Dastangoi is an Urdu oral storytelling art from the 13th century that originated in pre-Islamic Arabia. The Persian words ‘Dastan’ and ‘Goi’, which refer to ‘story’ and ‘tell’, respectively, are combined to form this term. Few things should be kept in mind for a Dastangoi performance: a Dastango with a solid grasp of language and a set that can be adjusted to fit every kind of performance setting, from theatres to auditoriums to rallies.
As part of Her Zindagi's new campaign, ‘Shakti Rupena Sasthita’, we bring you the stories of such incredible women who have set an example by breaking all the barriers and inspiring millions of other women. Today, we will take you through the inspiring journey of Fouzia Dastango, India's first female Dastango.
HerZindagi’s new campaign, 'Shakti Rupen Sansthita', is an initiative to bring you stories of inspiring, independent, and strong women from different corners of India. We see every woman as an embodiment of strength. Some influence the world with their professional growth, others by their personal choices. We believe that there is Goddess Durga in every woman and this initiative glorifies their efforts to bring a positive change in our society.
What Is Dastangoi?
The word 'Dastangoi' means the art of storytelling. It is an Urdu oral storytelling art form that began in the 13th century.
Despite having its roots in Persia, the art form expanded with the advent of Islam to Delhi and other parts of India. It reached its peak amid the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny when many Dastangos moved to Lucknow and helped popularise the art form there. All social strata in Oudh took pleasure in it, although it was only resurrected in 2005 after a hiatus that spanned several decades, following the death of Mir Baqar Ali in 1928.
The 21st-century rebirth of Urdu poetry was made possible by the contributions of Indian poet and critic Shamsur Rahman Faruqi and his nephew Mahmood Farooqui, a writer and filmmaker.
Who Is Fouzia Dastango?
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As her name implies, Fouzia Dastango is an expert of the Dastangoi. Since her early school days, she has had a keen interest in arts and drama. She was unable to devote herself full-time to her artistic activities but she continued to study and act in school plays. To support her family, she even worked as an educator for many years. She left her full-time job as a lecturer at the State Council of Educational Research and Training in Delhi to pursue her passion.
Fouzia Dastango’s Personal Life
Being India's first female dastango, she has not only dominated the male art form but is working tirelessly every day to bring back Dastangoi. She was brought up in a lower-middle-class family in Old Delhi. Her father worked as a motorbike mechanic. She financed her master's degree in education and planning from Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi by tuition payments. This was the institution where she had always aspired of earning her Mass Communication degree.
Fouzia Dastango’s Dastangoi Journey
Fouzia Dastango saw a Dastangoi performance at Dayal Singh College in 2006 and she fell in love with this art form. She followed contemporary dastango performers Mahmood Farooqui and Danish Hussain.
“It was love at first sight, I knew this was the art form that I wanted to do for the rest of my life. There was a time when people didn’t even know what Dastangoi was. It is only in the last three years that the dying artform reeling under the pressure of the glamour industry has come into the limelight,” she mentioned in one of her interviews.
Fouzia Dastango Stood Out In A Male-Dominated Art Form
She learned Dastango from legendary teachers like Danish Hussain and Mahmood Farooqui, from whom she eventually walked away following the public revelation of the infamous sexual assault case.
She says, "It was not easy, it never is but faith is something that keeps me going. No, I am not satisfied by being labelled as the first female dastango. There is more to me than that."
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She says, “Continuing that we should no longer be ashamed of Indian languages and accents, I have seen it myself - young people who are ashamed of their heritage, even lying about their residential addresses on occasion. Isn't that sad? It is simple to just discuss maintaining language and culture. Why should I feel small for my Old Delhi accent?”
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Fouzia Dastango Addressing Social Issues
Fouzia's passion for books, particularly Urdu literature, led her to pursue a career in storytelling. Fouzia grew up hearing tales told by her mother, her grandmother, and her maternal grandmother in their Kharkhandaari Zabaan, which is now an important part of her performances. She eventually turned her attention to telling tales with social messages. In one of her performances, she highlighted the problems that women faced during the 1947 partition. (Interesting Facts About August 15, 1947, That Every Indian Must Know)
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The Covid 19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Dastangoi, as it depends as much on the energy of the crowd as it does on the voice of the Dastango. It has been difficult for the form to adapt to live performances moving from theatres to online platforms (Online Platforms To Learn Foreign Languages For Free). Speaking about the challenges posed by the pandemic, she says, "Dastangoi is a live art form, the world of Dastangoi is not a camera and mic off task."
Fouzia Dastango’s Aim
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Fouzia's theatrical works have transcended the conventional Urdu narratives linked to Dastangoi. She has also created interpretations of a wide range of subjects, including the political fight of Mahatma Gandhi and the Mahabharata. She states that her aim is to reach a larger audience in vernacular languages like Hindi and Urdu, which she feels are neglected. Since dastangoi is mostly performed in Urdu, it is much more important to maintain, safeguard, and teach this legacy to the next generation.
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