The charming world of Austenistan

What could 19th century England have in common with 21st century Pakistan? A new anthology of short stories, inspired by Jane Austen's fictional works, has the answers

What could 21st century Pakistan have in common with the 19th century England? If these stories are anything to go by, it'd seem a lot. The society that Austenistan's characters inhabit nearly 200 years later also feature single men in possession of good fortune, and adding to it thanks to successful stints in foreign lands. Thankfully for them, there are just about enough families with keen eye for wealth, hoping to get their daughters married to them. Class distinctions are neatly drawn and marriages become alliances that help maintain the status quo. Elaborate soirees are replaced by gala charity dinners for Friends Against Dengue Society, and lavish Regency-era costumes are substituted with Sana Safinaz dresses. At the heart of most narratives are women negotiating their way through the terms of the Pakistani society, pretty much the way Austen's heroines did. "The fictionalised accounts glimpse into social circles familiar to us, beyond the guarded gates and the metaphoric velvet ropes. They provide rare access into a private world, private thoughts, and juxtapose restrictive traditions with contemporary evolution in a reflection of our times," says Sukhera, who has edited the anthology.
To a layman, Jane Austen's world comprises stately homes, extravagant soirees, romantic courtships in fantastical settings and the happily ever afters. Many stories in Austenistan examine what happens after these happily ever afters. Mishayl Naek's Emaan Ever After, for instance, centres on a 32-year-old divorcee trying to find love amid the glitz and glamour of Karachi parties. Dating in 20s is effortless. At 32, it needs Emaan to keep "dermatologist and personal trainer on speed dial". Nida Elley's Begum Saira Returns revolves around the loneliness of a middle-aged protagonist trying to keep up with the ways of the socially affluent after the death of her husband. The Prince Charming in Sukhera's own short story On The Verge did not quite turn out to be all that charming. Could a Happily Ever After 2.0 be waiting for her? Or for that matter all protagonists? "Some endings are a bit more ambiguous than others. But generally, they end on a positive note of self-discovery," says Sukhera.
There is an attempt to peel off the layers, thereby thwarting popular perceptions about the characters. As Jameela Baig - a modern-day Mrs Bennet - pauses to reflect on her wrinkles, she remembers being a "young girl full of hope" in Mahlia Lone's The Fabulous Banker Boys. Could marriage have put an end to those hopes? Or was it her compliance? On the other hand, in Sonya Rehman's Only The Deepest Love, being raised by a single parent means Samina's relationship with men is less transactional. Could it also mean being less emotionally accessible?
Raising these questions, Austenistan succeeds in contemporising Austen's world and opening a world of possibilities where Darcy may not exactly be the guy of one's dreams (The Autumn Ball) and there's room to empathise with the jaded Miss Bingley (The Mughal Empire). These gentle nudges are, perhaps, all we need to fall in love with Austen all over again... this time, in Pakistan.
anamika@khaleejtimes.com
WHAT THE STORIES ARE ABOUT: THE WRITERS IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Laaleen Sukhera (On The Verge) (Photo Courtesy: Lotus PR)
One is pressured to 'settle down' with the 'right' match but social priorities may be skewed. In their quest to entice Mr Right, women like Roya Khalil (protagonist of On The Verge) often prioritise the glamour factor above essentials like mutual affection and compatibility, only to realise later that sought-after men are often entitled prats and likely to make unbearable husbands.

Sonya Rehman (Only the Deepest Love) (Photo: Maliha Faruki)
I wanted to bring to light a topic that I think needs to be discussed and written about more often in contemporary Pakistan: domestic abuse. While Only The Deepest Love is inherently a love story, the subject has an important role to play in not only shaping my story and my protagonist's character, but also in Pakistani society.

Mahlia Lone (The Fabulous Banker Boys) (Photo: Mohsin Khawar/ HELLO! Pakistan)
My story touches upon the class divide. The Baigs are a middle class family but due to the father's background, they have connections with the affluent upper class. The struggle of the limited income family to keep up appearances to get the daughters married off well is the gist of my story. Each of my characters is an amalgamation of those from the novel mixed with real life people that I know.

Saniyya Gauhar (The Mughal Empire) (Photo: Hasan at Bling Studios)
My protagonist Kamila is an heiress at the pinnacle of Pakistani high society, who feels humiliated by the "Darcy" wedding. I wanted to know how a person like that would feel in the aftermath of the Darcy wedding. Given the insular nature of the circle within which she moves, she'd find it difficult to heal as she 'd have to meet the couple often socially. Would jealousy become a vicious cycle or is there light at the end of the tunnel for Miss Bingley?

Nida Elley (Begum Saira Returns) (Photo: Joanna McCray)
Saira Qadir is an amalgamation of character traits and story lines from various people I have known. As the Lady Susan of Lahore, she seemed to me like an important member of Pakistani society that often gets written about satirically or negatively, but rarely with a sense of compassion.

Gayathri Warnasuriya (The Autumn Ball) (Photo: Ileen Forbes)
My story is about a modern-day Darcy who reverts to his non-dancing self after getting married to Elizabeth. It is a work of fiction set in the diplomatic community of Islamabad. The narrative is drawn from my own experience of moving around the world as a 'trailing spouse'. Though I hate to spoil a happy ending, the reality of 'happily ever after' is never straightforward and even Darcy, I imagine, might be less than perfect in real life.

Mishayl Naek (Emaan Ever After) (Photo: S.M.Umair Photography)
My story is set purposefully in Karachi's upper class society and shows how a divorced woman navigates this social segment. I wanted to increase awareness in an easy format to attempt accountability since it's easy to hide behind gated homes and armed guards and disengage from third world reality.