San Jose’s Apala Egan Translates Grandmother’s Book as Loving Tribute

‘Behind Latticed Marble — Inner Worlds of Women’ Offers Accounts of Indian Palaces With Ties to Buddhism

To order “Behind Latticed Marble, Inner Worlds of Women” by Jyotirmoyee Devi Sen, go to: bit.ly/46djFW1 and bit.ly/4kQ4Xbh

Editor’s note: Apala G. Egan was a Dharma School teacher at the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin for 20 years where she incorporated EcoSangha principles, after it was initially introduced, in all of her lesson plans. She received the Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston scholarship in 2009, named after acclaimed writer of “Farewell to Manzanar.” This scholarship was awarded by the Community of Writers, formerly named Community of Writers at Squaw Valley, California. 

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I have recently translated a collection of short stories by Jyotirmoyee Devi Sen, titled “Behind Latticed Marble, Inner Worlds of Women.” Sen won the prestigious Rabindra Puraskar award for Bengali writing in 1973. 

This is based on a rare eyewitness glimpse of life in the innermost chambers of palaces in Rajasthan, India, during the early 20th century. The women’s pavilion was a scene of creativity as the dancers and singers nurtured their talent; it was also the setting for rivalries. This would have been similar to the life witnessed by Prince Siddhartha; in fact, his mother, Queen Maya, came from this region. He received the education befitting a prince, but he also observed the extravagance of royal life.

These stories are narrated from the feminine perspective. The entertainers were skilled exponents of dance and music such as the geishas of Japan and the courtesans of India; the queens and noblewomen were patrons of the arts and the work of artisans and often supported education and philanthropy. 

The introduction itself provides an overview of women’s history and their contributions, including that of Amrapali, a famous courtesan, who after meeting Shakyamuni Buddha, decided to eschew her profession and became a Buddhist nun. Speaking of impermanence, she says in the Therigatha, “Once my hair was beautiful, adorned with gold, fragrant and soft, well plaited. Now, because of old age, it has fallen out. There is no error in the words of the speaker of truth ...”  

Queen Devi, wife of Emperor Ashoka, built the famed Sanchi Stupa with its four gates with exquisite carvings depicting scenes from Shakyamuni Buddha’s life. 

Lady Takeko Kujo of Japan, of our Jodo Shinshu tradition, founded Asoka Hospital in Tokyo during the early 20th century after a major epidemic. 

Sen’s grandfather was the “dewan” or prime minister to the Maharaja of Jaipur during the time of the British Raj. When Sen was 25, she was tragically widowed and returned to her parents’ home where she devoted herself to writing. Due to rigid Hindu rules, she could only wear white sarees and restrict herself to a vegetarian diet.

Buddhist teachings, supported by rulers ever since the time of Emperor Ashoka, flourished in the subcontinent for many centuries although indigenous worship continued as well. With the decline of Buddhism caused by the rise of Hindu orthodoxy and the Muslim invasions from the northwest around the 11th century, many positive aspects of society disappeared. Orthodox society enforced its caste barriers, and the mistreatment of widows became commonplace. 

Nevertheless, you still have old Buddhist communities in the Indian subcontinent, especially in the mountainous regions and in eastern Bengal.  Regardless, some Buddhist teachings also got swallowed up wholesale into Hinduism; Shakyamuni Buddha is viewed as an incarnation of Vishnu (one of the Hindu Trinity).

During the time of British colonization in the last 200 years, their archeologists discovered Ashoka’s edicts at Sarnath among other sites. The paintings and sculptures at the Ajanta and Ellora caves, which had served as monasteries and had lain hidden for centuries, were stumbled upon by an English army officer while hunting!

Thus, during the 19th century, thinkers and scholars began reaching back into India’s heritage, resulting in an outpouring of literature. Leading figures promulgated major social and religious reforms; this period is referred to as the Indian Renaissance. Consequently, educated families, while still observing societal rules, encouraged education for their daughters. Sen’s own extended family encouraged her literary pursuits and provided her considerable support during her long widowhood. The author is my grandmother, and I have worked on the translation in her honor. 

As a matter of interest, Rabindranath Tagore, Nobel Prize winner for literature in 1913, wrote some poetry and plays in Bengali about the Buddha’s life. The leaders of the Indian independence movement in the 20th century adopted as a national symbol, Emperor Ashoka’s lion capital from Sarnath that includes the Dharmachakra or Dharma Wheel.  

Nine out of the 10 stories were previously published in esteemed literary journals and magazines in the United States, including The Missouri Review, The South Carolina Review, Catamaran Literary Reader and the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.  One was published overseas by Istanbul Review. This attests to the literary merit of the work and is a good resource for the pursuit of English Literature. 

Stanford, Columbia, Berkeley and the University of Illinois, as well as other universities, have ordered the book. In England, Oxford University and London University have ordered this book as well. The book has been a subject of a panel discussion hosted by UC Berkeley’s Institute of South Asia Studies, featuring scholars from Berkeley, James Madison University and Stree Samya Books, India. 

A review may be found at: bit.ly/3UsmXNS

All royalty income is being donated to a nonprofit organization, Crafts Council of India, founded by a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. It supports artisanal enterprises that sustain the environment. For instance, makers of bedspreads, shawls and scarves use traditional looms that do not use much fossil fuels. In fact, I have been deeply influenced by the EcoSangha principles that BCA Minister Emeritus Rev. Don Castro spearheaded, and Karen Akahoshi adopted for our temple. 

To order “Behind Latticed Marble, Inner Worlds of Women” by Jyotirmoyee Devi Sen, go to: bit.ly/46djFW1 and bit.ly/4kQ4Xbh

Please consider acquiring the book to read, or stock in our temple libraries for our younger generation as part of their Asian literary heritage or ask your local library to obtain the book. Or, purchase a copy to donate to the International Book Project, which distributes books to school and college libraries in developing countries. The address is: 1440 Delaware Ave., Lexington, Kentucky, 40505. (www.intlbookproject.org)