman called Sultana (the Arabic title for an empress or the wife of a sultan). The story was originally published in 1905 in The Indian Ladies’ Magazine, and later in book form in 1908. It is the first story by an Indian writer to feature a feminist utopia.

This guide refers to the version included in the 1988 edition of Sultana’s Dream and Selections from the Secluded Ones. Though this collection was edited and translated by Roushan Jahan, “Sultana’s Dream” was originally written in English.

One evening in Calcutta, Sultana falls asleep while thinking about the position of women in Indian society. In her dream, she sees a woman whom she mistakes for her friend, Sister Sara. When Sister Sara invites Sultana for a stroll in her garden, she hesitates. Then Sultana remembers the “pleasant walk[s]” and conversation she shared with her friend in Darjeeling. She accepts the offer, reminding herself that the male servants will not see her, as they will be asleep.

Once outside, Sultana is surprised to see that it is a “fine morning.” The streets are busy, but no men are present. Passersby seem to be making fun of Sultana in a strange language. Sister Sara explains that they think Sultana is “mannish” because she appears “shy and timid like men” (8). By this time, Sultana realizes that her companion is a stranger and not Sister Sara. Sultana feels nervous and awkward because she is a “purdahnishin woman” who interacts only with the people of her household and is not used to being seen in public without a veil. The stranger assures Sultana she need not need worry about encountering any men.

Sultana starts to enjoy the gardens and admires the grass lawn, which feels like a “velvet cushion” (8). The stranger, whom the narrator continues to call Sister Sara, asserts that Calcutta could also be turned into a beautiful garden. Sultana suggests that the men of Calcutta are too busy to concern themselves with horticulture. When Sultana inquires about the conspicuous absence of men on the streets, Sister Sara replies that they are “[i]n their proper places, where they ought to be” (8), which is “indoors” (9). Ladyland’s men are restricted to mardanas. A mardana is the equivalent of a zenana—the female-only space within Muslim households. Sultana and Sister Sara debate the benefits of zenanas and mardanas. Sultana believes that zenanas keep women safe in Calcutta. However, Sister Sara argues that it is “unfair […] to shut in the harmless women” when it is men who pose a danger (8). She classifies men as “lunatics” and wild animals, asserting they cannot be allowed to roam freely in civilized society. Sultana points out that, as men “are stronger,” women have no say in the running of Indian society. However, Sister Sara argues that lions are stronger than humans, but we do not allow them to dominate.

In Sister Sara’s house, Sister Sara works on embroidery as the women talk. Sultana is surprised that Sister Sara has time for needlework, as she also works in a laboratory. Sister Sara states that men are incapable of fine sewing and, as she performs her job efficiently, she only works two hours per day. Shocked, Sultana states that Indian men work at least seven hours a day. Sister Sara counters this by claiming that men waste “six hours a day in smoking” (10). Sultana is further astonished to learn that Ladyland is devoid of epidemics and mosquitos.

Sister Sara shows Sultana the kitchen. Before they enter, the men working there are asked to leave, in accordance with the mardana system. The kitchen has a vegetable garden and works entirely on solar energy. Sister Sara demonstrates this cutting-edge technology by cooking using sunlight and heat as fuel.

Sultana is curious to know more about Ladyland’s use of solar energy, so Sister Sara recounts the country’s recent history. Like India, Ladyland had a purdah system, until the Queen of Ladyland ascended the throne. The Queen was determined that all her female subjects should be educated and founded schools and universities for girls. She also raised the legal marriageable age for women to 21. One of the two universities for women invented a balloon to harvest water from the clouds. The invention provided the country’s water and stopped storms from occurring. To keep up with their academic rivals, the other women’s university invented a device to store and distribute solar energy. Meanwhile, Ladyland’s men were busy with strengthening their military force, and belittled the women’s inventions as “sentimental.”

Sultana is eager to know how the women succeeded in confining the men to the mardanas. She cannot conceive how the women achieved this, asserting that men are both physically stronger and have brains that are “bigger and heavier than women’s” (12). Sister Sara points out that elephants have bigger brains than humans and then resumes her story. When political refugees from a neighboring country fled to Ladyland, the Queen refused to give them up to the authority of the neighboring country’s king. A war followed, and the Queen’s army almost lost the battle. To prevent a defeat at the hands of their enemies, the “wise ladies” of Ladyland convened a meeting at the Queen’s palace. Since these women were not trained for combat, they decided to save the country using “brain power” (13). The next day, the Queen ordered the “men to retire into zenanas for the sake of honor and liberty” (14). They obeyed without resistance since there was no hope left for their country. The Lady Principal of one of the universities defeated the enemy forces using concentrated solar heat and light to force their retreat.

Once the war was over, the men wanted to resume their previous positions. However, the Queen asked them to remain in the zenanas, now known as mardanas. Sister Sara states that the men of Ladyland are now accustomed to their seclusion and do not try to change it. They undertake all the household chores, take care of children, and cook for everyone in the family. Now that all the men follow the purdah system, there is no crime in Ladyland and therefore no need for a police force or justice system.

Sultana looks forward to telling her friends about the reversed gender roles in Ladyland and wants to know more about their society. Sister Sara explains that all agricultural practices are optimized using electricity. Also, as rainwater is harvested from the atmosphere, they can control the weather, preventing floods. Fruit is the staple food in Ladyland, and they have mechanisms to keep their houses warm in winter and cool in the summer. The religion of Ladyland is “based on Love and Truth” (16). Anyone who lies is exiled from the country, but those who “repent sincerely” are forgiven.

When Sultana expresses the wish to meet the Queen of Ladyland, Sister Sara takes her to the royal gardens in an air-car. The Queen explains that she refuses to trade with countries who have “lower morals” and oppress women. She asserts that she has no interest in dominating other countries or fighting over riches such as the Koh-i-Nor Diamond or the Peacock Throne. Ladyland simply nurtures and harvests nature’s bounty.

After meeting the Queen, Sister Sara takes Sultana to visit Ladyland’s universities, laboratories, factories, and observatories. After the tour, they get into the air-car, and Sultana slips, waking from her dream. She finds herself back in her chair in her bedroom.