Umrāo Jān Adā meṉ faḥḥāshī kī tajlīl

Abstract. What strikes us in Umrāo Jān Adā is the fact that the novel in which the complexity of a prostitutes’ life and work has been exposed and explored long before feminist discourse took these up – has never been analyzed in terms of sexuality. A good deal of research has been done concerning various aspects of Rusvā’s masterpiece, however, the sphere of human activity that first comes to mind, associated inseparably with sex-workers and their deeds is nothing more nor less than sex and sexual activity. Yet, on this very aspect of the novel both researchers and enthusiasts of Rusvā’s book remain conspicuously silent. In this paper, the author tries to answer the question whether Umrāo Jān Adā is indeed so blameless and devoid of any salacious and obscene elements?