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review Author: Hushong Golshiri Pages: 101 Price: Rs70 Available at Aaj ki Kitabain 316 Madina City Mall, Abdullah Haroon Road, Saddar Karachi ajmalkamal@gmail.com Hushang Golshiri's masterpiece Shehzada Ehtejab psychosomatically deals with the last generation of the Qajars as they are finally replaced by the Pehlavis in 1925. The Constitutional Revolution in Iran in 1905 signaled the relative demise of the Qajar already weakened by the penetration of European powers. In a very informative introduction to his very fine translation of the novel, Ajmal Kamal points out that the Pehlavi family turned extremely ruthless in depriving members of the Qajar dynasty of material possessions. Golshiri's novel turns that into its central backdrop as on a superficial level the novel might seem like a story about riches turning to rags. But the heart of the narrative deals with issues of tyranny and patriarchy, to put it crudely. Beyond
the curtains A word about
letters
Poetic discourse on violence Ajmal Kamal has done readers of Urdu literature a great service by translating Golshiri's novel By Moazzam Sheikh
Title: Shehzada Ehtejab
Author: Hushong Golshiri Pages: 101 Price: Rs70 Available at Aaj ki Kitabain 316 Madina City Mall, Abdullah Haroon Road, Saddar Karachi ajmalkamal@gmail.com Hushang Golshiri's masterpiece Shehzada Ehtejab psychosomatically deals with the last generation of the Qajars as they are finally replaced by the Pehlavis in 1925. The Constitutional Revolution in Iran in 1905 signaled the relative demise of the Qajar already weakened by the penetration of European powers. In a very informative introduction to his very fine translation of the novel, Ajmal Kamal points out that the Pehlavi family turned extremely ruthless in depriving members of the Qajar dynasty of material possessions. Golshiri's novel turns that into its central backdrop as on a superficial level the novel might seem like a story about riches turning to rags. But the heart of the narrative deals with issues of tyranny and patriarchy, to put it crudely. In the opening paragraph, the author introduces the reader to the decaying character of Shehzada Ehtejab: "Shehzada Ehtejab sat sunk into his arm chair and, holding his burning forehead with both hands, he went on coughing. His maidservant came upstairs once and so did his wife. Fakhri pushed the door only half-open; though she was about to turn on the light switch, as soon as she heard the stomping of his feet, she rushed back downstairs. Fakhrunissa came too and again Shehzada stomped." It is in passing through these two women that the narrator charts the brief history of torture and decay in pre-modern Iran. But who is the narrator? wonders the reader. The point of view not only shifts in the novel but mutates at will. Just as the authors/narrator merges with Shehzada Ehtejab, Fakhrunissa the princess and Fakhri the maidservant constantly become one and then bifurcate to merge once again. This is not a novel where a straightforward narrative takes a reader by the hand and carry her from page one to the last. The novel experiments with form, points of view; characters step out of photographs to bear witness. Fakhrunissa reads from a memoir of Ehtejab's ancestors. Shehzada recalls his conversations with his Grandfather and shares them with the two women who make up his world; and "Shehzada said" can mutate into "I asked." The novel unceasingly rattles the readers' assessment of whether Fakhrunnisa and Fakhri are one or two different people, even though we learn eventually Fakhri came along as part of Fakhrunnisa's dowry. But why does Shehzada Ehtejab force Fakhri to play Fakhrunissa for part of her day? Take a look: ' "And dishes? Who's going to wash them? And, the dusting of the rooms? The sweeping?" Shehzada began running his finger through Fakhri's hair. Then he wiped off with his thumb the tears that had drawn trails on her cheeks. "That chore belongs to Fakhri. You are the holder of this house! Understand? Leave the washing and cleaning to Fakhri. When I pinch her bottom, she'll run to the kitchen giggling." Fakhrunissa finished her make up. A gul-e maikhik was still in the vase.' Or read the following: Shehzada said, "I've looked up a girl. Goes by the name of Fakhri. She's the daughter of the same gardener whom I let go. What do you think?" She says, "That's fine. Then tell her to wipe my table." Shehzada said, "All right. Go and sleep, Fakhrunissa." Fakhrunissa said, as she approached the door, "Fakhri jan, come upstairs as you finish work." She went to the living room and from there climbed the stairs. Shehzada was again late returning home. But I will wait, regardless of how long it takes. Why did he have the books burned? I had barely begun to learn to read without making mistakes…" It is in the last sentence that a vigilant reader realises that Shehzada is not speaking to his wife of high pedigree but Fakhri the servant who is forced to play both roles. As the novel progresses, the reader becomes aware that patriarchy is not only a system of male dominance but intimately connected with violence. There is a reason why Golshiri has given the same name to the two women of different economic stations, both controlled and subjugated by a pre-modern, agrarian male power. In the course of Shehzada's reminiscences and Fakhrunissa's reading the royal memoir, we come to witness many other acts of violence which include beheadings and singeing of female genital, to mention a few. Golshiri's discourse on violence can be poetic at times such this: "How far can a sparrow fly if you gouge her eyes?" Having said this, he'd begun coughing, aloud, for a long time… And grandfather raised his hand to give his moustache a twirl, then coughed and stirred within the frame of his photograph. The time Golshiri wrote this novel was during the reign of Shah of Iran, and readers of history of modern Iran know the reign of terror SAVAK (aided by CIA and Mossad) unleashed on Iranian intellectuals. This was Golshiri's way to remind the rulers of his time that terror leads to moral decay and physical collapse. Ajmal Kamal has done readers of Urdu literature a great service by translating Golshiri's novel into Urdu. Email: moazzam@jps.net
Beyond the curtains A book that will help alter perceptions about Afghanistan By Naeem Safi
Images of Afghanistan: Exploring Afghan Culture through Art and Literature Arley Loewen and Josette McMichael Hardback, 350 pages Price: Pak Rs.1995 Oxford University Press, 2010
The lack of awareness regarding the Afghan culture is mainly due to the scarcity of literature available on the subject. After the Soviet occupation, whatever interest was developed in Afghanistan revolved around its political history and evolution through various conflicts. And the Afghan arts and literature were overshadowed by the cloud of smoke and dust raised by the decades-long war. A people of a land can be understood by their expressions, through various mediums, of their beliefs and aspirations. And anyone who wants to understand what drives this magnificent nation must see inside their hearts and minds, which is exactly what this collection has done, to a certain extent, and for the first time ever. Though it can not be termed as a scholarly reference, as
stated in the editors' note, "Academics may say that Images of
Afghanistan lacks sufficient critical thought or that it is nostalgic….
Rather than an academic treatise or a cultural history, this book is designed
to give a flavour of Afghanistan for people who want a starting point."
Perhaps it is due to this understanding that the need was felt to include a
preliminary chapter on seeing "Culture through the Windows of Art and
Literature," for beginners. The Afghans' love for music, poetry and other arts is best reflected in the moving foreword by Ashraf Ghani, "In this there is hope, hope for tomorrow, for and Afghanistan with dignity." It is the first compilation of this type on the art and literature of Afghanistan, 32 chapters, grouped in seven sections that describe and discuss Dari and Pashto literature, themes of cultural significance, traditional arts, performing and fine arts. The two sections on literature cover the history and evolution of Dari and Pashto literature, its major influences, poets and prose writers, various genres ranging from the court poetry of the classic times to the traditional poetry of today, folk tales, children's rhymes, proverbs, short stories, and modern trends. The section on culture evaluates various themes that shape the Afghan mindset, especially their code of honour and everything around it. The traditional arts section begins with a study of Afghanistan's archaeological and architectural heritage from the times of the Silk Route and then covers calligraphy, traditional urban planning, woodcarving, and pottery. Performing and fine arts are analysed in the second last section, with some beautiful insights that helps one understand and connect to the artists' feelings. The final section features two contemporary Afghan authors who write in English, Mullah Nasruddin, the role of Afghan women in literature and music, some other folk tales and the cartoons and comedy in the contemporary Afghan culture. Citations given at the end of chapters are a good reference for further readings on Afghanistan. The books published by Oxford in Pakistan are seldom designed according to the contents and one's expectations. Same is the case with Images of Afghanistan, from its dust jacket to the hardcover and layout design, is not even above average. One must admire the editors' humility and honesty. Their decades-long attachment with Afghanistan, living the culture, and their sincere desire to understand it makes the compilation much more authentic on the level of inquiry, than a majority of other publications on Afghanistan's culture by the 'orientalists.' Along with that, around two dozen contributors from varying backgrounds add myriad perspectives to the assorted themes in this compilation. However, one does have a feeling that the scope of the project is such which demands further editions on each theme discussed in it. The cognoscente from Afghanistan and the world need to explore this untapped region for its riches. This book will help alter the perception about anyone who wants to understand Afghanistan, its roots and evolution over the millennia, and most importantly feel it beyond headlines.
By Kazy Javed Masoom Shah Library Libraries in our cities were mostly established by the
British administrators. Many of them are more than a hundred years old. With
the rapid growth of cities and towns during the past fifty years, we now find
them to be in the central parts of cities. But our culture has no room for
books. So our businessmen, rulers and landgrabbers look down upon these
libraries. They want to raze them to the ground and raise commercial plazas
on their sites. Only two years ago they made an effort to grab the Punjab
Public Library in Lahore which is usually stated to be the biggest in the
country. In one of my recent columns, I wrote about a Sindh library which was being turned into a commercial marriage hall. Now it has been reported that the famous Mir Masoom Shah Library of Sukkur "has been sold to builders to construct residential and commercial flats on the site." They library is the only facility available in Sukkur, a city of three million people, and also caters to the needs of students, teachers and reading public of the surrounding areas. Raheed Mirani of Sukkur has provided this information in a letter published in a national newspaper. He also says that despite the repeated complaints and protests by library visitors outside the Sukkur Press Club, the administration is silent on the issue. If the information is correct, it is a shameful development for the Sukkur administration and provincial government. Sukkur is a historical city which has produced a number of saints, scholars, poets and writers. The people of the city are rightly proud of them. They should take interest in the affairs of Mir Masoom Shah Library and save it from those who are out to vandalise it. Sindhi Adabi Sangat with its two hundred branches throughout the province, Sindh Graduate Society and Sindhi Adabi Board should also take note of it.
New glasses for Munno Bhai Mustansar Hussain Tarar has come back to Lahore after spending three months in the United States. I ran into him last Sunday at the Model Town Park where he comes daily for morning walk and where he now has many followers. They are seen sitting together and gossiping under the trees on Sundays. "Tarar Sahib, should we expect a new book or travelogue on America?"I asked him. "No", be answered with a smile. "I have already written a book on it titled New York key Sau Rang which was published by the Sang-e-Meel Publishers. America is a wonderful country and presently the only superpower but I don't think it merits two books from my pen. However, I have written some columns. They are being published in the weekly Akhbar-e-Jahan of Karachi." "What fascinated you most this time?" "There were many engaging things but I will always remember a woman taxi driver I met in New York. She was from Faisalabad. She came to the States for her husband's treatment. She has settled there and her children are getting education. She said to me. "Tarar Sahib your writings reach a large number of people. Please tell them that America is a paradise for women. They are respected here more than anywhere else"." "She was right," I chimed in, "but no maulvi will agree with her." "Others will also disagree. Munno Bhai, for instance, is not a Maulvi. Al least I don't find him a Maulvi. But he always insists that American culture has turned women into commodities," Tarar observed. "Get him new glasses and send him to America for three months," said a friend standing behind Tarar Sahib.
Three new books If you have any interest in history, culture and the present state of affairs of Uzbekistan, Syed Feroze Shah Gilani's recently-published Samarkand-o-Bukhara is the book to read. It is primarily a travelogue but also carries insightful notes on the past and present of the country which provided material for many of our dastans and folk tales and has remained a sort of dreamland for many of us. Dedicated to the sufi saints of the Central Asia, Gilani Saheb's book has been published by the Sial Publications of Lahore. A blurb on the dust jacket of Manzar Arif's recently published book of short stories says that at least six of his volumes are going to hit the bookstalls during the next few months. His book that I browsed through last week is a collection of short stories. It is titled Tum Mery Manzil Naheen. Its 240 pages carry 20 short stories written in realistic style on socio-cultural problems. The book has been published by the Subhan Publications of Karachi. Pervaiz Sahir has published six collections of poetry in the past seven years. Dr. Khurshid Rizvi says that despite being prolific, Sahir's poetry is worth reading. Aawaz ka Chehra is his latest 336-page well-produced volume published by Misaal Publishers of Faisalabad. The opinions of some two dozen poets and critics about Pervaiz Sahir's poetry are also included in the book. All of them -- from late Ahmad Nadim Qasmi to Mushtaq Asam of Wah Cantonment -- have described him as a poet of unusual qualities.
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