User:Peracha1/Pakistani Novel
The first novel in Urdu literature is Deputy Nazir Ahmed's "Mirat-ul-Uroos", which was written in 1869. "Mirat-ul-Uroos" does not include all the elements of a novel, as there was no existing model of a novel before Nazir. The important aspect of his novels is their didactic nature. Following him, we have Sharar's novel "Fasana-e-Azad", which portrays a reflection of society. Abdul Halim Sharar attempted to awaken Muslims through historical novels, while Allama Rashid Alkhairi also emphasizes the reformation of society. Mirza Hadi Ruswa's "Umrao Jaan Ada" is considered the first complete novel in Urdu literature, which not only depicts the relevant plot but also human psychology and internal aspects. Prem Chand is a prominent name in Urdu literature, having written a total of 13 novels, including "Bewah", "Bazaar-e-Husn", and "Maidan-e-Amal". The didactic aspect also holds fundamental importance in his novels, which cover a range of topics from sexuality to progressive thinking and revolution. Sajjad Zaheer's novel "London ki Ek Raat" was the first to use the technique of stream of consciousness. Qazi Abdul Ghafoor is another notable writer who brought changes to the novel genre and wrote famous novels such as "Laila Ke Khutoot" and "Majnun Ki Diary". After him came Krishan Chander, who not only wrote short stories but also novels such as "Sarak" (The Road), "Ghadar" (Traitor), and "Jab Khet Jaag Uthay" (When the Fields Awaken). His novels are known for their beautiful style of writing, but they tend to be more cinematic in nature, catering to the tastes of the progressive mindset. Aziz Ahmed also wrote several novels, including "Khoon" (Blood), "Marmar" (Marble), "Ghreez" (Escape), "Aag" (Fire), and "Shabnam" (Dew), which reflect the spread of modern thought in the human mind. After him, Ismat Chughtai became famous for her works on sexuality and psychology, including novels such as "Masooma" (Innocent), "Ziddi" (Stubborn), "Teerhi Lakeer" (Crooked Line), and "Saudai" (Profit). While her works touch on sexual themes, they are always accompanied by psychological and communal perspectives. Thus, the journey of the novel reached its peak by 1947, with the prevalence of progressive thought leading to social reform and an emphasis on sexual and psychological tendencies.
Novels after 1947
A detailed analysis of event occurring in the aftermath of the Partition of Indian Subcontinent in 1947 will be done later in this article. However, before that, it is important to mention a name who, while living in India, created a major novel titled "Aag ka Darya (River of Fire)". That name is Qurratulain Hyder. In this novel, she begins with the ancient period of the Hindus and then moves on to the era after 1947. The coming of the British and the subsequent formation of Pakistan are all present in this novel, making it a significant work in terms of its subject matter. Let us now examine the impact of Pakistani novels.
Reference to Migration and Riots
After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, a form of bloody Holi was played where many people were ruthlessly killed, humanity was violated, and then after all of these tragedies, the event of migration was a unique experience of witnessing rivers of blood on one hand and another major challenge in terms of culture. For those whose generations lived where their cultural roots were established, to suddenly be forced to migrate to another place was not an ordinary thing. In this backdrop, there is a lot of sorrow, as well as culture and history that remain. The graves of people's ancestors remain, and the signs under which their life was established are present everywhere. The atrocities and mass killings during that time had a profound impact on literature. In that era of corruption and oppression, M. Aslam wrote a novel called "Raqs-e-Iblees (The Dance of Satan)", Nasim Hijazi wrote "Khaak o Khun (Dust and Blood", Fikr Tounsi wrote "Chhatta Darya (The Sixth River)", and Faiz Rampuri wrote "Khoon aur Bey-Abroo (Blood and Shame)". These novels presented the story of human barbarism and oppression in the form of a novel. In this way, many novels were written in that era about corruption and many were of a sensational nature. However, in this era, a novel was written that despite being a sensational topic, the novel was beautifully written and showed great skill in style. This novel is "Ya khudah (Oh Lord)" by Qudratullah Shahab
Ya Khuda
The novel Ya Khuda or was written in 1948, which depicts the whole story in the words of the central character "Dilshad". It captures all the events and situations related to the Sikhs and their actions after partition, and their experiences with Dilshad even after migration. The novel provides a broad perspective by relating all the incidents to the character of Dilshad. The actions that Sikhs did with Dilshad were also done by the people of Lahore. Qudratullah Shahab presented the upheavals in a new and unique way, and wrapped the society that emerged after the partition in front of us.
Angan
One important novel in this series is Khadija Mastoor's "Aangan". In this novel, she describes the situations before and after 1947 and focuses on a particular family. The novel examines how this family was affected by the specific circumstances in pre-partition India. The novel does not have a direct focus on riots but instead presents all situations as a backdrop to reach a conclusion on how this Muslim family was impacted
Historical Trend
In this trend, there are novelists who have used history as a backdrop and in this way they have combined history and culture.
Dr. Ahsan Farooqui
Abdullah Hussain
Jameela Hashmi
Jameela Hashmi's two novels, "Dasht-e-Sos" and "Talaash-e-Bahar," are particularly famous. "Dasht-e-Sos" is related to the historical period and is written on the character of Mansur Hallaj. The novel is related to the Abbasid era, and along with the character's personality, it also mentions the social, societal, and cultural conditions of that era. "Talaash-e-Bahar" is also a historical and cultural novel. Its environment is pre-1974 India and the shared culture that was formed by the amalgamation of Muslims and Hindus. All the characters in the novel are Hindus. In the novel, a character who is above religious and regional prejudices sacrifices himself while saving Muslim women during the period of unrest. By showing scenes of unrest, Jameela has raised a question that a nation that sacrificed for the search of spring for a certain period is now facing unrest and enmity
Razia Faseeh Ahmed
Razia Faseeh Ahmad has also written several novels, including "Abla Pa," which has also won the Adamjee Award. However, her big and beautiful novel "Sadiyon Ki Zanjeer" is about the tragedy of 1971, but Razia has connected this theme with a strong historical perspective. The novel attempts to unite two generations and show the connection between the eastern and western parts of Pakistan. It tries to explain that our prejudices are based on false foundations. The novel highlights that every person comes from somewhere else and becomes the center of attention in a particular place. Therefore, it makes no sense to fight over locations. The novel presents the entire history of the fall of East Pakistan, and all the events are depicted in front of our eyes
In addition, Intizar Hussain is also a novelist associated with this trend, and his novels are deeply rooted in history and culture. They also evoke memories of his lost homeland
Trend of Portrayal of Pakistani Culture
This section discusses the third wave of Pakistani literature, which is related to Pakistani society. It is not a rejection of the historical wave that came before it, but rather a continuation of it. Writers like
Shaukat Siddiqui
Shaukat Siddiqui's most important novel "Khuda Ki Basti" is the bearer of this trend. In this novel, the author has attempted to describe the kind of society that exists in this country, which is created in the name of God. In their view, the society that has emerged after 1947 is a society of crime, where crimes are rampant, there are problems, poverty, bankruptcy, unemployment, and only crime is the way for ordinary people. In the novel, Shami and Nusha are characters who are forced to commit crimes. They are not inherently bad, but circumstances have made them bad. In addition, they have another novel "Jangloos" whose theme is the oppression and coercion of feudal societies in Punjab. In this novel, there are characters like "Lali" who live in such societies, where life itself is a burden for them.
Abdullah Hussain
Abdullah Hussain is also an important novelist in relation to the profession of crime in society. His novels "Qaid" and "Bhag" also depict the oppression and injustice of society and war, but their best novel in terms of social context is "Nadaar Log", which is still incomplete. This novel is set in the period from 1947 to 1988. The main character is a Major, and the photography of Pakistani society from 1947 to 1988 is based on him. They bring history and characters face to face and then try to show how these situations affected people.
Ghulam Saqlain Naqvi
The novel 'Mera Gaon' by Ghulam Saqleen Naqvi is a portrayal of a small village in Faisalabad captured through the lens of a photographer. The author has attempted to capture Pakistani society through the lens of rural life. The novel highlights poverty, the exploitation of the poor, and especially the deteriorating lives of the poor.
Razia Faseeh Ahmed
Aabla Pa" written by Razia Fasih Ahmad, although is a romantic novel, the background of the story is set in a progressive Westernized family of a developing country. The characters in the novel have a Western mindset despite living in the East. The author has tried to portray the lifestyle of Pakistani families through this one family
Fazal Kareem Fazli
Fazal Ahmad Kareem Fazli's novel 'Khoon Jigar Hone Tak' is very important. It is related to the Bengal famine of 1945 and depicts the life during the famine. It shows what usually happens during a famine and how it affects people. The author has presented human emotions with great depth in this novel.
Psychological Trend
The foundation of the novels created under the influence of this bias is based on gender and psychology. A fundamental difference will be noticed in these novels that instead of the story, emphasis is given on the characters. And the characters' psychological analysis is done."
Mumtaz Mufti
Mumtaz Mufti's novel 'Ali Pur Ka Eili' is a solid novel. There are many events in it, but the fundamental thing about this novel is that it is heavily influenced by Freud and D.H. Lawrence. The psychological complexities of the characters are beautifully portrayed. And the basic thing is based on psychology, how a child's personality is constructed. The character development of Eili in this novel is very important. His father indulges in sexual conquests everywhere, which affects the child's personality. As a result, he becomes a victim of fear and develops a hatred for sex. Women do not remain women for him, they become demonic characters. The important thing about this novel is that it does not give a sense of pleasure while reading it
Another novel by Mumtaz Mufti, "Alakh Nagri," is excellent. Most people have considered it an autobiographical novel because all the characters are real. The main character in this novel is Qudratullah Shahab. If Ali Pur's Eeli and Alakh Nagri are read together, it feels like a character is traveling from gender towards Sufism."
Siddique Salik
The most important novel of Siddique Salik is "Pressure Cooker". In this novel, a photographer named "Fitrat" plays a key role. The novel attempts to illustrate what happens when society clashes with an artist's internal thinking. The character wants to live life according to his own preferences, but society does not allow him to do so. The novel provides a complete psychological analysis of the character.
Nisar Aziz Butt
Nisar Aziz's novels have the theme of idealism. His novels include "Nigri Nigri Phira Musafir", "Ne Chirag Ne Gul", "Karwan-e-Wajood", and "Darya Ke Sangam", and most of the characters in his novels are idealistic. The fundamental character in "Nigri Nigri Phira Musafir" is "Afgar", who is a victim of idealism. He has been created from countless deprivations and a sense of loneliness since childhood, which has made him fond of excitement. People love him, but he remains engaged in the search for the truth and spirituality. He is also connected to Sufism. In the end, he says that the search for truth is a good thing, but if the path is found, the journey will come to an end
The role of "the caravan of existence" is also a victim of idealism, like the loss of productive assets. Nasir Aziz Butt highlights social and societal issues in "The Lamp and the Flower". In particular, he focuses on the effects of changes in social relationships on young people,
Altaf Fatima
Novels written by Fatima Bhutto include "Nishan-e-Mahfil", "Dastak Na Do", and "Chalta Musafir". These novels contain various characters and their stories, such as the character of an English girl in "Nishan-e-Mahfil", who is restless and feels that she will only find peace if she goes towards the East. She marries a man named "Nadir" and comes to live in the East, but her restlessness still persists as she has not found her ideal yet.
Some characters in the novel "Dastak Na Do" are related to a particular family that resides in a specific area. They live according to the ideology of idealism, but this ideology causes them both material and spiritual harm. In addition, the characters in their novels are explorers. Their subject is to discover the reality of the universe.
Raheem Gill
The character of Imtisal in Rahim Gul's novel "Jannat Ki Talash" is a mysterious character. There is a sense of disarray within him, yet he moves forward under it. People love him, but he is not influenced by anyone. He is only influenced by those whose ideologies match his own. In terms of ideals, most of the novels written have a connection with women.
Symbolic and allegorical inclination
If we look at the earlier novels, there used to be a logical sequence in them. But the symbolic and allegorical inclination has shattered the structure of the novel. Moreover, the theory of heroes and heroines in relation to the characters also feels broken in the hands of these novelists. These people tried to present an ambiguous genre by using the technique of consciousness, due to which their novels had unconventional ideas. Some important novelists related to this inclination are mentioned below.
Intizar Hussain
Hussain is one of those people who have witnessed the shared culture of India. After migration, he tried to see the same culture but was disappointed, so he mentally traveled towards the past through mythical symbols and divine mountains. Anticipating Hussain's famous novel is 'Basti'. Its character Zakir and his family migrate towards a new settlement called 'Rup Nagar'. Here, their conditions and depression always remind them of their village. The journey from Rup Nagar to Basti is only seen by Zakir's eyes. But as he goes on, this experience merges with the past. In fact, when Anticipating Hussain remembers the past, he mourns the cultural values of the past, which have been eradicated by modern civilization and technology.
Dr, Anwar Sajjad
Dr. Anwar Sajjad has a novel titled "Khushi ka Bagh" which is quite complex due to its use of symbolism and metaphors. The novel is full of self-reflection and detailed descriptions. It portrays a character who lives in the third world, who is not wealthy but feels suffocated in this society. It is a society that is violent, oppressive and barbaric in the name of religion. In his other novel "Janam Rooh", a woman is also trapped in the same suffocating society, unable to leave her family and husband behind. Anwar Sajjad's novels are full of fear, oppression, despair and many symbolic and metaphoric aspects.
Anees Nagi
Anis Nagi creates an ambiguous atmosphere with numerous metaphors, symbols, and stream of consciousness technique, along with a free association of thoughts, as per the style of the group. His famous novel "Deewar Ke Peechay" features a central character who is a psychological patient. Another novel "Main Aur Woh Main" also possesses the same quality. Both novels exhibit the effects of despair and hopelessness on their characters. Especially, these novels contain the existential philosophy of the West, in which humans are considered alone.
Faheem Azmi
Fahim Azmi broke the old convention in a symbolic and allegorical manner. He wrote a novel called "Janam Kundli" which he described as an experimental novel. In this novel, he expressed various disordered thoughts and imaginations. It is said that whether you start reading this novel from the beginning, middle, or end, it does not make any difference. The reason for this statement is that the author's style in this novel is very good, so the reader does not realize that the convention has been broken.
Bano Qudsia
Banu Qudsia is famous for her novel "Raja Gidh". This novel is similar to the novels of Intizar Hussain and Quratulain Haider. Just as Intizar Hussain used mythology, religious and historical references to express his ideas, Banu Qudsia also used her characters to do the same. The theme of her novel is a society devoid of love, a society that is more concerned with physicality than spirituality, and this leads to the spread of immoral practices in society. Her theory is that instead of spiritual theories, the theory of love should be adopted. She has tried to portray the effects of haram rizq (illegitimate earning) in this novel.
Umera Ahmed
Umaira Ahmed beautifully portrays the teachings of Islam through her novels. Her most famous novel is 'Peer-e-Kamil' which is a voice and light that we need in our lives. It certainly guides those who seek guidance. The central character of this story is Imama who is related to the Qadiani community, but when she finds guidance, she leaves her home in the love of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Salar Sikander helps her who is a born Muslim but far away from Islamic teachings, his life has no importance in religion. Salar is lost in the darkness of misguidance. Jalal Ansar, Imama's friend's brother, is a supporter of the love of the Prophet (peace be upon him) who turns out to be a liar when the time comes. This is Umaira Ahmed's masterpiece novel. [[Category:Pakistani literature]]