Beauty in being brief

Shahnawaz Qureshi’s book Adbiyat-oshakhsiyat covers several aspects of Urdu literature and writers which have been presented in tight sequence and right order. The author himself declares that the book’s journey began 3035 years ago. In fact, writings at different occasions for different references have nicely been compiled.

The book, as it claims, describes different aspects of Urdu literature, poets and authors with special reference to Lucknow in only 152 pages. It also mention the efforts done for the progress of Urdu in the last decades of 20th century and first 2 decades of 21st century. The book begins with Allama Iqbal’s brief introduction and his most famous lines

Inclusion of Amrit Lal Nagar is a pleasant surprise who promoted Urdu and the Lucknowi culture through his literary contribution. It was he who disapproved the second language’s place for Urdu saying ‘it would divide society’.

Another chapter which holds interest is Hindi Urdu Aur Firaq. It comprises Firaq’s lecture and has reference of Hindu-Urdu words, their formation and usage described by Shahnawaz Qureshi.

Adabiyat-o-Shakhsiyat also includes Dr Gopi Chand Narang’s contribution to Urdu language and literature. He has penned several fictions in Urdu and his work has been described beautifully in the book.

In the other chapter ‘Azadi ke bad Urdu Afsane’ and ‘Prem Chand Ka Fun Aur Eedghah’ credit Prem Chand for bringing Urdu to the mainstream. Qureshi mentioned Eedghah as one of the best stories of Prem Chand.

‘Krishan Chander Ka Fun Aur Unke Khwab’ contains important details about his life and work and describes his style of being utopian. In ‘Asmat Chaughtaee: Shakhsiat Aur Mizaji Kaifiat’, Qureshi has briefly introduced Asmat Aapa, her selection of plots from neighbourhood and her opinion about Indian woman. Here Qureshi also advances his views about pitiable condition of women to support Chugtaee’s views.

The book significantly describes life of Abid Suhail and his contribution to the Urdu literature.

Some scholars and their workplace gain equal popularity like Nayyar Masood and Adbistan. One reminds of the other. Qureshi wisely gives equal weight to both Nayyar Masood and Adbistan. He reminds us of Masood’s trends of Afsananigari. Here, Qureshi did not forget to mention Masood’s scholarly acceptance of Adbistan which was once a graveyard. Chapter Manzoore-Adab displays Qureshi’s farsightedness. Dr Malikzada Manzoor Ahmad is a wellknown personality and has been presented as the glory of Mushayras. Dr Malikzada himself accepts that Mushayras have promoted Urdu. Qureshi remains impartial even when he writes about his contemporaries such as Anees Ashfaque, who, according to Qureshi, sold lottery tickets to earn his livelihood. This fact is very inspiring for the strugglers. In the last chapter, Qureshi brings us closer to the present scenario of Urdu literature in the city.