The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told is an anthology of 25 short stories by various Urdu writers – some famous, some relatively unknown.
The book opens with an introduction by the editor where he acquaints the reader with the history of Urdu fiction- short stories, to be specific.
He then, in a very textbook manner – dry and verbose proceeds to list practically every writer and then pontificate on their writing style.
Yes, the foreword was dull enough to take me almost three weeks to read.
At the end of the foreword, I was exhausted. Were the stories going to be as boring?
Thankfully no. I rarely appreciate almost every short story in an anthology. But this one comes near perfect.
My Review
This book is part of the greatest stories ever told series – translations of stories from different parts and cultures of India. So far, I have seen Tamil, Marathi, Bengali, and Urdu books stocked in the shops. But there’s probably more. Not much information on the web, but all four books I saw are beautifully designed and published – quality paper, hardbound, and seem to be a treasure trove of local literature, well-translated and carefully curated.
I decided to start with the Urdu set because I saw Manto listed as one of the contributing authors, and I have long been curious to read his stories.
What surprised me was just how strong the stories from the lesser-known writers were. I loved the vast range and diversity in this book. Although the stories are mostly based in pre-Independence or post-Independence India (meaning they are all historical fiction), there is so much variety. The stories range from political / social issues to more modern personal journeys.
I read this book leisurely – a story every night before bed. And I just loved it. This is a book to read slowly, imbibe its atmosphere, and sink into the life and times of these writers, their settings, and their stories.
Of course, while reading, we must remember that the times were different then. So a story about hitting your wife (Laajwanti by Rajinder Singh Bedi) may not hit (bear with the pun, please) the spot. But still, despite a few of these jarring moments, the book worked very well for me. The stories sound very contemporary, even years after their publication.
If you’re not in the mood for 25 stories, here are some I’d recommend you pick and choose:
- Banished by Jamila Hashmi. In this story set amidst the turbulent times of partition, Sitaji accepts life with Ravan after being kidnapped.
- Anandi by Ghulam Abbas is an amusing story about how remote areas turn into magnificent suburbs (spoiler: prostitution is the root of all development).
- Fists and Rubs by Ismat Chughtai is a hard-hitting and brutal story about abortion.
- The Shroud by Premchand is a troubling story about poverty, laziness, and indifference.
- Fable of a Severed Head by Sajid Rashid is one of the more modern stories about terrorism in India.
However, I’d suggest taking the time to read the entire compilation. These stories are absolute literary marvels.
