Mr. and Mrs. Jinnah: The Marriage that Shook India, February 2017
Mohammad Ali Jinnah was forty years old, a successful barrister and a rising star in the nationalist movement when he fell in love with pretty, vivacious Ruttie Petit, the daughter of his good friend, the fabulously rich baronet, Sir Dinshaw Petit, a prominent Parsi mill owner. But Ruttie was just sixteen and her outraged father forbade the match. But when Ruttie turned eighteen, they married and Bombay society, its riches and sophistication notwithstanding, was scandalized. Everyone sided with the Petits and Ruttie and Jinnah were ostracized.
It was an unlikely union that few thought would last. But Jinnah, in his undemonstrative, reserved way was unmistakably devoted to his beautiful, wayward child-bride—as proud of her fashionable dressing as he was of her intelligence, her wide reading and her fierce commitment to the nationalist struggle. Ruttie, on her part, worshipped him and could tease and cajole the famously unbending Jinnah, whom so many people found intimidating and distant. But as the tumultuous political events increasingly absorbed him, Ruttie felt isolated and alone, cut off from her family, friends and community. The unremitting effort of submitting her personality to Jinnah’s, his frequent coldness, his preoccupation with politics and the law, took its toll. Ruttie died at twenty-nine, leaving her daughter, Dina and her inconsolable husband, who never married again.
Sheela Reddy, well-known journalist and former books editor of Outlook magazine, uses never-before-seen personal letters of Ruttie and her close friends as well as accounts left by contemporaries and friends to portray this marriage that convulsed Indian society, with a sympathetic, discerning eye. A product of intensive and meticulous research in Delhi, Bombay and Karachi and based on first-person accounts and sources, Reddy brings the solitary, misunderstood Jinnah and the lonely, wistful Ruttie to life. A must-read for all those interested in politics, history and the power of an unforgettable love story.
Review
Mr and Mrs Jinnah. This book draws on the marital life of Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Maryam Jinnah ( born Ruttiebhai Petit), the scandal of their marriage, their life together afterwards till Ruttie s death. There are three stories in the book actually. One of their marriage, and another of Jinnah s political journey ( goes without saying it covers a lot of the freedom struggle, Gandhi, Muslim League etc), and third covers the unique relationship between Sarojini Naidu & Ruttie. Ruttie belongs to a family of Parsi Baronets ( she is also related to the Tata s and is practically Parsi Royalty) and Jinnah s family were originally Hindus from Kathiawar. His grandfather was a trader in fish and was ostracised by their community. His father ( Jinnah s) thus converted his entire family to Muslims. --By Anita Nandini on 10 April 2017
Very informative about the insidious relations among mail leadership in those troubled days. --By S.M.ALI on 1 April 2017
A wonderfully well researched book. Would become a must read for anyone trying to understand South Asian history of the 20th Century and beyond. --By Ataturk on 2 April 2017
It was an unlikely union that few thought would last. But Jinnah, in his undemonstrative, reserved way was unmistakably devoted to his beautiful, wayward child-bride—as proud of her fashionable dressing as he was of her intelligence, her wide reading and her fierce commitment to the nationalist struggle. Ruttie, on her part, worshipped him and could tease and cajole the famously unbending Jinnah, whom so many people found intimidating and distant. But as the tumultuous political events increasingly absorbed him, Ruttie felt isolated and alone, cut off from her family, friends and community. The unremitting effort of submitting her personality to Jinnah’s, his frequent coldness, his preoccupation with politics and the law, took its toll. Ruttie died at twenty-nine, leaving her daughter, Dina and her inconsolable husband, who never married again.
Sheela Reddy, well-known journalist and former books editor of Outlook magazine, uses never-before-seen personal letters of Ruttie and her close friends as well as accounts left by contemporaries and friends to portray this marriage that convulsed Indian society, with a sympathetic, discerning eye. A product of intensive and meticulous research in Delhi, Bombay and Karachi and based on first-person accounts and sources, Reddy brings the solitary, misunderstood Jinnah and the lonely, wistful Ruttie to life. A must-read for all those interested in politics, history and the power of an unforgettable love story.
Review
Mr and Mrs Jinnah. This book draws on the marital life of Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Maryam Jinnah ( born Ruttiebhai Petit), the scandal of their marriage, their life together afterwards till Ruttie s death. There are three stories in the book actually. One of their marriage, and another of Jinnah s political journey ( goes without saying it covers a lot of the freedom struggle, Gandhi, Muslim League etc), and third covers the unique relationship between Sarojini Naidu & Ruttie. Ruttie belongs to a family of Parsi Baronets ( she is also related to the Tata s and is practically Parsi Royalty) and Jinnah s family were originally Hindus from Kathiawar. His grandfather was a trader in fish and was ostracised by their community. His father ( Jinnah s) thus converted his entire family to Muslims. --By Anita Nandini on 10 April 2017
Very informative about the insidious relations among mail leadership in those troubled days. --By S.M.ALI on 1 April 2017
A wonderfully well researched book. Would become a must read for anyone trying to understand South Asian history of the 20th Century and beyond. --By Ataturk on 2 April 2017
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