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UrduLiteratureAsAModernisingForce
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TamashaAurTamashayeeHindiTranslation
TheconciseOxfordDictionarydefinesmodernismasmodernviewsandmethodsespeciallytendencyin
mattersofreligiousbelieftosubordinatetraditiontoharmonywithmodernthought.

Referencetoreligiousbeliefheremaybeincidentalbutthedefinitionaptlytendstofocusattentiononviewsand
methodsinharmonywiththechangingmeansandmodesofproductionwhichshapestheeconomicstructureof
aperiodandthelevelofconsciousnessofaparticularperiodinallfairnessshouldbeguidedbythedemands
relationofproductionofasocietymakeupontheindividuals.Buteconomicchangesdonotinstantaneously
bringaboutchangesinthevaluesandmodesofthoughtwhichfallinlinewiththeeconomicpatternthrougha
painfultransformation.

TamashaAurTamashayee
Prof.MohammadHasanMemorialFunctionheld
inMoradabadPart1
BayadEDr.MohammadHasan,Moradabad
Part2
Moradabad:BayadEDr.MohammadHasan

Thetimelagbetweentheremnantsofobsoleteandoutmodedrelationsof
productionandthedemandsofchangingeconomicorder,therefore,persists

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resultinginvariouskindsoftensionsandcollisionsbetweentheoldandthe
new,thedyingandtheembryonicconceptsinpracticallyeverysphereof

About

intellectualactivity.
Articles
Tothosewhobelieveintheexclusivenessofliteraryactivity,aestheticsand
technicalcomponentsofamasterpiecemightbetheendofallcriticalstudies
Urdu:Thelanguageof
thought

butthefactremainsthatliteratureformsasignificantpartofintellectualand
emotionalactivityofaparticularperiodandhenceemotions,values,concepts
expressedthereinmaybefruitfullystudiedandagainstthebackdropofthe
totalconsciousnessofitsageanditssocialandeconomicmotivations.
Literatureistosurvive,itwashavetopartakeinandinitiatetheprocessof

modernizationi.ethetaskofcorrelatingthesocialconceptsandnormswiththedemandsofthenewrelationsof
production.

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Prof.D.DKosambihasrightlyremarkedthathistoryisthepresentation,inchronologicalorderofsuccessive
developmentsinthemeansandrelationsofproduction.HegoesontonotethattheentirecourseofIndian
historyshowstribalelementsbeingfusedintoageneralsociety.(intro27)

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ThispeculiarityoftheIndiansocietyistobevotedparticularlyinthecontextofthepresentdiscussionvalue
judgementsofvariouscultures,maybemisleadingandprejudicedbutifonebelievesthatsocietyusuallymoves
fromsimpletocomplexandfromprimitivetomoreadvancedshapethenonehastoadmitthatsocialchange,
howevercruelandattimesfulfillsahistoricalnecessityandelevatesthesocialstructuretoahigherlevelof
culture.Henceanyculturewhichmotivatessuchintegrationservesasatoolofmodernization.Urduwasborn
withinthisprocess.AsapartofKhariBoli,ittriedtofusetogetherthevariousdialectsofitsoriginandtriedto
standardisetheseintoacolloqialspeechwitharichculturaltraditionofWesternandCentralAsia.Tocallita
Muslimtraditionwillbeamisnomerforithadcloserlinkswiththeindigenousculturalmilieuoftheirhomelands
speciallyIran,Turkey,Samarkand,BukharaandAfghanistanthanwiththeIslamictradition.Inthisrespect,Urdu
literarytraditionbeganasamodernizingforcesettingfreethevariousregionalliteraturesfromtheirnarrow
boundaries.True,UrdudidnotacceptinitsfoldallthedialectsoftheNorthlikeBrijandAwadhiforitinsistedon

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itsurbansophisticationandsyntacticaluniformityandstandardization,butitwasthepriceofmodernization.

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97likes

TheroleofUrducan,thus,befruitfullystudiedonlyinthisperspective.Indiawascutofffromthemainstreamof
worldcultureandUrduwasperhapstheonlylanguage,which,throughitsliterature,triedandsucceededin
buildingabridgebetweenlocalandindigenousliteratureandthemainbodyofliterarytraditionprevailinginthe
worldofthosedays.WhatisknownastheTurkoIraniantraditionwasinfactthereservoiroftheworld

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consciousnessofthosedaysdrawnfromthePlatonicandNeoPlatonicandAristotelianandotherGreek
sourcesontheonehandandfromArab,EgyptianandSumerianculturesontheother.Theideaswhich

Bethefirstofyourfriendstolikethis

percolatedintoUrduliteraturethroughHafizandKhayyamabouttheunknowabilityoftheriddleofExistence,the
sanctityofWineandVagabondageandthesupremacyofLoveallboretheimprintofphilosophiesofculturesof
yesteryearsandthuscontainedthecollectivewisdomofourcivilization.

ThetenorofUrdupoetry(eveninitsearlierphase)hadaliberalizingimpact.Itsangofmysticallongingofthe
Belovedandrejectsalldogmaticandritualisticformulaetothegoal.Intheprocess,itridiculedtheMullah,
idealisedthewinesellerandthevagabondandpleadedfreethinkingagainstobscurantismandblindfaith.The
entiresymbolistvocabularyofUrduGhazalwascastinthesamemouldandinasmuchasitcreatedawiderlink
withtheculturalmainstreamreleasingitsrotariesfromnarrowregionalloyaltiesorobscurantistritualism,Urdu
literaturefromitsverybeginningplayedamodernizingrole.Itspoetrywasnotrootedinreligionormythologybut
inasecularhalfmystic,halfhedonisticmodesofmedievalthinking.Medievaltimeswereperhapspeculiarinthis
respectthatdespitetheirapparentconcernwithreligiousconceptsandterminology,themedievalroyaltyhad
beenactivelyengagedinevolvingamechanismtoescapecontrolbyreligiousauthority.MahmudofGhazniwas
thefirstMuslimSultantorebelagainsttheCentralIslamicCaliphate.AlauddinKhiljiwasanotherrulerwho
defiedtheauthorityofthereligiousschools.AndAkbarputitinpractice,freeinghimselfcompletelyfromtheyoke
ofthereligiousandjudicialauthorityoftheCaliphandUlemas.ThusUrdu,whichcombinedthemedieval
traditionwithamodernapproach,fulfilledtheemotionalandintellectualneedsofthemiddleclasses.Inthose
days,itmustberemembered,literacywasmainlytheprerogativeoftheupperclassesandthepowereliteand
henceliteratureonlyreflectedtheresponsesoftheeliteandthemiddleclasses.Hencethemockingofthe
MullahandtheidealsofKhayyamandHafizsuitedtheneedsofthemiddleclassesadmirablyandthepoetryof
headywineandenlightenedfreethinkingformedareadyresponseinmushairasandpoeticsymposia.This
servedthepurposeofmodernizingthemedievalsocietytoacertainextent.

Butthenliteratureisacomplexandeverchangingphenomenon.Urduliterature,tillearly19thcentury,reflected
themoodofthetimestheburningdesireforchange,thehumanpredicamentinasocietywhereoldvalues
werecrumblinglikeahouseofcardsandtheemergenceofthenewvalueswasnotinsight.Itmirroredthe
pamperisationoftheartisansandvulgarisationoftheeliteandthebreakdownoftheeconomicand
administrativemechanismononehandandoftheriseofthemilitarystructureontheother.Toquoteonlyafew
instances,SandasQaridaTazlikiRozgarandHajviyat,QasimsdenounciationofEmperorShahAlaminhis
Hajr,NazeerAkrabadisandHaitimsShahrAshabsandMirstouchingreferencestotheplightofthecommon
mantellthetaleofthepainfultransitionfrommedievalnormstothenascentmodernconsciousness.

III
Muchgreaterchallengewasyettocome.Urduliteratureforquitesometimeidentifieditselfwiththemedieval
outlookparticularlyinLucknow.Servingthemedievalneeds,itnearlycutitselfofffromthechangingpattern
beingbroughtaboutbythefortuneseekersoftheEastIndiaCompanywhowerefindingaccesstotheportalsof
politicalpowerinIndiaafterundergoingtheenrichingexperiencesoftheRenaissancereformationandthe
FrenchandIndustrialRevolutionsinEurope.TheseexperiencesbroughtouttheimportanceofReasonmuch
moresharplyincontradistinctiontoFaithandReasonofthe19thCenturyjudgedallvaluesinthecontextof
socialutility.Again,thechasmbetweenmedievalmodesandmodernsensibilitydeepenedandtheneedfor
bringingaboutchangeinthetenorandtemperofUrduliteraturesoastosynchroniseitwiththenewrelationsof
productionbecameobvious.SirSyedAhmadKhanandhisAligarhmovementfulfilledthehistoricneedby
makingUrduliteratureasatoolofmodernization.

TocharacteriseacomplexphenomenonliketheAligarhMovementisratherdifficult.Itspoliticalobjectiveswere
notexactlyrevolutionaryforSirSyedAhmadKhanwasmuchtooeagertorehabilitatetheimageoftheIndian
MuslimintheBritishmindasanenlightened,educatedandaboveall,loyalcitizenthathestrictlyadvisedhisco
religionistseithertokeepalooffrompoliticsortoorganizethemselvesintoaloyalistgroup.Thiswasafarcry
fromtheWahabisandthelaterdayDeobandiMaulviswhofoughtagainsttheBritishmainlyduetotheir
interferences,realorimaginary,intotheirobscurantistattitudes.

ForSirSyedthemainbattlewasnottobewagedagainsttheBritishbutagainstourownobscurantism.Adevout
believerinrationalism,hewagedarelentlessbattleagainstsuperstition,dogmatismandobscurantismand
foughtalmostsinglehandedlyawarofliberationofthehumanmind.HiswarcrywasReasonand
Enlightenmentandhisidealswereinspiredbysocialreformandliteraryconsciousness.

SirSyedAhmadKhanhadtofixhisprioritiesandinhisbidtoshapetheIndianMuslimsocietyintoanewmould,
hehadtosacrificehisideasofreligiousreformforachievingsuccessineducationalupliftmentoftheMuslim

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elite.ThoughSirSyedwasbasicallyinterestedinmodernisingtheIndianMuslimsandasamediumof
modernisation,inWesterneducationtheobscurantistswereinterestedinWesterneducationasitgavethem
employmentandnotinthemodernisationofoutlookSirSyedhadinview.EvenamanofvisionlikeSirSyed
AhmadKhanhadtoacceptthelimitationsofhiscoreligionistswhen,ontheadviceofhiscomradeMohsinul
Mulk,heagreedtoabstainfromexpressinganyviewsonreligiousreformsothatthecauseofM.A.O.College
maynotbejeopardised.

WhatinterestsusmorehereistheimpactSirSyedmadeonUrduliteratureintermsofmodernizationofoutlook.
TheAligarhMovementinspiredepochmakingwriterslikeHali,Shibli,AzadandNazeerAhmadanditisno
secretthatthesewerethewriterswhocrusadedagainstmoribundtraditionalismandstrovehardnotonlyto
widentheintellectualhorizonsofthereadingpublicbutalsobroughttheideasofRationalism,Reformismand
Nationalismtoourliterature.Forthem,literaturewasaseriousactivityhavingabearingonsocialandculturallife
ofthenationandtheyhandledthisimportantmediumwithdeepsenseofresponsibilityanddevotion.

Practicallyeveryoneofthemstressedtheneedofadaptabilitytonewcircumstances.Perhapsthemost
revealingstatementoftheperiodwasbyHali:

linkingallThoughttoMatter.Hefollowedthisupbylinkingupofliteraturewithsocialneeds.HisideaofNatural
Poetrywasnotlimitedtothepoetryofthefloraandfaunabutofpoetrywhichcoulddepictsocialrealityand
affectthemoraltoneoftheperiod.ShiblispoliticalpoetryaswellashisdeepandabidinginterestinHistoryand
scientificdiscoveriesgavehimaplaceofdistinctionintheannalsofliterature.Perhapsmorepreciseandsharp
wasNazeerAhmadsrole,when,asanovelist,heportrayedtheIndianMuslimsocietyatthecrossroadsof
history.Ridiculingtheobscurantism,superstitionandmorbidhedonismandconventionalism,hetriedtostrikea
balancebetweenhealthyelementsoftheEastandtheWestandthusstrovetoachieveacompromisebetween
theoldandthenewinthecontextofthecontemporaryreality.Hisnovelsadviseachangeinsocialoutlook.The
dormantmiddleclasshouseholdswereilluminatedbytheenlightenedmodernismofthecontemporaryperiod.

Infact,theintellectualoftheperiodwasengagedinverydifficult,tightropewalkingbystrivingtoevolvesome
formulatoretainhisnationalprideorculturalidentityontheonehandandtoavailofnewopportunitiesthrown
openbyWesterncivilizationontheother.Thisisperhapsthereasonofthetwofacednessoftheliteraryethos,
onerepresentedbyAkbarAllahbadissatiresontheAnglicizedIndianandNazirAhmadsIbnUlWaqt(sonof
Fortuneoropportunist)andAbdulHamidShararshistoricalnovelsdepictingthegloryofthemedievaltimes
whentheIslamiccrusadersdefeatedtheChristianwarriorknightsinWestAsia.Shibliwrotebiographiesof
Muslimmonarchheroesofthebygoneageswithdevotionanddiligence.ThecelebratedAwadhPanchmade
thenewBritishRajanditstoadyimitatorsbuttofitsscathingattacksandyet,simultaneoustothisranthetrend
ofNazirAhmadsnovels,RatanNathSarsharsFasanaIAzadandHalisMusaddas,whichadvisedtheir
audiencetoadaptthemselvestothechangingtimesandtoadjustthemselveswiththenewmodesofculture
accordingly.

Inthisduality,infact,laythegermsofthenewnationalconsciousness.

IV
Withthebirthofnationalconsciousness,theneedsofmodernizationenteredanewphase.Literature,inthe
context,wastoheraldnationalunityandanurgeforindependence.Urduliteraturehasoftenbeendescribedas
aliteratureofRomanceandRevolution,LoveandLibertyanditisnotfarwrongtocharacteriseitintheseterms.
FirstfourdecadesofUrduliteraturearerepletewithnameslikeIqbalandBrijNarayanChakbastwhosang
patrioticsongsandwroteaboutthelibertyandAsianpride,ofPremChand,whowroteabouttheexploited
peasantryandtherisingwaveofpopularangeragainsttheBritishenslavers,ofMaulanaMohammadAli,Hazrat
Mohani,ZafarAliKhanandAbulKalamAzad,whounderwentgreatsufferingsonthehandsoftheBritishinthe
struggleforindependence.AlHilal,hisUrduWeeklytooktheUrduworldbystormandthewritingsof
MuhammadAliandAbuKalamAzadgavetheUrdureaderanewtouchofradicalism.

ItwasduringthisperiodthatinternationalismmadeitsimpactfeltinUrduliterature.ZafarAliKhanwroteafull
lengthplayontheRussoJapanesewarof1901tocommemoratethevictoryofanAsianpoweronaEuropean
colonizer.KhilafatissuethrewtheUrduwriterintothevortexofinternationalpoliticsandthesickmanofEurope
evokedallsympathysomuchsothatanumberoffolksongswerecomposedagainsttheBritishoppressorwho
wereenslavingbothTurkeyandIndia.Lateron,withtheemergenceofBolshevikpowerinRussia,popular
sympathyalsofoundreadyresponse.Perhaps,itwasAbdulHaleemShararwhonotedthisnewpolitical
phenomenoninhisarticlesinDilgudaz.Lateron,HasratMohaniopenlydeclaredhimselfasupporterofthe
SovietsandtheBolshevikinfluencesbegantopercolatesteadilythereafter.Inhisearlypoems,Iqbalwrote
abouttheRussianProletarianRevolutioninhisKhizirIRahandthuspavedthewayforanewtypeof
modernity.

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WiththeadventoftheProgressiveWritersMovementin1936,thisnewmoodgotaccentuated.PremChandin
hispresidentialaddresshadlaunchedthequestofanewcriterionforBeautymeaningtherebythatthemodern
aestheticsshouldfindfullexpressionoftheexploitedclassesoftheIndiansociety.Butinfact,progressive
literaturecombinedinitselfnotonlytheurgesofthenewradicalsbutalsotheaspirationsofthemodern
iconoclasts.Allsortsofmodernistsincludingsymbolists,psychoanalystsanddecadentsfoundthemselvesin
thismedleycrowdwhichwasdesperatelytryingtoexplorenewartisticdimensions.

NotwithstandinginitialdrifttowardsBohemianismandtoomuchpreoccupationwithsexandmoralityatrend
representedbythepublicationofAngarayandtheemergenceofvarioussuchtrendsinMeeraji,SaadatHasan
MantoandRashidtheProgressivessoonsucceededinstitchingtheirwagontothestarofpoliticalstruggleof
theproletarianmasses.Dreamsofrevolutionandchangepermeatedintheirliterature,thoughmostofthese
werethepipedreamsofmiddleclassyoungmen.Eventhoughitcouldnotproduceaproletarianliterature,yetit
succeededinexpressingmiddleclasssympathiesforthedowntrodden.Itcreatedurbanityofoutlook,open
mindednessandazestforfreeinquiryandreflectedequalityofsexes,fraternityamongallsectionsofmankind,
andfaithintherevolutionaryspiritofthetimes.

SinceIndiasindependencein1947,Urdulanguageandliteratureweresubjectedtoastepmotherlytreatment
yetithasbeenavehicleofmodernization.Ithasfirmlydefiedallparochialism,regionalismorcommunalismand
hasbeenatreasurehouseofidealsandideasbornoutofourowncompositeculture.Undoubtedly,itstill
betraysmiddleclassattitudesbutwithinthislimitationithasbeenstrugglingtowardsthemodernizationof
outlook.InKrishnaChandrasstoriesontheKoreanwar,internationalismfoundanecho,whileQurratulAin
HydersAagKaDaryathewholetapestryofIndianculturewasportrayedtocreateamodernistapproachto
IndiannessfreefromparochialfidelitiesandcommunalloyaltieswhileinRajinderSinghBedisEkChadar
MailiSievenregionalmodeswereinterpretedaspartofamodernistapproachtowardsManandWoman.In
short,Urduliteratureinpostindependenceerahasbeenanexpressionofnationalintegrationatoneleveland
modernquestforhumanlibertyattheother.

ForthecontemporaryUrduliterature,theconceptofaTotalManincontradistinctionwiththemanandwomanof
aparticularageandregionseemstobeevenmorepopular.Thecontemporarywriterseekstoportraythe
sufferingofManinallagesandallregions.Hemaynotberepresentationalyethisconcernwiththepredicament
ofhumanityinanageofnuclearholocaustispartofthemodernistapproachtowardslife.Itmaybeattimes
jumbledupandtogeneralizedbuthisconcernforthehumanexistenceisundoubtedlysincere.

Urduliterature,therefore,servedasamediumofmodernizationofoutlooksinceages.Ithasconsistently
reflectedtheattitudesofeducatedyoungmenwhoinhabitedthecitiesandwereattheforefrontofcultural
change.Caughtinthecrisscrossofregionalinfluencesandcontacts,italwaysmirroredi)anallIndiacultural
milieuofthemiddleclasswhichintermingledfreelyandsoonerorlater,liberateditselffromparochialfidelitiesii)
urbanizationofcivilizationincontradistinctionwiththeruralandpastoralstagnation.Inthisprocess,Urdu
literaturebecameavehicleofexpressionforthetensionofthecities,thehumdrumandsqualoroftheslums,the
conflictofideasandvaluesintowncommunitiesandthecollisionofidyllicdreamswiththehardmerciless
realitiesofthecitiesiii)InUrduliteraturewerereflectedtheurgesofthemiddleclassestoalignthemselveswith
theexploitedforcesofthenewmeansofproductionandthustofallinlinewiththeforcesshapingthehistoric
destinyofourpeople.

V
Around1960,anotherchangeintheliteraryscenebecameevident.Awholenewgenerationofpoetsandshort
storywritershadbynowsilentlyenteredtheliteraryfield.Thesewereuninspiredbytheidealsofsocialreformor
revolutionandhadverylittleincommonwiththeidealsoftheProgressiveMovement.Tothem,didacticismwas
taboo.Theirfaithinfuturewasuncertain,theircommitmenttoidealswasunsteady.

Influenced,astheywere,bythetensionsbroughtaboutbythespeedyindustrialdevelopmentofIndia,they
comparedtheirpredicamentwiththatiftheWesternavantgarde.Socialcommitmenttothemwasnotanaxiom,
fortheirveryrelationshipwiththeirsocialenvironmentwasinquestion.Hencethewholegamutofproblemsof
socialsignificanceoftheirthemesandthenatureofcommunicationandexpressioncameunderdiscussion.
Literature,tothem,wasmerelyandexpressionoftheirbadlybruisedpersonalitiestornasunderbytensions
broughtaboutbymachines,offices,andamadraceforsurvival.Theyfoundthemselvesdanglingbetweena
dyingcivilizationandaglitteringcitylife.Theywrotepoetryfulloftension,disappointmentanduncertain
yearnings.Oftentheirimagesareincoherent,similisandmetaphorsareoftenjumbledup,expressionweakand
ambiguous,andthedictionrough,oftenprosaicyetsomeofthem,atleast,havesignificantthingstosay.

PerhapsthelastillustrationwouldcomefromAkhtarulIman,whosymbolisesthisnewsensibilitymuchmore
thananyothermodernpoet.DirectlyconcernedwiththehumanpredicamentintheIndiansubcontinent,he
drawswiththehelpofsocialsciencesandotherspheresofhumanknowledge,theportraitoftheharassed
individualenmeshedinacrisisofhumanvalues.HisSubzaIBegana,MirrNazirAli,logoalogaandNeeraj
andofcoursehismasterpieceEkLarka,expressvariousaspectsofthesamethemewithdifferenttechniques
andvaryinglevelsofsymbolicandallegoricalexpression.

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Apartfromhim,NidaFazli,AmeeqHanafi,KhalilurRahmanAzmi,Shahryarandahostofotherpoetsarebusy
experimentingwithnewforms.AmongnewinnovationsistheriseofprosepoetrywhichstartedwithSajjad
ZaheersPighlaNilamandthetraditionwascarriedforwardbythepresentauthorandcertainothers.Theidea
istoreleasepoetryfromtheshacklesofornamentation,verbosityandtoreplacetheconventionalrhymeand
rhythmwiththenaturalrhythmofcommonspeechandeverydayconversationalongwithsuggestivesymbolism.
Themainachievementsofmainpoetryhavebeeni)Theextensionofthefrontiersofpoeticsensibilitybothin
termsofthemeandtechnique,ii)betterandmoresustaineduseofsymbolisminpoeticart,iii)replacementof
medievalimagerywithamoremodernoutlookandforeexplorationoftheinternaldepthsofthehumanpsyche.

Theseachievementsarealsomanifestinthenewurdughazal.Ghazal,thoughhighlystylisedandconventional
formwassuccessfullyrevivedandgivenanewlookbymodernpoets.TheideawastobringtoGhazalthedust
anddinofthemodernlifeofthecommonmanandtoexpressthisinsimplewords,imagesandsituationwhich
maybreakitsclassicalornamentationandstylisedvocabulary.Firaaq,Majrooh,Faiz,IbnIInsha,Taban,Parvez
Shahidi,JanNissarAkhtar,Makhdoom,KhurshedAhmad,HasanNaeemandahostofyoungerpoetsextended
itshorizons.

Infictiontoo,newgroundswerebrokenperhapsthemostoutstandingistheprogressinUrdunovels.Quraitul
AinHaidersAagKaDarya,RajinderSinghBedisEkChadarMailiSi,AbdullaHussainsAagKaDurya,
KhadijaMastursAngan,MumtazMuftisAlipurKaAili,HyatullahAnsarisLahooKePhool,AlimMasroors
BahutDerKarDi,JeelaniBanosAiwanIGhazal,IsmatChughtaisDilKiDuniya,BalwantSinghsRaat
ChorandChandareahostofothernovelsthatcometomindwhichrevolutionizedthisliterarygenre.Quraytul
AintreatstimeasthecentralcharacterofhernovelanddepictsthestoryofIndianhistoryasthebiographyof
NilambarandChampainalongsequenceoftimewhichchangestheirnamesandplacesbuthardlytheir
culturalethosandeternallives.UdasNazleenandAnganandLahooKePhoolhavemainlypoliticalinterests
renderedinhighlysensitivehumansituationsandcharacterswhileAlipurKaAiliisapsychologicalstudyofa
complexpersonalityandEkChadarMaliSigivestheculturalbackdropofthePunjabtheprideofplaceinatale
ofhumansuffering.QaziAbdusSattarsnovelsShabGazeedaandAakhriKhattdisplayrichnessof
experienceandpowerofobservationanddescriptionofminutestdetailsofrurallifeineasternUttarPradeshand
recreationofhistoricalsituationsofMughalIndiainDaraShikoh.

ItwillbenoexaggerationtonotethatUrdunovelshaverecentlytakengreatstrides.Itisstillalongwaytogobut
thestampofmodernizationonUrdunovelcanhardlybeignored.Ithasreformistzeal.Itdoesnotseektoconvert
orconvincewhichperhapsrobsitofthesincerityorsinglemindeddevotiontoordealsmarkedinNazeer
Ahmadsnovelsbutitsmodernoutlookcanhardlybemissed.

TheprocessofmodernizationalsoenteredthefieldsofUrdushortstory.KrishanChandrawithhissensitiveand
politicallyandsociallysignificantstoriesruledforalongtimeastheuncrownedkingofUrdufictionfollowed
closelybyRajinderSinghBediandSaadatHasanMantoandIsmatChughtai,KhwajaAhmadAbbas,Qurratul
AinHyderandHayatullahAnsaricompletedthetoplist.Slowlytheemphasisshiftedfromplottocharacterization
(particularlytotheportrayalofuncouthandabnormalcharacters)andlaterontothedepictionofhistorical
perspectiverenderedsymbolicallyintermsoffictionorthedeepprobingofthevariouslayersofthehuman
personality.Newtechniqueswereevolved.RatanSinghsshortstorieswereveryshort,crispandsuggestive.
SurindraPrakash,BalrajManra,andIqbalMajidssymbolicstoriesadoptedanewtenoroffictionwritingwhile
QaziAbdusSattarssensitivedepictionofthechangingruralscene,RamLalsHeadlessBuddhaandO.C,
RaziaSajjadZahirsUmmatWalaFaqirallpointouttothechangingpatternofUrdushortstory.Perhapsthe
mosteloquentandrepresentativestoryofBalrajManrasWohinwhichayoungmanwandersinsearchofa
matchboxtolighthiscigarettesasymbolicsearchofmankindforknowledgeandfulfillmentwhichleadsto
manyhazardsandendinafiasco.Thetextureoftheshortstoryhasalsoacquirednewplasticity.Rangingfrom
classicaltimesequencetothestorieswoventhroughfragmentsarrangedinahaphazardmannerwefindhere
everyvariety.Somearededicatedtothestreamofconsciousnessothersmadeupofjumbleduppieces
belongingtovarioustimesequencesandyetallthesestoriesconveytheturmoilandturbulenceofthemodern
age.

Inthefieldofdrama,thisprogresshasnotbeensoobvious,undoubtedlywritersandproducerslikeHabeeb
TanveerwroteAgraBazaarandGhalibKaunHaiandstagedtheseplayssuccessfully.ManjuQamar
YadullahisBahadurShah,MehdisGhalibKeUrengePurzeandGhazal,MohammadMujibsAazmaish,
MohammadHasansKuhreKaChand,TamashaAurTamashaei,MorPankhiandMahalsaraRafiyaSritunaz
DodiChiraghIMehfilamaful,ReotiSaranSharmasChiragKiLauwereimportantcontributions.Butthe
mostsignificantofthemwasproducerAlKazisstageproductionsofanumberofUrdutranslationsofleading
EnglishandEuropeanplaysonNationalSchoolofDramastagesuchasLookBackinAngerandDantons
Death.ThesenotonlyinfluencedUrduplaywrightsbutalsopopularisedUrduversioninvariousareas.Also
noteworthyareSagarSarhadisTanhayeewhichisbeenshowntoDelhiaudiencescurrently,IsmatChughtais
TanhayeKaZeherwhichwasawardedHumSubGhalibAwardlastyear,KrishanChandrasDarwazaKhol
Do,IqbalMajidsKutteandHabibTanveersChambaAurCharBhaiandCharanDasChor.

ThispracticallybringsustotheendofapanoramicviewofthepresentsceneofcreativeliteratureinUrdu.Urdu
wasbornandbredasaninstrumentofsocialchange,andanagentofvaluesofurbanization,centralizationand
universalization.Ithaswithinitseedsoffreethinkinghumanismandduringtheentirespanlifeithas

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UrduLiteratureAsAModernisingForceAsriAdab:TheDefiniteUrduJournal

successfullydisassociateditselffromparochial,religiousorregionalloyaltiesandthistraditionofopenthis
worldstillcontinues.Itsmushairasanditspopularityinfullprovesitcloselinkswiththemasses.

Indiaisinthemidstoftheprocessofmodernizationwhichmeanscultivationofascientifictemperinkeepingwith
thesocioeconomicneedsofthetimes.Literaturealonecandoverylittleformodernizationisessentiallya
socioeconomicprocess,itisbeenbeingbroughtaboutnotonlythroughthepullsofthenationaleconomybut
alsobecauseoftheindustrailizationandtechnologywhichneedamodernmindtohandlethembutliterature
canundoubtedlydoitsbitbybringingaboutaninternalchangeinmenandwomenwhohandletechnologyand
areaffectedbythem.Thiscanbepossibleonlybyremovingallcobwebsofmedievalsuperstition,parochialism,
sentimentalism,unnecessaryornamentationandverbosityandbyinculcatingabroadrationalhumanistic
approachtowardsmenandmatterssothatthegapbetweentheinnerandouterlifeofmenandwomenmaybe
bridgedtosavethemfromagreatcatastrophe.Civilizationsonlyprosperwhentheyremainintunewiththe
forcesofproductionwhichshapeasocietyandtokeeppacewiththeseforcesandtoadopttheethosofaperiod
tothesensibilityreleasedbythemcoversallactivities.Urduhasbeenausefulinstrumentinthisprocessand
haspotentialitiesofmeetingthischallengeinitsownway.Inthisendeavor,Urduliteratureitselfischanging,
othergrowingitsmedievalimagery.Newmetaphorsarecomingupandawholenewlifeinhabitstheliterary
planet,evenwhenindustrializationandtechnologystiffenstheurgeofmenandwomenliteratureaskingnew
questions,awkwardandembarrassingandeventhesequeriesofatroubledsocietyhaveacatharticeffectand
successfullybridgethegapbetweenprivateandpubliclifeofanindividualinafragmentedsociety.These
questionsarebeingasked.Inquisitivemindsandtroubledconscienceseektheirfulfillmentandrealizationin
contemporaryliterature.Muchdependsupontheirsuccessforthatwillgivenotonlyanewrationalscientific
temperandamodernidiomtoliteraturebutmayhelpinbringingaboutatransformationinoursocietywhichall
ofushavebeenwaitingfor.

Prof.MohammadHasan

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AsriAdab,aquarterlyjournalpublishedbyLate
Prof.MohammadHasan,discussedissues
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