A Reflection of the Sati in the Safavid Poetry and Art Based on the Theory of "Field" and "Distinction" by Pierre Bourdieu

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Ph.D. Student of Comprative and Analitical History of Islamic Art, Department of Fine Studies of Art,Visual Arts Faculty, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

10.22051/jjh.2024.44848.2042

Abstract

Sati and its reflection in the poetry and art of the Safavid period are some of the things that cannot easily be overtaken by it. This is because it is a non-Iranian tradition, composed in the form of poetry by order of the Mughal court to Mohammad Reza Naw'i Khabushani, an immigrant Iranian poet in India. On the other hand, it is illustrated in the form of miniatures and wall paintings of the Chehel Sotoun Palace under the command of Shah Abbas II, because of the Hindu girl's prediction before committing Sati, based on the victory of the Iranian Corps in the Kandahar War. Khobushani composed this ritual beautifully in the form of Masnavi Suz u Gawdaz (Burning and Melting), which was applauded by the Mughal court. Attention to the remaining illustrated version of Khobushani’s Masnavi—as one of the important documents of the cultural relations between the two influential countries of Iran and India in the 11th century A.H.—and the social, political, and cultural reasons for this representation, as well as the introduction, adaptation, and analysis of the illustrated version of this Masnavi, are among the issues of interest in this research. It explains the relationship between factors such as power, cultural distinction, and cultural field in the reproduction of works of art. In any case, Sati appears strange within Iranian culture and society and is completely distinct and clear; this "distinction" is well analyzed according to Bourdieu to clarify the placement of Sati and the reasons for its favor by the Safavid court. This is qualitative research based on an inductive method and a descriptive and analytical approach, evaluating the final miniatures of Masnavi Suz u Gawdaz. It is evident that power factors play a decisive role in creating works of art. However, according to evidence in the miniatures, despite the depiction of this ritual, this phenomenon has not settled deeply in the Iranian spirit.
Also, with a general look at pictures one to five made by Iranian painters, we can see that, although they depicted the Indian religion according to the order of Shah Abbas II, from the bottom of their hearts, they do not agree with the philosophy of implementing this Indian custom:
1-In pictures two to five, the apparent health of the bride and groom in the fire shows the artist's desire to change the ending of the story.
2-The use of bright colors and the equal color saturation of the bride and groom in the fire with the courtiers and the prince suggests a subconscious desire for survival in the Iranian artist.
3-In picture one, as mentioned above, Mohammad Ghasem did not depict Sati in the final scene, confirming the painter's unconscious distance from this violent tradition.
4-In picture six, which relates to the Mughal version of the Masnavi painted by Indian artists, there is no panic or anxiety in the audience; they are watching the repeated scene of Sati with complete composure and peace of mind.
This acceptance of the Sati ritual is well crystallized in the representation by the Indian artist, who depicted the bride and groom in a vague and faint manner, surrounded by smoke and placed at the farthest distance. The burning bride and groom are so faded and blurred that they appear as unknown characters lost in the dust of time, as if years have passed since the event and they have been forgotten. Overall, it is evident that the Indian artist painted it with complete and firm belief in the religion of Sati. This claim is strengthened by the bold depiction of Prince Daniel and the people and courtiers watching in front of the bride and groom, who are nothing more than ghosts.
Although Bourdieu's views are rooted in the current century, the comprehensiveness of his theory and its potential for generalization to past societies make it useful for answering our questions. Bourdieu argues that in simple pre-industrial societies, the number of effective fields is relatively limited. During the Safavid period, the fields of power, social space, and cultural influence seem dominant. Bourdieu posits that cultural works are produced based on the logic of a strongly independent field. This holds true for the representation of the Sati custom in Iranian paintings, as Shah Abbas II considered it necessary to represent this Indian custom due to his strong and independent political and social status, which reflected the domain of power. Bourdieu also asserts that works of art are products of a permanent break with history and tradition and tend to become historical. In the context of Bourdieu's concept of discontinuity applied to the Safavid period, it can be acknowledged that the Safavid court illustrated a tradition completely disconnected from Islamic history and tradition. This practice, rejected by Muslims, was adopted solely because of the Hindu girl's correct prediction of Iranian victory within forty days and Shah Abbas II’s subsequent capture of Kandahar in 1085 A.H. Political considerations between Iran and India, from Shah Abbas's perspective, also influenced this portrayal.
Thus, "getting Sati" suddenly becomes a "habitual" practice or, in other words, a set of established relationships among social actors (Shah Abbas II and the Safavid court). Sati becomes a cultural commodity, which, according to Bourdieu, encompasses strategies of identification and differentiation. These strategies determine the dynamics of this field and make products such as manuscript paintings or wall paintings of Chehel Sotoun Palace in Isfahan tools for creating distinction.
In general, Sati is classified as part of artistic works, strengthened by the social atmosphere created by the Hindu girl’s correct prophecy before committing Sati. Its strengthening and connection with the field of power—namely, Shah Abbas II’s court—granted it cultural legitimacy, reinforcing power relations and reproducing them systematically. Despite these interpretations, it seems that Sati was more accepted by the court than by Iranian artists. This is evident in the depictions of the bride alive and the groom in a coffin, far from the fire, in the paintings' final scenes. Perhaps this lack of acceptance is due to two reasons: the insufficient time for Sati to permeate Iranian culture and the court’s insistence on its representation in Chehel Sotoun and manuscripts, and the hidden violence in this ritual, which is seen as the suicide of a woman and contrary to Islamic logic.
Regarding the mural painting of Sati in Chehel Sotoun Palace, this work contrasts with the two romantic works mentioned earlier. It conveys the idea that the sincere love of Hindu women surpasses the love stories of Khosrow and Shirin or Joseph and Zuleikha, marking it as a distinct tradition. Finally, as Bourdieu asserts, power is the fundamental means and goal of all cultural production. This principle also applies to the era of Shah Abbas II, manifesting in the crystallization of Sati within Iranian art and literature. However, based on an analysis of the paintings and a comparison of Safavid and Mughal artwork, despite the successful reflection of Sati in Persian literature and Shah Abbas II’s orders for its depiction, this ritual and its philosophy were not fully accepted in the imagination of Iranian painters. Despite numerous depictions of this custom, the Safavid painter subconsciously desired to change the story and alleviate the bride's pain and suffering. The general pattern of Safavid paintings supports this claim

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

منابع
آژند(الف)، یعقوب (1385). ققنوس وار در میان آتش(تفحصی در باب مثنوی سوز و گداز و دیوارنگاره ای در چهل­ستون)، گلستان هنر، سال دوم، پاییز، شماره سه،118-122.
آژند(ب)،یعقوب (1385). مکتب نگارگری اصفهان(به مناسبت گردهمایی بین المللی مکتب اصفهان)، تهران: وزارت فرهنگ و ارشاد اسلامی و انتشارات فرهنگستان هنر.
ابوالبشری، پیمان؛ وکیلی، هادی؛ ناظمیان فرد، علی (1395). ریشه­یابی تاریخی سوختن انسان کامل در فرهنگ صوفیانه، مطالعات تاریخ فرهنگی(پژوهشنامه انجمن ایرانی تاریخ)، سال هشتم، پاییز، شماره بیست و نه،1-22.
باباصفری، علی اصغر؛ سالمیان، غلامرضا (1387). ستی و بازتاب آن در ادب فارسی، جستارهای ادبی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد، بهار، شماره صدو شصت، 49 - 74.
بوردیو، پی­یر (1390). تمایز نقد اجتماعی و قضاوت های ذوقی، ترجمه حسن چاووشیان، تهران : ثالث.
بوردیو، پی­یر (1389). نظریه کنش؛دلایل و انتخاب عقلانی، ترجمه مرتضی مردیها، چاپ سوم، تهران: نقش و نگار.
پاکباز، رویین (1390). دایره­المعارف هنر، چاپ یازدهم، تهران: فرهنگ معاصر.
جعفری، یونس (1352). ستی، نشریه ارمغان، دوره چهل و دوم، آذر، شماره نه،585-592.
جنکینز، ریچارد (1385). پی­یر بوردیو، ترجمه لیلا جوافشانی و حسن چاووشیان، تهران: نی.
جوانی، اصغر (1385). بنیان­های مکتب نقاشی اصفهان،(به مناسبت گردهمایی بین المللی مکتب اصفهان)، تهران: وزارت فرهنگ و ارشاد اسلامی و انتشارات فرهنگستان هنر.
جوانی، اصغر (1391). سنت ستی هند در دیوارنگاره کاخ چهلستون و مثنوی سوز و گداز(تجلی روابط فرهنگی ایران و هند در عصر شاه عباس دوم و اکبرشاه)، پژوهش هنر، سال دوم، دانشگاه هنر اصفهان، بهارو تابستان، شماره سه،1-10.
حسن، زکی­محمد (1388). هنر ایران در روزگار اسلامی، ترجمه محمد ابراهیم اقلیدی، چاپ دوم، تهران: صدای معاصر.
حسینی، افتخارالسادات (1394). تحلیل بینامتنی دیوارنگاره‌ شاهزادة هندی در کاخ چهل ستون، پایان­نامه کارشناسی ارشد، رشته صنایع دستی و هنرهای سنتی، دانشکده هنر و معماری، دانشگاه علم و هنر اردکان.
رازی، امین­احمد (1378). تذکره هفت اقلیم، جلد2، تصحیح تعلیقات و حواشی سیدمحمدرضا طاهری «حسرت»، تهران: سروش.
ریشار، فرانسیس (1383). جلوه های هنرپارسی؛ نسخه های نفیس ایرانی قرن 6تا11هجری قمری موجود در کتابخانه ملی فرانسه، مترجم عبدالمحمد روح بخشان، تهران: سازمان چاپ و انتشارات وزارت فرهنگ و ارشاد اسلامی.
صفا، ذبیح‌الله (1372). تاریخ ادبیات در ایران از نخستین سال های سده دهم تا میانۀ سده دوازدهم هجری، چاپ هشتم، جلد پنجم بخش اول، تهران: فردوس.
طلایی، مولود؛ طغیانی، اسحاق (1394). بررسی ساختار روایی منظومه سوز و گدازنوعی خبوشانی با تکیه بر نظریه ژپ لینت ولت، مطالعات نظریه و انواع ادبی، دانشگاه حکیم سبزواری، سال اول، زمستان، شماره یک،41-59.
عابدی، سید امیر حسن (1346). داستان های ستی در ادبیات فارسی، نشریه مهر، سال سیزدهم، شماره هشت، 569-573.
فیضی، سوسن (1397). آیین خودسوزی زنان در ستی نامه ها و بازتاب آن در ادبیات فارسی، رساله دکتری تخصصی،رشته زبان و ادبیات فارسی، دانشکده زبان و ادبیات فارسی، دانشگاه لرستان.
کاردگر، یحیی (1393). بازتاب جنبه هایی از فرهنگ و ادبیات هند در شعر صائب، شعر پژوهی(بوستان ادب)، دانشگاه شیراز، تابستان، شماره بیست، 135 – 160.
ممتاز، فریده (1383). معرفی مفهوم طبقه از دیدگاه بوردیو، پژوهشنامه علوم انسانی، دانشگاه شهید بهشتی، بهار و تابستان، شماره چهل و یک و چهل و دو، 149 – 160.
مؤیدحکمت، ناهید (1392). درآمدی بر رویکرد روش شناختی پیر بوردیو به مفهوم سرمایة فرهنگی، جامعه پژوهی فرهنگی، سال چهارم، بهار، شماره یکم، 155 – 178.
نوعی خبوشانی، محمدرضا بن محمود (1384). سوز و گداز مصور(نسخه خطی کتابخانه ملی فرانسه)، خوشنویس ابوتراب اصفهانی، به کوشش محمدحسن سمسار، تهران: زریران.
نوری­نژاد، سمیه (1393). بَت­گوران: معبد هندوها در بندرعباس، جلوه هنر، پاییز و زمستان، شماره دوازده،19-32.
نوعی خبوشانی، محمدرضا (1348). سوز و گداز، تصحیح سید امیرحسن عابدی، تهران: انتشارات بنیاد فرهنگ ایران.
ولیزاده، فیروز؛ بزرگ بیگدلی، سعید (1396). تطبیق و تحلیل بنمایه های فکری داستانهای عاشقانة فارسی ایران و هند در دوره صفوی، پژوهش های ادبیات تطبیقی، دانشگاه تربیت مدرس، دوره پنجم، پاییز، شماره سه ،52 -77.
 
تارنماهای جستجوهای مقالات و پایان نامه ها
https://www.jstor.org(Access  date October 2022)
https://irandoc.ir(Access date October 2022)
 
 
Refrences:
Abedi, S.A., (1967). Sati’s stories in Persian literature, Mehr, 13(8), 573-569, (Text in Persian).
Abolbashari, P., Vakil, H., Nazemianfard, A., (2016). The historical rooting of the burning of the perfect human being in the Sufi culture, Cultural History Studies (Pejuhesh Nameh Anjoman-e Iraniye Tarikh), 8(29), 1-22, (Text in Persian).
Azhand, Y., (2006). Like a phoenix in the middle of fire (Investigation about Masnavi Suz u Gawdaz and a wall painting in Chehel Sotoun), Golestan-e-Honar, (3), 118-122, (Text in Persian).
Azhand, Y., (2006). Isfahan School of Painting (on the occasion of the international gathering of Isfahan School), Tehran: Farhangestan-e Honar Publication, (Text in Persian).
Babasafari, A., Salemiyan, Gh., (2008). Sati and its reflection in Persian literature, Literary Studies, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, (160), 49-74, (Text in Persian).
Bourdieu, P., (2011). La distinction: Critique sociale du jugement, Translated by: Hassan Chavoshian, Tehran: Saless publication, (Text in Persian).
Bourdieu, P., (2010). Raisons pratiques: sur la theorie de l'action, Translated by: Morteza Mardiha, (3nd ed), Tehran: naghsh-o negar publication, (Text in Persian).  
Farhad, M., (2001). Searching for The New: Later Safavid Painting and the Suz u Gawdaz (Burning and Melting) by Nau'i Khabushani, The Journal of the Walters Art Museum, Focus on the Collections, Baltimor, (59), 115-130.
Feyzi, S., (2018). The self-immolation ritual of women in Sati-nameh and its reflection in Persian literature, Specialized doctoral dissertation, Persian language and literature, Faculty of Persian Language and Literature, Lorestan University, (Text in Persian).
Jafari, Y., (1973). Sati, Armaghan, (42)9, 585-592, (Text in Persian).
Hosseini, E., (2015). Intertextual analysis of the mural painting of the Indian prince in Chehelsotoun Palace, Master's degree, field of handicrafts and traditional arts, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Ardakan University of Science and Art, (Text in Persian).
Javani, A., (2006). Foundations of Isfahan School of Painting (on the occasion of the international gathering of Isfahan School), Tehran: Farhangestan-e Honar Publication, (Text in Persian).
Javani, A., (2012). Indian Sati Traditionn in the Chehelsotoun Palace Wall Painting and SuzoGodaz Mathnavi (The manifestation of cultural relationship between Iran and India in Shah Abbas II and Akbar Shah era), Reaserch of Art Journal, 2(3), 1-10, (Text in Persian).
Jenkins, R., (2006). ‎Pierre Bourdieu[Book], Translated by :Leila Joafshani and Hassan Chavoshian, Tehran: Ney Publication, (Text in Persian).
Kardgar, Y., (2014). Reflecting aspects of Indian culture and literature in Saeb's poetry, Poetry Studies, (20), 135-160, (Text in Persian).
Moayedhekmat, N., (2013). An introduction to Pierre Bourdieu's methodological approach to the concept of cultural capital, Sociological Cultural Studies, 4(1), 155-178, (Text in Persian).
Momtaz, F., (2004). Introducing the concept of class from Bourdieu's point of view, Journal of humanities, (41&42), 149-160, (Text in Persian).
Naw'i Khabushani. M., (2005). Illustrated Suz u Gawdaz (Burning and Melting) (Manuscript of the National Library of France), calligrapher Abutorab Isfahani, by the efforts of Mohammad Hasan Semsar, Tehran: Zariran, (Text in Persian).
Nourinejad, S., (2014). Batgouran: Hindu temple in Bandar Abbas, Glory of Art (jelve-y-honar), (12), 19-32, (Text in Persian).
Nau'i Khabushani, M., (1969). Suz u Gawdaz (Burning and Melting), Corrected by: Seyed Amirhasan Abedi, Tehran: Iranian Culture Foundation Publishers, (Text in Persian).
Pakbaz, R., (2011). Encyclopedia of Art, (11nd ed), Tehran: Farhang-e Moaser Publishers, (Text in Persian).
Razi, A., (1999). Haft Eqlim Tazkira, Corrected by: Seyyed Mohammad Reza Taheri, Tehran: Soroush, (Text in Persian).
Richard, F., (2004). Splendeurs persanes: manuscrits du XIIIe au XVIIe siecle, Translated by: Abdul Mohammad Roohbakhshan, Tehran: Sazman-e Chap-o Entesharat-e Vezarat-e Farhang-o Ershad-e Islami, (Text in Persian).
Safa, Z., (1993). The history of literature in Iran from the first years of the 10th century to the middle of the 12th century, (8th  ed), The first part of the fifth volume, Tehran: Ferdows, (Text in Persian).
Talaei, M.; Toghyani, E., (2015). Investigating the narrative structure of Naw’i Khabushani 's epopee SuzoGodaz  based on the theory of Jaap Lintvelt, Theory studies and literary types, 1(1), 41-59, (Text in Persian).
Valizadeh, F.; Bozorg Bigdeli, S., (2017). Adaptation and analysis of the intellectual bases of Persian love stories of Iran and India in the Safavid period, Comparative Literature Research, 5(3), 52-77, (Text in Persian).
Zaki Muhammad, H., (2009). Iranian art in the Islamic era, Translated by: Mohammad Ebrahim Eqlidi, (2nd ed), Tehran: Seda-ye moaser publication, (Text in Persian).
URLs
Url1: https://www.art.thewalters.org/detail/30391/burning-and-melting-2/(Access date November 2022)
Url2: http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Or_2839
Url3: https://www.chesterbeatty.ie/(Access date November 2022)
Url4: https://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(practice)(Accessdate December 2022)
Url5: https://www.fa.wikipedia.org(Access date October up toNovember 2022)
Url6: http://www.prosody.ir/prosody/ShowRhythm.php(Access date December 2022)

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics