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Bahao / بہاؤ
A novel by Mustansar Hussain Tarar in Urdu language.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1992
33 people are currently reading
537 people want to read
About the author
Mustansar Hussain Tarar
97 books467 followersMustansar Hussain Tarar (Urdu: مستنصر حسين تارڑ) is a Pakistani author, actor, the first Morning Show presenter and a pioneer trekker - in his own words: a vagabond.
Having made a name for himself by taking the mantle in Pakistan's mountaineering community, Mustansar Hussain is widely recognized as one of the most well known personalities in Pakistan. Though the origin of his fame is usually considered to be his established and decorated career as a writer, Tarar can also be recognized as the foremost endorser for tourism projects in Northern Areas of Pakistan, having exorbitantly increased the array of tourist exposure to the areas by becoming both a mountaineer and an adventure author who uses these locations as backdrops for his storylines.
Mustansar Hussain's literary proficiency as an author often overshadows the fact that he has been an active mountaineer for a very extensive period of time. Having embarked upon several painstaking and challenging tasks such as the ascension of K-2 and the surpassing of the treacherous "Chitti Buoi" Glacier among others. More significantly, both of Mustansar Hussain's professions often intertwine and relate, since he uses his experiences on his expeditions as travelogues. Though some of his publications have met lukewarm reactions due to supposed exaggeration, he reflects on this predicament with the notion that "words or even pictures cannot successfully express the beauty and splendour of nature in it's true spirit."
Tarar's first book Nikley Teri Talash Main, a travelogue of Europe, was published in 1971. He has so far over forty titles to his credit which include many genres of literature; travelogues, novels, short stories and collection of his newspaper columns and television dramas. He has been one of the best-seller fiction writer of Pakistan.
Mustansar was born in 'Jokalian' a small town in Punjab, Pakistan in March 1939. He spent his early childhood in the village and moved to culturally rich Lahore, witnessed the independence of Pakistan in 1947 and the events that took place at Lahore. His father Rehmat Khan Tarar opened a small seed store there. Mr Tarar got his schooling from Rang Mehal Mission High School and Muslim Model High School, Lahore. He then got admission in Government College Lahore , a college that owns the credit to polish several intellectuals of Pakistan. In 1950's, he went to London for higher studies. In 1957 he attended the World Youth Festival in Moscow and wrote a book named 'Fakhta' (Dove) on that experience. In 1971 his first travelogue Nikley Teri Talaash Main was published. It led to new trend in Urdu literature. He also became a television actor and from 1988 was for many years a host of PTV's live morning transmission Subuh Bakhair (Good Morning). His unconventional and down to earth style of comparing earned him great popularity. He called himself the 'Cha Cha Jee' of all Pakistani children and soon became known by this title.
Awards:
Presidential award of Pride of Performance.
Prime Minister's award for the Best Novelist for "Rakh".
Life time achievement award of Almi Farogh-e-Urdu Adab, Doha (Qatar).
Gold Medal bestowed by Moscow State University for literary achievements.
Having made a name for himself by taking the mantle in Pakistan's mountaineering community, Mustansar Hussain is widely recognized as one of the most well known personalities in Pakistan. Though the origin of his fame is usually considered to be his established and decorated career as a writer, Tarar can also be recognized as the foremost endorser for tourism projects in Northern Areas of Pakistan, having exorbitantly increased the array of tourist exposure to the areas by becoming both a mountaineer and an adventure author who uses these locations as backdrops for his storylines.
Mustansar Hussain's literary proficiency as an author often overshadows the fact that he has been an active mountaineer for a very extensive period of time. Having embarked upon several painstaking and challenging tasks such as the ascension of K-2 and the surpassing of the treacherous "Chitti Buoi" Glacier among others. More significantly, both of Mustansar Hussain's professions often intertwine and relate, since he uses his experiences on his expeditions as travelogues. Though some of his publications have met lukewarm reactions due to supposed exaggeration, he reflects on this predicament with the notion that "words or even pictures cannot successfully express the beauty and splendour of nature in it's true spirit."
Tarar's first book Nikley Teri Talash Main, a travelogue of Europe, was published in 1971. He has so far over forty titles to his credit which include many genres of literature; travelogues, novels, short stories and collection of his newspaper columns and television dramas. He has been one of the best-seller fiction writer of Pakistan.
Mustansar was born in 'Jokalian' a small town in Punjab, Pakistan in March 1939. He spent his early childhood in the village and moved to culturally rich Lahore, witnessed the independence of Pakistan in 1947 and the events that took place at Lahore. His father Rehmat Khan Tarar opened a small seed store there. Mr Tarar got his schooling from Rang Mehal Mission High School and Muslim Model High School, Lahore. He then got admission in Government College Lahore , a college that owns the credit to polish several intellectuals of Pakistan. In 1950's, he went to London for higher studies. In 1957 he attended the World Youth Festival in Moscow and wrote a book named 'Fakhta' (Dove) on that experience. In 1971 his first travelogue Nikley Teri Talaash Main was published. It led to new trend in Urdu literature. He also became a television actor and from 1988 was for many years a host of PTV's live morning transmission Subuh Bakhair (Good Morning). His unconventional and down to earth style of comparing earned him great popularity. He called himself the 'Cha Cha Jee' of all Pakistani children and soon became known by this title.
Awards:
Presidential award of Pride of Performance.
Prime Minister's award for the Best Novelist for "Rakh".
Life time achievement award of Almi Farogh-e-Urdu Adab, Doha (Qatar).
Gold Medal bestowed by Moscow State University for literary achievements.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 17, 2023
I had heard much about Mustansar Hussain Tarar's exploration of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) in his highly acclaimed novel 'Bahao.' I only got an opportunity to read it after I had written and published my English novel 'Snuffing Out the Moon' which explores six eras of South Asian history ranging from IVC to the near future. I was much intrigued as to how Tarar sahib had envisioned the IVC - a civilization doubly mysterious due to the fact that to this day its script remains undeciphered. Thus making it all the more unknowable than its contemporaneous Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations. I was in for quite an experience as the novel is a tour de force and utterly brilliant in many ways.
Bahao (بہاؤ) starts with a breathtaking scene of a migratory bird seeking water in terrible heat while flying over a parched landscape and a listless air denuded of water. The bird sees something that has the glint of water but ultimately collapses and dies on what is a mound of dead birds, that sought moisture and found none. It is discovered by the novel's protagonist - the young woman Paroshni - who laments its death and gazes upon the progressively shrinking lake surrounded by thickets of evergreens (رُکھ ) that still retain some moisture from the rains and boast of many trees including old Peepals and Tamarinds where the old spirits dwell. Beyond lies the swampland (ڈوبو مٹی) and further on the small settlement where she lives. We learn that it is a settlement close to the banks of Ghaghara river (reference in all likelihood to the Monsoon fed Ghaggar-Hakra River) and that various much larger dwellings such as Mohenjodaro lie beyond, many moon-cycles away, on the banks of river Sindhu. It is a time of drought and great thirst and Tarar conveys it skillfully with convincing details of the various plants and wildlife in the area that wonderfully recreate an ancient landscape.
Tarar paints a people Dravidian in appearance - which is what extant scholarship envisions them to be. His description of their landscape, culture and rituals reveals a close rhythmic bond of fertility and continuation with the soil, rain cycles and the annual floods in the river. Some aspects of the religious beliefs and culture show elements of subsequent Hinduism though it could be argued that these elements may have been originally Dravidian and subsequently influenced the culture brought in by the Aryans. Others are distinct. The spirit of the dead going beyond the river (where no-one goes otherwise) - those nearing death either retiring to the thickets when their time came or being buried in pottery jars if they stayed on (and the dogs of Yama came to fetch them) - is how the journey beyond is looked upon. While the rituals of existence revolve around fertility and water - the rains and the annual floods - Tarar's characters are not merely tied down by dogma and engage in philosophical contemplation, asking the eternally poignant questions about the circle of existence and the purpose of their lives. Otherwise social existence is a basic mutually co-existence agrarian one in small hamlets, partially reliant on the resources of the wild, with some craft making that is not just functional but also ornamental. One distinctive feature of society is the independence of women and the existence of polyandry.
Very few venture forth, driven by wander-lust to determine what lies beyond. Most spend entire lifetimes at their place of birth. One such character who ventures forth is Warchan who makes his way all the arduous way to MohenjoDaro and it is through his eyes that we see the great city with its baths, craft centers, brick structures, narrow lanes, flat roofs and sanitation. We encounter a Mohenjodaro on the decline with contact already having been made with Aryans over a millennium ago who ride horses, have inhabited or overtaken vast sections of the geography and appear to co-exist at some level with the original dwellers. However, we also learn that they deem themselves superior racially and culturally and adhere closely to their religion of many deities. When Warchan travels back through the Rukh jungles, wastelands of sand and ruined cities long abandoned he is followed surreptitiously by Dorga. Dorga is a character who seeks escape from Mohenjodaro and whose multi-generational existence there as a brick-kiln worker provides insight into lives of servitude of those on whose sweat & toil the city was built. The travel narrative, the description of the landscape and the dialogues between the two characters are incredibly well executed and one wants the journey to carry on and on.
Sumro - the carver of beads & seals; Maman Masa - the flighty jungle-dweller who lives in treetops; Kaagri - the bird-catcher; Dhurwa - the lonely minder of cattle - Puckly - the maker and decorator of earthware - there are many compelling characters through whose perspective we look at life as it may have existed millennia ago and who while leading their simple earthy existence often wondered about people who preceded them (remembered only be a pottery sherd accidentally discovered here or there) and those that would come after them. Bahao is incredibly readable also because of the melange of language that Tarar conjures - a mix of more archaic terms, Punjabi words, and a lyrical slightly repetitive manner of speaking (like a parable) rich in imagery, description and reflection, that somehow sounds primeval and yet profound enough to convey the astute observations of his characters.
A novel about existential anxiety, human relationships and bonds of co-existence, deep association with one's surroundings, Bahao is at various significant levels a novel not just about civilizational rise and fall but also about climate change and its impact on such rise and fall as well as the precariousness of human existence. It is remarkably modern also in terms of how it portrays and paints the impact on humans of such climatic change. At the same time it is a wonderfully imaginative portrayal of ancient human existence around rivers that have ceased to exist as also into what major IVC cities like Mohenjodaro, Harappa/Haryappa, and Kalaibangan may have looked like. In addition it explores the theme of exploitation that has always coupled with the theme of human civilizational progress. Ultimately, what is arguably most memorable about this novel is the deep empathy with its characters and the remarkable sensitivity for their predicament and travails when their river starts dying. When the flow (بہاؤ) starts abating and everything starts drying and withering away Tarar provides us a day by day, month by month, and year by year account of the change from multiple character perspectives and it is a deeply engrossing and moving account. There are several brilliant passages that make this a book worth revisiting over and over. I was absolutely thrilled to have finally read something which I am happy to perceive as a modern literature classic - not just in Urdu but in any language. It deserves to be known and celebrated far more widely.
Bahao (بہاؤ) starts with a breathtaking scene of a migratory bird seeking water in terrible heat while flying over a parched landscape and a listless air denuded of water. The bird sees something that has the glint of water but ultimately collapses and dies on what is a mound of dead birds, that sought moisture and found none. It is discovered by the novel's protagonist - the young woman Paroshni - who laments its death and gazes upon the progressively shrinking lake surrounded by thickets of evergreens (رُکھ ) that still retain some moisture from the rains and boast of many trees including old Peepals and Tamarinds where the old spirits dwell. Beyond lies the swampland (ڈوبو مٹی) and further on the small settlement where she lives. We learn that it is a settlement close to the banks of Ghaghara river (reference in all likelihood to the Monsoon fed Ghaggar-Hakra River) and that various much larger dwellings such as Mohenjodaro lie beyond, many moon-cycles away, on the banks of river Sindhu. It is a time of drought and great thirst and Tarar conveys it skillfully with convincing details of the various plants and wildlife in the area that wonderfully recreate an ancient landscape.
Tarar paints a people Dravidian in appearance - which is what extant scholarship envisions them to be. His description of their landscape, culture and rituals reveals a close rhythmic bond of fertility and continuation with the soil, rain cycles and the annual floods in the river. Some aspects of the religious beliefs and culture show elements of subsequent Hinduism though it could be argued that these elements may have been originally Dravidian and subsequently influenced the culture brought in by the Aryans. Others are distinct. The spirit of the dead going beyond the river (where no-one goes otherwise) - those nearing death either retiring to the thickets when their time came or being buried in pottery jars if they stayed on (and the dogs of Yama came to fetch them) - is how the journey beyond is looked upon. While the rituals of existence revolve around fertility and water - the rains and the annual floods - Tarar's characters are not merely tied down by dogma and engage in philosophical contemplation, asking the eternally poignant questions about the circle of existence and the purpose of their lives. Otherwise social existence is a basic mutually co-existence agrarian one in small hamlets, partially reliant on the resources of the wild, with some craft making that is not just functional but also ornamental. One distinctive feature of society is the independence of women and the existence of polyandry.
Very few venture forth, driven by wander-lust to determine what lies beyond. Most spend entire lifetimes at their place of birth. One such character who ventures forth is Warchan who makes his way all the arduous way to MohenjoDaro and it is through his eyes that we see the great city with its baths, craft centers, brick structures, narrow lanes, flat roofs and sanitation. We encounter a Mohenjodaro on the decline with contact already having been made with Aryans over a millennium ago who ride horses, have inhabited or overtaken vast sections of the geography and appear to co-exist at some level with the original dwellers. However, we also learn that they deem themselves superior racially and culturally and adhere closely to their religion of many deities. When Warchan travels back through the Rukh jungles, wastelands of sand and ruined cities long abandoned he is followed surreptitiously by Dorga. Dorga is a character who seeks escape from Mohenjodaro and whose multi-generational existence there as a brick-kiln worker provides insight into lives of servitude of those on whose sweat & toil the city was built. The travel narrative, the description of the landscape and the dialogues between the two characters are incredibly well executed and one wants the journey to carry on and on.
Sumro - the carver of beads & seals; Maman Masa - the flighty jungle-dweller who lives in treetops; Kaagri - the bird-catcher; Dhurwa - the lonely minder of cattle - Puckly - the maker and decorator of earthware - there are many compelling characters through whose perspective we look at life as it may have existed millennia ago and who while leading their simple earthy existence often wondered about people who preceded them (remembered only be a pottery sherd accidentally discovered here or there) and those that would come after them. Bahao is incredibly readable also because of the melange of language that Tarar conjures - a mix of more archaic terms, Punjabi words, and a lyrical slightly repetitive manner of speaking (like a parable) rich in imagery, description and reflection, that somehow sounds primeval and yet profound enough to convey the astute observations of his characters.
A novel about existential anxiety, human relationships and bonds of co-existence, deep association with one's surroundings, Bahao is at various significant levels a novel not just about civilizational rise and fall but also about climate change and its impact on such rise and fall as well as the precariousness of human existence. It is remarkably modern also in terms of how it portrays and paints the impact on humans of such climatic change. At the same time it is a wonderfully imaginative portrayal of ancient human existence around rivers that have ceased to exist as also into what major IVC cities like Mohenjodaro, Harappa/Haryappa, and Kalaibangan may have looked like. In addition it explores the theme of exploitation that has always coupled with the theme of human civilizational progress. Ultimately, what is arguably most memorable about this novel is the deep empathy with its characters and the remarkable sensitivity for their predicament and travails when their river starts dying. When the flow (بہاؤ) starts abating and everything starts drying and withering away Tarar provides us a day by day, month by month, and year by year account of the change from multiple character perspectives and it is a deeply engrossing and moving account. There are several brilliant passages that make this a book worth revisiting over and over. I was absolutely thrilled to have finally read something which I am happy to perceive as a modern literature classic - not just in Urdu but in any language. It deserves to be known and celebrated far more widely.
October 31, 2019
The novel was too "thick" for me. I don't know why I cannot connect with Tarrar's fiction even though some of his travelogues are very good. (The latter might turn out to be a specious observation since I have read only one and all of them are "bestsellers", enough to put off "Adam Baizar" people like me. But I guess he has made a "noble" attempt here, that is bring to life the ancient Indus Valley civilization. But I just got lost with his trying to recreate the local dialect which becomes very strange if I remember correctly. فلحال تو تارڑ کو پڑھنے سے توبہ کرلی ہے
January 4, 2017
If we go back in time, the Indus Valley was alive and kicking!
That's the magic of this novel. It takes us back to the world where our ancestors earned their bread and butter. The dunes of the Indus Valley and the marshy lands of that time.
The Author did some exhaustive research on the aforementioned era and the result is evident in the novel. Intizar Hussain once called it "The Novel of The Century" and this is without a doubt one of the most spectacularly woven tale of our time.
A story of human endurance and survival, of unfathomable depths, this novel literally broke the mould.
That's the magic of this novel. It takes us back to the world where our ancestors earned their bread and butter. The dunes of the Indus Valley and the marshy lands of that time.
The Author did some exhaustive research on the aforementioned era and the result is evident in the novel. Intizar Hussain once called it "The Novel of The Century" and this is without a doubt one of the most spectacularly woven tale of our time.
A story of human endurance and survival, of unfathomable depths, this novel literally broke the mould.
October 30, 2024
This novel works like a metaphor at the moment. In this novel, Tarar has discussed the transfer of ancient civilization. Civilizations have their remains but they do not have a real history today. Through this writing, several lessons were given to the readers who had to create a strong imagination in the minds while reading it. After reading main crux is new ideas are necessary for the survival of societies simply because they simulate the destruction of civilizations. The novel is a beautiful description of history and civilization.
This can be considered a mature story based novel and tells us how the life and society sink and everything ends with out leaving any symbol and history ...
This can be considered a mature story based novel and tells us how the life and society sink and everything ends with out leaving any symbol and history ...
May 27, 2025
بیحد شاندار ناول ہے۔ جواب نہیں
February 24, 2023
Read it many years ago, and perhaps time to reread.
December 26, 2015
ایک بہترین کہانی، جو کہ ہم کو وقت کے پیچھے لے چلے اور ان کھنڈروں کو آباد کرے جو آج سوکھے ریت کے سوا کچھ نہیں. اس کتاب میں موہنجو کے دور کے لوگوں کی زندگی اور اس زندگی کے ختم ہونے کی بہترین منظرکشی کی گئی ہے.
کتاب شروع کی تو بور سی لگی مگر جیسے ہی کہانی آگے چلی تو دلچسپ ہوتی جاتی تھی اور آخر میں یہ میری منپسند کتابوں میں سے ایک ہوگئی.
البتہ کہانی کے دوران کی گئی باتوں کو بلاوجہ دہرانا اور غیرضروری تفسیلات ایک ستارہ گرانے کا باعث بنے...!
کتاب شروع کی تو بور سی لگی مگر جیسے ہی کہانی آگے چلی تو دلچسپ ہوتی جاتی تھی اور آخر میں یہ میری منپسند کتابوں میں سے ایک ہوگئی.
البتہ کہانی کے دوران کی گئی باتوں کو بلاوجہ دہرانا اور غیرضروری تفسیلات ایک ستارہ گرانے کا باعث بنے...!
December 29, 2015
nice novel... depicts the culture and feelings of ancient people living in indus valley
August 28, 2021
These are all my views. Discretion is advised.
The Novel Bahao by Mustansar Hussain Tarar is fictionalizing the ancient Indus Valley Civilization and its gradual decay. The strong imagination of Tarar Sahib makes the lost civilization reappear on the moving canvas for the readers. The characters and places, portrayed, speak for itself and advocates the idea of the then modern lifestyle of South Asian people. They inherited a Bronze Age culture in which people lived in well-planned cities, harvested rain water in giant reservoirs, and travelled overseas. They carried out maritime trade with its contemporary civilizations of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. One can say these are historical and archaeological findings long ago carried out but, fictionalizing hard facts and making them alive is an exhausting endeavour. Tarar Sahib has masterly utilized his abilities in convincing us to revisit the shores of Sarasvati along him, a journey to the past.
However, there is more to it. More than what historical and archaeological literature could provide: The human touch, thoughts of the then man. This is what I liked the most in the novel and admire Tarar Sahib for it.
The inquiry of all the existential questions that kept on bothering Paroshni and Warchan till the end of novel. Why do we do what we do? Since when are we doing it? How long will we do it? What’s the point of doing anything at all? Why are the things the way they are? Since when are they as such the way they are? Why aren’t we free from all of the societal compulsions? Why does it feel right to follow certain order? Why do we need to know the why to everything? From a philosophical & psychological standpoint it is evident that such inquiries are rooted in human mind. These are the thoughts that makes us different from other species and makes us human. Inclusion of them in the novel that novelizes the ancient civilization seems a reflection of the development of Indian school of thoughts that began on the shores of a river (Sarasvati) located in modern day Pakistan. Especially the Aasthika (Hindu philosophy) schools of philosophy since many references are given to the Rig Vedas.
In an interview with Dawn (29 may 2017) Nasir Abbas Nayyar asked “I wonder if the story of civilisation, around the long-lost Saraswati River, that you have told in your novel Bahao contradicts the state narrative which emphasises that our history starts from 712 AD with Muhammad bin Qasim’s arrival in Sindh.” Tarar Sahib responded “It is ridiculous to say that a 5,000-year-old civilisation started not that long ago but in 712 CE. Civilisations and homelands are not bound by religions. They are bound by culture. Cities change their religions but they never change their culture. Lahore was a Jain city, a Sikh city, a Hindu city, a Mughal city, a British city and a Muslim city in turns. Its [religious affiliation] is not permanent. One thing that is permanent is the culture of Lahore – or the culture of Punjab – that has existed continuously.” Thus, Mustansar Hussain Tarar, always known for his parallel views with politics, is seen in an attempt of drawing a big heart and acknowledging the beauty of everything that existed and exists regardless of its source.
Furthermore, there are these big pivotal points to which the story holds up: the relationship dilemma of Paroshni, Warchan and Soomro, the desire of moving to other places and exploring, inclusion of one wise in every society; Maman Masa, everyday routines of the various skilled labours and the hope for a good tomorrow. The thorough description of all these is what makes the novel riveting. It doesn’t seem fiction, it seems a report of actual events. One can surely find all these characters walking between us today having similar concerns and outlook towards life. It is this human touch that creates bonding with the characters and feeling like they feel. Watching the gradual and inevitable decay of such a rich and advanced civilization from the eyes of Paroshni.
The Novel Bahao by Mustansar Hussain Tarar is fictionalizing the ancient Indus Valley Civilization and its gradual decay. The strong imagination of Tarar Sahib makes the lost civilization reappear on the moving canvas for the readers. The characters and places, portrayed, speak for itself and advocates the idea of the then modern lifestyle of South Asian people. They inherited a Bronze Age culture in which people lived in well-planned cities, harvested rain water in giant reservoirs, and travelled overseas. They carried out maritime trade with its contemporary civilizations of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. One can say these are historical and archaeological findings long ago carried out but, fictionalizing hard facts and making them alive is an exhausting endeavour. Tarar Sahib has masterly utilized his abilities in convincing us to revisit the shores of Sarasvati along him, a journey to the past.
However, there is more to it. More than what historical and archaeological literature could provide: The human touch, thoughts of the then man. This is what I liked the most in the novel and admire Tarar Sahib for it.
The inquiry of all the existential questions that kept on bothering Paroshni and Warchan till the end of novel. Why do we do what we do? Since when are we doing it? How long will we do it? What’s the point of doing anything at all? Why are the things the way they are? Since when are they as such the way they are? Why aren’t we free from all of the societal compulsions? Why does it feel right to follow certain order? Why do we need to know the why to everything? From a philosophical & psychological standpoint it is evident that such inquiries are rooted in human mind. These are the thoughts that makes us different from other species and makes us human. Inclusion of them in the novel that novelizes the ancient civilization seems a reflection of the development of Indian school of thoughts that began on the shores of a river (Sarasvati) located in modern day Pakistan. Especially the Aasthika (Hindu philosophy) schools of philosophy since many references are given to the Rig Vedas.
In an interview with Dawn (29 may 2017) Nasir Abbas Nayyar asked “I wonder if the story of civilisation, around the long-lost Saraswati River, that you have told in your novel Bahao contradicts the state narrative which emphasises that our history starts from 712 AD with Muhammad bin Qasim’s arrival in Sindh.” Tarar Sahib responded “It is ridiculous to say that a 5,000-year-old civilisation started not that long ago but in 712 CE. Civilisations and homelands are not bound by religions. They are bound by culture. Cities change their religions but they never change their culture. Lahore was a Jain city, a Sikh city, a Hindu city, a Mughal city, a British city and a Muslim city in turns. Its [religious affiliation] is not permanent. One thing that is permanent is the culture of Lahore – or the culture of Punjab – that has existed continuously.” Thus, Mustansar Hussain Tarar, always known for his parallel views with politics, is seen in an attempt of drawing a big heart and acknowledging the beauty of everything that existed and exists regardless of its source.
Furthermore, there are these big pivotal points to which the story holds up: the relationship dilemma of Paroshni, Warchan and Soomro, the desire of moving to other places and exploring, inclusion of one wise in every society; Maman Masa, everyday routines of the various skilled labours and the hope for a good tomorrow. The thorough description of all these is what makes the novel riveting. It doesn’t seem fiction, it seems a report of actual events. One can surely find all these characters walking between us today having similar concerns and outlook towards life. It is this human touch that creates bonding with the characters and feeling like they feel. Watching the gradual and inevitable decay of such a rich and advanced civilization from the eyes of Paroshni.
September 17, 2024
Book Name: بہاؤ(The Flow)
Author's Name: Mustansar Hussein Tarar
Number of Pages: 269
Language: Urdu
Genre: Fiction,Novel
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕆𝕟𝕖𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕕𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕠𝕗 𝔾𝕙𝕒𝕘𝕘𝕒𝕣-ℍ𝕒𝕜𝕣𝕒
🔸𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗵𝗻𝗶(پاروشنی): The protagonist, raised by Mati and living independently.
🔸𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻(ورچن) : The Wanderer.
🔸𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗿𝗼(سمرو): The Dreamer. The Carver of beads and seals.
🔸𝗗𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘄𝗮(دھروا): The lonely Minder of Cattle.
🔸𝗣𝗮𝗸𝗹𝗶(پکلی): The Maker and Decorater of earthware. She provides Dorga with a home
🔸𝗚𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗶(گاگری): The bird-catcher
🔸𝗞𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗶کواسی): Gagri's Sister
🔸𝗚𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗮(گٹا): Gagri's Brother
🔸𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻(پورن): The blue-eyed, fair-skinned Aryan who dwells in Mohinjo
🔸𝗗𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮(ڈورگا): A brick kiln worker who escaped from Mohinjo and followed Warchan.
🔸𝗠𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝗮(مامن ماسا): The flighty Jungle-dweller who lives in treetops
🔸𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘃𝗮(چیوا): Gagri's lover who later joins Maman Masa in the jungle.
The novel is written in the backdrop of Indus Valley Civilization (3300BC-1300BC). The story is not of big ancient cities like Mohinjo Daro or Harappa or Dhola vira but of a small village on the Bank of گھاگھرا (Ghaggar-Hakra River/Sarsvati). The dwellers of the village k ow nothing of outside world. They sow the seeds of Wheat, Sesame, Pearl Millet and wait for either rain or the annual flood. Their lives revolve around their land, their fields, their forest(رکھ), their swampland(ڈوبو مٹی). It all succums to ruin when the annual flood does not arrive as expected and seizes to come for many years after.
Tarar Sahab is a master Storyteller. Imagery is his strong suit and he has literally broken the mould in بہاؤ۔ The day to day lives of Daravidian, and the powerful portrayal of ancient village has the capacity to pick you up and take you many many centuries back. The hope, the desperation, the famine, the draught, the gradual annihilation, the restlessness, the scorching heat, and the dying and decaying lives, you can feel each and everything.
The society is that of a Matriarchal (Paroshni, Gagri,and Pakli: all three are strong independent women) one where men do the menial job "just to sow".
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙀𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡/ 𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜(𝙖𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙮).
Tarar Sahab prived us day by day, month by month , year by year, account of the change from multiple character perspective,and it is a deeply engrossing and moving account.
It also addresses how civilizations gradually succumb to extinction: be it outside invaders or the dwellers injustice or incompetence.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠.
The coming of Aryans and depiction of their Imperial practices throw ڈورگا is also very heartbreaking yet relatable.
The frequent use of various Punjabi words such as جھجھر، صحنک، رکھ،جسے ، جنور، آوا، give you a sense of relatability despite being the story of ancient times.
The novel is a must read and it adds to the beauty of variation that Mustansar Hussein Tarar Sahab provides us with his novels.
Author's Name: Mustansar Hussein Tarar
Number of Pages: 269
Language: Urdu
Genre: Fiction,Novel
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕆𝕟𝕖𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕕𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕠𝕗 𝔾𝕙𝕒𝕘𝕘𝕒𝕣-ℍ𝕒𝕜𝕣𝕒
🔸𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗵𝗻𝗶(پاروشنی): The protagonist, raised by Mati and living independently.
🔸𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻(ورچن) : The Wanderer.
🔸𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗿𝗼(سمرو): The Dreamer. The Carver of beads and seals.
🔸𝗗𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘄𝗮(دھروا): The lonely Minder of Cattle.
🔸𝗣𝗮𝗸𝗹𝗶(پکلی): The Maker and Decorater of earthware. She provides Dorga with a home
🔸𝗚𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗶(گاگری): The bird-catcher
🔸𝗞𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗶کواسی): Gagri's Sister
🔸𝗚𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗮(گٹا): Gagri's Brother
🔸𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻(پورن): The blue-eyed, fair-skinned Aryan who dwells in Mohinjo
🔸𝗗𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮(ڈورگا): A brick kiln worker who escaped from Mohinjo and followed Warchan.
🔸𝗠𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝗮(مامن ماسا): The flighty Jungle-dweller who lives in treetops
🔸𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘃𝗮(چیوا): Gagri's lover who later joins Maman Masa in the jungle.
The novel is written in the backdrop of Indus Valley Civilization (3300BC-1300BC). The story is not of big ancient cities like Mohinjo Daro or Harappa or Dhola vira but of a small village on the Bank of گھاگھرا (Ghaggar-Hakra River/Sarsvati). The dwellers of the village k ow nothing of outside world. They sow the seeds of Wheat, Sesame, Pearl Millet and wait for either rain or the annual flood. Their lives revolve around their land, their fields, their forest(رکھ), their swampland(ڈوبو مٹی). It all succums to ruin when the annual flood does not arrive as expected and seizes to come for many years after.
Tarar Sahab is a master Storyteller. Imagery is his strong suit and he has literally broken the mould in بہاؤ۔ The day to day lives of Daravidian, and the powerful portrayal of ancient village has the capacity to pick you up and take you many many centuries back. The hope, the desperation, the famine, the draught, the gradual annihilation, the restlessness, the scorching heat, and the dying and decaying lives, you can feel each and everything.
The society is that of a Matriarchal (Paroshni, Gagri,and Pakli: all three are strong independent women) one where men do the menial job "just to sow".
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙀𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡/ 𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜(𝙖𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙮).
Tarar Sahab prived us day by day, month by month , year by year, account of the change from multiple character perspective,and it is a deeply engrossing and moving account.
It also addresses how civilizations gradually succumb to extinction: be it outside invaders or the dwellers injustice or incompetence.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠.
The coming of Aryans and depiction of their Imperial practices throw ڈورگا is also very heartbreaking yet relatable.
The frequent use of various Punjabi words such as جھجھر، صحنک، رکھ،جسے ، جنور، آوا، give you a sense of relatability despite being the story of ancient times.
The novel is a must read and it adds to the beauty of variation that Mustansar Hussein Tarar Sahab provides us with his novels.
August 6, 2021
نوشین فیاض
بہاؤ
بہاؤ محض پانی کا نہیں ہوتا۔ جب پانی بہتا ہے تو اس کے ساتھ جیون بہتا ہے۔ پانی حیات کو جنم دیتا ہے۔ خشک مٹی کی کوکھ میں بیج کو پانی نہ ملے تو زندگی کیسے نمو پائے؟ پانی مٹی کو سیراب کرے تو بیج سے زندگی پھوٹتی ہے۔ پھل رزق بنتا ہے اور کسی زندگی کی بھوک مٹاتا ہے۔ جہاں پانی نہیں وہاں زندگی کا خیال دیوانے کا خواب ہی ہو سکتا ہے۔
گھاگھرا کنارے پانچ ہزار سال پہلے بے نام بستی میں پاروشنی ہے جس کے کنویں کا میٹھا پانی سب کے لیے ہے۔ مگر کون جانے کب تک۔ ۔۔
یہاں ڈوبو مٹی ہے جو سالم بندہ نگل کر کوئی نشان بھی نہیں چھوڑتی۔ یہاں جھیل پر مرنے کے لیے پکھیرو دور دراز سے سفر کر کے آتے ہیں۔ رکھوں کے اندر مور بولتا ہے اور بانجھ عورتوں کے رُکھ پر خواہشیں بندھی ہیں۔ رکھوں کے پار ریت ہی ریت ہے۔ایسی ریت جس کی چمک کتوں کو پاگل کر دیتی ہے اور وہ ایک دوسرے کو کھانے دوڑتے ہیں۔
دریا پار صرف وہ جاتے ہیں جن کے ناپ کے برتن پکلی کے آوے میں پک چکے ہوتے ہیں۔ ایسے میں ورچن کے پیر میں جانے کب اور کیسے چکر بندھ۔ گیا۔ وہ موہنجو سے مُہر ساز سومرو کے لیے سامان لینے گیا ہے۔وہاں اس نے نیلی آنکھوں اور کھڑی ناک والے دراز قد دیکھے ہیں۔ وہ ڈرتا ہے کسی دن وہ اس کی بستی نہ پہنچ جائیں۔ وہ تو نہیں البتہ ہزار سال پہلے ان پانی اور سر چھپانے کے ٹھکانے کے عوض نسلیں بیچ ڈالنے والوں میں سے وہ جو بھاگ نکلا تھا،اس کے پیروں کے نشانوں پر قدم رکھتے وہاں ضرور آ گیا تھا۔پوتر بیلوں کی رکھوالی کرتا دھروا، رکھوں پر بسر کرتامامن ماسا، برتنوں پر گُل بوٹے الیکتی پکلی،کاگری اور چیوا۔۔۔سب کی کہانیوں سے مل کر بُنا گیا ناول بہاؤ اردو کی تاریخ کے دس اہم ناولوں میں سے ایک ہے تو کوئی عجب بات نہیں۔
سندھی، براہوی، سنسکرت اور سرائیکی زبان کے لفظوں سے سجا یہ ناول دراصل پانچ ہزار سال پہلے کی وہ دنیا ہے جہاں سندھ میں انسان ابھی پیروں پر ڈولتے ڈولتے کھڑا ہو رہا تھا۔وہ گھُڑ سواری تک سے خوفزدہ تھا۔دریا کو اپنی من پسند قیمتی شے کے چڑھاوے چڑھا کر منانے والا معصوم انسان۔
پاروشنی سب جان لیتی تھی مگر آواز دیتے سفر کی پکار نہ سن سکی۔بستیاں انسانوں سے ہوتی ہیں اور اگر انسان ہی نہ رہیں تو؟
آدھی مٹھی کنک کے کوٹنے میں پاروشنی کے کنگنوں آواز تو نہیں تھی البتہ بستی، دل، بدن اور زندگی اجڑنے کے نوحے بہت تھے۔
ایک خوبصورت ناول جس کے حصار سے نکلنے کی خواہش ہی نہیں۔
بہاؤ
بہاؤ محض پانی کا نہیں ہوتا۔ جب پانی بہتا ہے تو اس کے ساتھ جیون بہتا ہے۔ پانی حیات کو جنم دیتا ہے۔ خشک مٹی کی کوکھ میں بیج کو پانی نہ ملے تو زندگی کیسے نمو پائے؟ پانی مٹی کو سیراب کرے تو بیج سے زندگی پھوٹتی ہے۔ پھل رزق بنتا ہے اور کسی زندگی کی بھوک مٹاتا ہے۔ جہاں پانی نہیں وہاں زندگی کا خیال دیوانے کا خواب ہی ہو سکتا ہے۔
گھاگھرا کنارے پانچ ہزار سال پہلے بے نام بستی میں پاروشنی ہے جس کے کنویں کا میٹھا پانی سب کے لیے ہے۔ مگر کون جانے کب تک۔ ۔۔
یہاں ڈوبو مٹی ہے جو سالم بندہ نگل کر کوئی نشان بھی نہیں چھوڑتی۔ یہاں جھیل پر مرنے کے لیے پکھیرو دور دراز سے سفر کر کے آتے ہیں۔ رکھوں کے اندر مور بولتا ہے اور بانجھ عورتوں کے رُکھ پر خواہشیں بندھی ہیں۔ رکھوں کے پار ریت ہی ریت ہے۔ایسی ریت جس کی چمک کتوں کو پاگل کر دیتی ہے اور وہ ایک دوسرے کو کھانے دوڑتے ہیں۔
دریا پار صرف وہ جاتے ہیں جن کے ناپ کے برتن پکلی کے آوے میں پک چکے ہوتے ہیں۔ ایسے میں ورچن کے پیر میں جانے کب اور کیسے چکر بندھ۔ گیا۔ وہ موہنجو سے مُہر ساز سومرو کے لیے سامان لینے گیا ہے۔وہاں اس نے نیلی آنکھوں اور کھڑی ناک والے دراز قد دیکھے ہیں۔ وہ ڈرتا ہے کسی دن وہ اس کی بستی نہ پہنچ جائیں۔ وہ تو نہیں البتہ ہزار سال پہلے ان پانی اور سر چھپانے کے ٹھکانے کے عوض نسلیں بیچ ڈالنے والوں میں سے وہ جو بھاگ نکلا تھا،اس کے پیروں کے نشانوں پر قدم رکھتے وہاں ضرور آ گیا تھا۔پوتر بیلوں کی رکھوالی کرتا دھروا، رکھوں پر بسر کرتامامن ماسا، برتنوں پر گُل بوٹے الیکتی پکلی،کاگری اور چیوا۔۔۔سب کی کہانیوں سے مل کر بُنا گیا ناول بہاؤ اردو کی تاریخ کے دس اہم ناولوں میں سے ایک ہے تو کوئی عجب بات نہیں۔
سندھی، براہوی، سنسکرت اور سرائیکی زبان کے لفظوں سے سجا یہ ناول دراصل پانچ ہزار سال پہلے کی وہ دنیا ہے جہاں سندھ میں انسان ابھی پیروں پر ڈولتے ڈولتے کھڑا ہو رہا تھا۔وہ گھُڑ سواری تک سے خوفزدہ تھا۔دریا کو اپنی من پسند قیمتی شے کے چڑھاوے چڑھا کر منانے والا معصوم انسان۔
پاروشنی سب جان لیتی تھی مگر آواز دیتے سفر کی پکار نہ سن سکی۔بستیاں انسانوں سے ہوتی ہیں اور اگر انسان ہی نہ رہیں تو؟
آدھی مٹھی کنک کے کوٹنے میں پاروشنی کے کنگنوں آواز تو نہیں تھی البتہ بستی، دل، بدن اور زندگی اجڑنے کے نوحے بہت تھے۔
ایک خوبصورت ناول جس کے حصار سے نکلنے کی خواہش ہی نہیں۔
December 20, 2021
قصہ ہے دریاؤں کے بہاؤ کے ساتھ آباد ہوتی نشوونما پاتی اور ویران ہوتی بستیوں کا۔ اس ناول کا بیان مجھے گارشیا مارکیز کے ناول تنہائی کے سو سال جیسا لگا، مگر گارشیا جیسا magical realism اس میں دیکھنے کو نہیں ملا گویا مصنف اپنے وکھرے رنگ جو کہ معاشرے سے عین مطابقت رکھتا تھا، میں نظر آئے۔۔۔
اس ناول کے بیان اور ڈھنگ کو سمجھنے کے لیے آپکو اردو کے ساتھ ساتھ پنجابی زبان پر بھی عبور ہونا چاہیے کیونکہ ناول میں ان الفاظ کو ویسا ہی رکھا گیا تبدیل نہیں کیا گیا جو کہ اس ناول کا الگ خاصہ اور خوبصورتی ہے مثلاً صحنک، جھجھر، مہاندرے ،گھاگھرا، رُکھ، چنگیر، اپلے، بوکا، اوپرے، کنڈ، مال ڈنگر، ہواڑ، کنک، وغیرہ
تنہائی کے سو سال کی طرح اس میں کرداروں کا ہجوم نہیں بلکہ تین ہی مرکزی کردار رہے پاروشنی ، ورچن اور سمرو البتہ ڈورگا کا کردار نہایت دلچسپ رہا۔
اگر آپ نے تہذیب و تمدن کے ارتقائی مراحل کو جانچنا ہے تو یہ ناول ضرور پڑھیے جھجھر و صحنک کے ٹکڑوں پر گزرے وقت کی داستاں کو جاننا ہے تو یہ ناول ضرور پڑھیے اور دریا کے بہاؤ میں بہتی اور نئی آباد ہوتی بستیوں کی سیر کرنی ہو تو بھی یہ ناول ضرور پڑھیے
اس ناول کے اختتام پر مجھے ن م راشد کی نظم حسن کوزہ گر کے یہ مصرعے یاد آ گئے کہ ۔۔۔
حسن کوزہ گر اب کہاں ہے
وہ ہم سے خود اپنے عمل سےخداوند بن کر خداؤں کے مانند ہے روئے گرداں
جہاں زاد نو سال کا دور یوں مجھ پہ گزرا کہ جیسے کسی شہر مدفون پر وقت گزرے ___
عبداللہ
اس ناول کے بیان اور ڈھنگ کو سمجھنے کے لیے آپکو اردو کے ساتھ ساتھ پنجابی زبان پر بھی عبور ہونا چاہیے کیونکہ ناول میں ان الفاظ کو ویسا ہی رکھا گیا تبدیل نہیں کیا گیا جو کہ اس ناول کا الگ خاصہ اور خوبصورتی ہے مثلاً صحنک، جھجھر، مہاندرے ،گھاگھرا، رُکھ، چنگیر، اپلے، بوکا، اوپرے، کنڈ، مال ڈنگر، ہواڑ، کنک، وغیرہ
تنہائی کے سو سال کی طرح اس میں کرداروں کا ہجوم نہیں بلکہ تین ہی مرکزی کردار رہے پاروشنی ، ورچن اور سمرو البتہ ڈورگا کا کردار نہایت دلچسپ رہا۔
اگر آپ نے تہذیب و تمدن کے ارتقائی مراحل کو جانچنا ہے تو یہ ناول ضرور پڑھیے جھجھر و صحنک کے ٹکڑوں پر گزرے وقت کی داستاں کو جاننا ہے تو یہ ناول ضرور پڑھیے اور دریا کے بہاؤ میں بہتی اور نئی آباد ہوتی بستیوں کی سیر کرنی ہو تو بھی یہ ناول ضرور پڑھیے
اس ناول کے اختتام پر مجھے ن م راشد کی نظم حسن کوزہ گر کے یہ مصرعے یاد آ گئے کہ ۔۔۔
حسن کوزہ گر اب کہاں ہے
وہ ہم سے خود اپنے عمل سےخداوند بن کر خداؤں کے مانند ہے روئے گرداں
جہاں زاد نو سال کا دور یوں مجھ پہ گزرا کہ جیسے کسی شہر مدفون پر وقت گزرے ___
عبداللہ
August 18, 2022
A novel about existential anxiety, human relationships, and bonds of co-existence, deep association with one's surroundings, Bahao is at various significant levels a novel not just about civilizational rise and fall but also about climate change and its impact on such rise and fall as well as the precariousness of human existence. It is remarkably modern also in terms of how it portrays and paints the impact on humans of such climatic change. At the same time, it is a wonderfully imaginative portrayal of ancient human existence around rivers that have ceased to exist as also of what major IVC cities like Mohenjodaro, Harappa/Haryappa, and Kalaibangan may have looked like. In addition, it explores the theme of exploitation that has always coupled with the theme of human civilizational progress. Ultimately, what is arguably most memorable about this novel is the deep empathy with its characters and the remarkable sensitivity to their predicament and travails when their river starts dying. When the flow (بہاؤ) starts abating and everything starts drying and withering away Tarar provides us a day-by-day, month-by-month, and year-by-year account of the change from multiple character perspectives and it is a deeply engrossing and moving account.
December 24, 2023
Bahao بہاؤ by Mustansar Hussain Tarar is a mesmerizing journey through the depths of human emotions intertwined with the beauty of nature. Tarar creates a gripping narrative against the backdrop of stunning scenery, immersing readers in the complicated web of connections, passions, and the timeless desire for inner peace. His evocative images and beautiful words weave a rich tapestry of ancient cultural riches, enticing readers on a soul-stirring voyage. 'Bahao بہاؤ'is a moving examination of life's ups and downs, leaving an unforgettable imprint on the heart and mind long after the final page is turned. Because the novel's canvas is so large, it portrays the story of a civilization lost in the sands of time. The narrative depicts the genuine movement of time, life, and civilisation throughout history.
January 5, 2026
This is the kind of book that doesn’t demand your attention immediately, yet once it settles in, it asks for a slower more attentive kind of reading. What makes this book so effective is the way the author uses landscape as both setting and metaphor. The river is not just a physical presence but a living force. Through it, the novel explores themes of displacement and the quiet devastation of time. The prose is restrained yet deeply evocative, allowing the emotional undercurrents to emerge naturally rather than through overt sentiment.
If the novel has a limitation, it lies in its pacing. At times, the narrative moves so gently that it may test the patience of people accustomed to plot-driven storytelling. Overall, this book is a beautifully composed novel that rewards readers willing to meet it on its own terms.
If the novel has a limitation, it lies in its pacing. At times, the narrative moves so gently that it may test the patience of people accustomed to plot-driven storytelling. Overall, this book is a beautifully composed novel that rewards readers willing to meet it on its own terms.
February 22, 2024
Being abstract is one thing, becoming absurd is other this is what Tarar sahib needs to understand. Bahao is his very favorite book that is why I made it a point to read it but that proved to be a disaster.
I regard Mustansar sahib as one of the realistic writer Pakistan has ever got with regard to the fiction writing; his teleplays were treat to watch however this piece of work has left much to be desired; there is no plot as such just certain characters living in a place closer to Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa in prehistoric times with no clear personality or relationships.
Although its basic theme is based on the negative impact of climate change and its effects on the civilizations this could have been a good read but too much symbolism ruined it.
I regard Mustansar sahib as one of the realistic writer Pakistan has ever got with regard to the fiction writing; his teleplays were treat to watch however this piece of work has left much to be desired; there is no plot as such just certain characters living in a place closer to Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa in prehistoric times with no clear personality or relationships.
Although its basic theme is based on the negative impact of climate change and its effects on the civilizations this could have been a good read but too much symbolism ruined it.
August 30, 2020
ایک اور شاہکارناول. سینکڑوں سال قبل کے لوگوں کی تہزیب، طرز ِ زندگی، رہن سہن، بود و باش اور مشکلات کا خوبصورتی سے احاطہ کرتا ہوا. آج کی پر آسائش زندگی کی ہر سہولت کوباآسانی انجوائے کرنے والے قاری کو اندازہ ہو گا کہ ہزار برس قبل کے لوگوں نے کس طرح کٹھن، پرخطر اور محروم زندگی گزاری ہے. اس دور کی بنیادی ضروریات صرف اناج تھا اور پانی، جس کے حصول کے لئے انہوں نے کیا کیا پاپڑ بیلے ہیں. کس طرح اس دور کے لوگوں میں رواداری، بھائی چارے اور احساس ِذمہ داری کا مادہ کوٹ کوٹ کر بھرا ہوا تھا. کس طرح انسان محنتی اور جفاکش ہونے کے باوجود قدرتی تغیر و تبدل کے سامنے بے بس تھا. "اداس نسلیں" سے بی زیادہ اداس کرتا ہوا ناول.
March 12, 2019
Writer must have spent months in doing the characterization. This novel has got characters belonging to a different time yet their definition has been done very clearly. And the way scenes have been written is just a kind of guidance for young writers. A scene where a bird searches for water has been explained in a detail spanning two pages. An imagination reaching faw away places!
April 27, 2020
Writer stops the time and details a story of its time. One of his classics
Read
May 24, 2020Nive
August 26, 2020
Wow! What a consistency!
February 15, 2024
i feel i waste my time.
April 19, 2024
A small scale version of 100 years of solitude of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
But, it will make you melancholic in the end.
You will ask yourself some questions about "your" existence.
But, it will make you melancholic in the end.
You will ask yourself some questions about "your" existence.
June 5, 2025
کسی بڑے ناول یا بڑے مصنف کے بارے میں لکھنا ویسے تو ہم جیسے کم علم و ادنا سے قاری کو شاید زیب نہیں دیتا، کیونکہ یہ بڑے اور تجربہ کار لوگوں کا کام ہے، مگر ہم چونکہ جس ناول یا شخصیت کو پسند کریں تو اپنے ادنا سے انداز میں اس بارے لکھتے ہیں کوشش ہوتی ہے اور بھی لوگ اس کو پڑھئے اور مقصد ہوتا ہے اپنی محبت کا اظہار کرنا۔
سو اگر اردو ادب میں مستنصر حسین تارڑ صاحب کی تخلیقی جہتیں کی جو ہمیشہ سے منفرد رہی ہیں، تاہم "بہاؤ" کو اُن کے تخلیقی سفر کا عروج قرار دینا مبالغہ نہ ہوگا۔ یہ محض ایک ناول نہیں بلکہ ایک تہذیبی مرقع، فکری تجزیہ اور انسانی ارتقاء کی علامتی داستان ہے، جو قاری کو قبل از تاریخ عہد، خاص طور پر وادیٔ سندھ کی گمشدہ تہذیب میں لے جاتا ہے۔
تارڑ صاحب نے اس ناول میں قدیم انسان کے طرزِ زیست، اس کی جبلتی کشمکش، اور پانی کے ساتھ اس کے وجودی رشتے کو نہایت فنی مہارت، لسانی نفاست اور تحقیقی بنیادوں پر پیش کیا ہے۔ زبان کا لب و لہجہ قدیم تہذیبی فضا کو اجاگر کرتا ہے جبکہ کردار نگاری میں فطرت، خواب، علامت اور فلسفہ ایک ساتھ جلوہ گر ہوتے ہیں۔
تارڑ صاحب لکھتے ہیں:
"یہ سب کیا ہے۔۔۔ کیوں ہے۔۔۔کدھر ہے۔۔۔وہ اگر ہے تو کہاں ہے اور ہم کیوں ہیں۔ ہم کیا ہیں؟ ۔۔۔ تم بستی میں کیوں رہتے ہو؟۔۔۔ وہاں پانی ہے، گھاگھرا ہے اس لیے ۔۔۔اور اگر وہاں پانی نہ ہو گھاگرا نہ ہو؟"
یہ سطر ناول کے مرکزی استعارے کو بیان کرتی ہے۔ بہاؤ میں پانی کا بہاؤ زندگی کے تسلسل اور رکاؤ اس کے زوال کی علامت ہے۔
عالمی سطح پر بھی پانی کی قلت ایک سنگین مسئلہ بنتی جا رہی ہے۔ اقوام متحدہ کے مطابق:
"By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population could be living under water-stressed conditions."
اس تناظر میں بہاؤ کا پیغام آج کے عہد کے لیے نہایت معنی خیز اور بصیرت افروز ہو جاتا ہے۔
"بہاؤ" کی سب سے بڑی خوبی اس کا بین المتنی شعور ہے، جہاں تاریخ، اساطیر اور فطرت کا امتزاج ایک مربوط بیانیے کی صورت اختیار کرتا ہے، وہیں کردار نہ صرف اپنے ماحول کے نمائندہ ہیں بلکہ انسانی نفسیات کے پیچیدہ پہلوؤں کو علامتی سطح پر پیش کرتے ہیں۔
ادبی تکنیک کے اعتبار سے ناول کی ساخت غیر روایتی ہے؛ اس کا بیانیہ قاری کو مسلسل متوجہ رکھتا ہے اور وقت کی خطی ترتیب سے ہٹ کر تہذیب، بقا، اور وجودی سوالات کے گہرے نکات پر مکالمہ کرتا ہے۔ بعض مقامات پر زبان کی پیچیدگی اور علامتی اظہار عام قاری کے لیے ایک چیلنج ہو سکتا ہے، مگر یہی فکری گہرائی اس ناول کو ادب عالیہ کا حصہ بناتی ہے۔
"بہاؤ" اردو ادب میں تاریخی فکشن کے دائرے سے نکل کر ایک فکری و تہذیبی دستاویز کی حیثیت اختیار کر چکا ہے۔ یہ ناول اُن قارئین کے لیے ہے جو ادب کو محض تفریح نہیں بلکہ فہم، تجزیے اور تہذیبی مکاشفے کا ذریعہ سمجھتے ہیں۔ مستنصر حسین تارڑ صاحب کا یہ شاہکار قاری کو ایک طویل فکری سفر پر لے جاتا ہے جو ذہن و دل دونوں کو بیک وقت متاثر کرتا ہے۔
تبصرہ: منظر عباس
سو اگر اردو ادب میں مستنصر حسین تارڑ صاحب کی تخلیقی جہتیں کی جو ہمیشہ سے منفرد رہی ہیں، تاہم "بہاؤ" کو اُن کے تخلیقی سفر کا عروج قرار دینا مبالغہ نہ ہوگا۔ یہ محض ایک ناول نہیں بلکہ ایک تہذیبی مرقع، فکری تجزیہ اور انسانی ارتقاء کی علامتی داستان ہے، جو قاری کو قبل از تاریخ عہد، خاص طور پر وادیٔ سندھ کی گمشدہ تہذیب میں لے جاتا ہے۔
تارڑ صاحب نے اس ناول میں قدیم انسان کے طرزِ زیست، اس کی جبلتی کشمکش، اور پانی کے ساتھ اس کے وجودی رشتے کو نہایت فنی مہارت، لسانی نفاست اور تحقیقی بنیادوں پر پیش کیا ہے۔ زبان کا لب و لہجہ قدیم تہذیبی فضا کو اجاگر کرتا ہے جبکہ کردار نگاری میں فطرت، خواب، علامت اور فلسفہ ایک ساتھ جلوہ گر ہوتے ہیں۔
تارڑ صاحب لکھتے ہیں:
"یہ سب کیا ہے۔۔۔ کیوں ہے۔۔۔کدھر ہے۔۔۔وہ اگر ہے تو کہاں ہے اور ہم کیوں ہیں۔ ہم کیا ہیں؟ ۔۔۔ تم بستی میں کیوں رہتے ہو؟۔۔۔ وہاں پانی ہے، گھاگھرا ہے اس لیے ۔۔۔اور اگر وہاں پانی نہ ہو گھاگرا نہ ہو؟"
یہ سطر ناول کے مرکزی استعارے کو بیان کرتی ہے۔ بہاؤ میں پانی کا بہاؤ زندگی کے تسلسل اور رکاؤ اس کے زوال کی علامت ہے۔
عالمی سطح پر بھی پانی کی قلت ایک سنگین مسئلہ بنتی جا رہی ہے۔ اقوام متحدہ کے مطابق:
"By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population could be living under water-stressed conditions."
اس تناظر میں بہاؤ کا پیغام آج کے عہد کے لیے نہایت معنی خیز اور بصیرت افروز ہو جاتا ہے۔
"بہاؤ" کی سب سے بڑی خوبی اس کا بین المتنی شعور ہے، جہاں تاریخ، اساطیر اور فطرت کا امتزاج ایک مربوط بیانیے کی صورت اختیار کرتا ہے، وہیں کردار نہ صرف اپنے ماحول کے نمائندہ ہیں بلکہ انسانی نفسیات کے پیچیدہ پہلوؤں کو علامتی سطح پر پیش کرتے ہیں۔
ادبی تکنیک کے اعتبار سے ناول کی ساخت غیر روایتی ہے؛ اس کا بیانیہ قاری کو مسلسل متوجہ رکھتا ہے اور وقت کی خطی ترتیب سے ہٹ کر تہذیب، بقا، اور وجودی سوالات کے گہرے نکات پر مکالمہ کرتا ہے۔ بعض مقامات پر زبان کی پیچیدگی اور علامتی اظہار عام قاری کے لیے ایک چیلنج ہو سکتا ہے، مگر یہی فکری گہرائی اس ناول کو ادب عالیہ کا حصہ بناتی ہے۔
"بہاؤ" اردو ادب میں تاریخی فکشن کے دائرے سے نکل کر ایک فکری و تہذیبی دستاویز کی حیثیت اختیار کر چکا ہے۔ یہ ناول اُن قارئین کے لیے ہے جو ادب کو محض تفریح نہیں بلکہ فہم، تجزیے اور تہذیبی مکاشفے کا ذریعہ سمجھتے ہیں۔ مستنصر حسین تارڑ صاحب کا یہ شاہکار قاری کو ایک طویل فکری سفر پر لے جاتا ہے جو ذہن و دل دونوں کو بیک وقت متاثر کرتا ہے۔
تبصرہ: منظر عباس
September 7, 2014
It is truly as master piece by Tarar sb comparable to any good piece of literature around the world. He recreated the whole civilization in the backdrop of Mohnjo Daro, Indus civilization. It also has the sublime message to make a realize the basic substance of human life. Mother Earth, water in the end it those are the core of not only the life but whole civilization, it existence,m & culture.
June 11, 2014
what an outstanding work by mustansar hussain tarar. He knows how to create a small world around himslef
March 29, 2017
A great piece of work on human endurance, complex emotions, search for the unknown and of course feminisms of 'Parwarshni' .
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