Publisher's Synopsis
In our country, two different traditions of fiction flourished at the same time. One was the western tradition, which we knew through Russian, French, English, Turkish, and Arabic fiction. And another was our indigenous tradition. The first tradition was based on our study of literature and exploration of the treasure of knowledge. And the other was based on our experiences, mirth, and devotion to literature. The architects of Indian fiction, like Tagore and Premchand, were acquainted with the western literary tradition as well. But they emphasized safeguarding their basic literary tradition, which represented our collective experiences. In our time, brilliant authors like Viakum Mohammad Basheer, Panna Lal Patel, and Mahasweta Devi are representatives of the same tradition.
Mohammad Aleem has chosen his own indigenous and original tradition to write fiction. In this tradition, there is the power and warmth of real-life experiences which benefited him also to the maximum extent. Some of his plays and stories became popular because there was a special kind of simplicity and spontaneity. They were deeply rooted in their soil. And it was not difficult to understand for ordinary readers. This novel under discussion is also based on our collective consciousness and experiences. Its entire edifice has been built on our world and current events and situations. The truth of this novel reveals the bitter truth of our times, which looks floating on the upper layer of our collective life. The writer has maintained special caution in depicting the incidents in their natural flow. So, despite it being written in colloquial and simple language, this story has a lot of depth and has the power to stir our feelings. All the characters are real from our surroundings, and all have a deep connection with their time and roots. These specialties make it an important document of its time. On the surface, the plot looks uncomplicated. The major theme is communal tension and its related consequences, like fear, suffering, and displacement. But the writer has seen the entire process of unfolding the events with honest eyes. So, he doesn't look compromising. His prime aim is to depict the realities of his time. I read this simple story as an allegory that brings to the surface the affliction of two migrations at the same time. Those Bihar residents who moved to East Pakistan first after partition in 1947 faced a second migration to West Pakistan and India when Bangladesh was formed. They had only one question before them: where should they go and what should they do? A human tragedy in which we have chosen to put ourselves through inflicts a lot of pain. These feelings have tragically come into this story. And the writer has written it without getting sentimental. Mohammad Aleem is a promising writer. His writing is simple but laced with deep human sensibilities. I hope the readers will agree with my points after reading it........ Prof. Shamim Hanafi, a renowned Urdu critic, and writer
