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The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told
Selected and translated by writer, editor and translator par excellence Muhammad Umar Memon, the twenty-five stories in this book represent the finest short fiction in Urdu literature. In his Introduction, Memon traces the evolution of the Urdu short story from its origins in the work of writers like Munshi Premchand the first professional short story writer in Urdu through the emergence of the Progressives in the late 1930s, whose writings were unabashedly political and underpinned their Marxist ideologies, to the post-Independence Modernist era, and today s generation of avant-garde, experimental writers of Urdu fiction.
Every story in the anthology illustrates one or the other facet of the form in the Urdu literary tradition. But even more than for their formal technique and inventiveness, these stories have been included because of their power and impact on the reader. Death and poverty face off in Premchand's masterpiece The Shroud. In Khalida Asghar's The Wagon, a mysterious redness begins to cloak the sunset in a village by the Ravi. Behind closed doors and cracks in the windows lies desire but also a sense of queer foreboding in Naiyer Masud's Obscure Domains of Fear and Desire. The tragedy and horror of Partition are brought to life by Saadat Hasan Manto's lunatic (in Toba Tek Singh ) and the eponymous heroine of Rajinder Singh Bedi's Laajwanti. Despairing, violent, passionate, humorous, ironic and profound the fiction in The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told will imprint itself indelibly on your mind.
M. U. Memon is a translator without parallel and this book, which brings together the best of short fiction in the literary Urdu tradition, is sure to be classic. This collection spans the entire spectrum of the Urdu literary tradition from Premchand, who is considered the first Urdu short-story writer, to contemporary writers like S. M. Ashraf and Tassaduq Sohail. In The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told, you will find much-loved gems like Premchand's Kafan , Rajinder Singh Bedi's Laajwanti , Saadat Hasan Manto's Toba Tek Singh as well as new classics like Sajid Rashid's Fable of a Severed Head and Anwer Khan's The Pose .
This book is part of a continuing series that gave us the highly popular The Greatest Bengali Stories Ever Told.
Every story in the anthology illustrates one or the other facet of the form in the Urdu literary tradition. But even more than for their formal technique and inventiveness, these stories have been included because of their power and impact on the reader. Death and poverty face off in Premchand's masterpiece The Shroud. In Khalida Asghar's The Wagon, a mysterious redness begins to cloak the sunset in a village by the Ravi. Behind closed doors and cracks in the windows lies desire but also a sense of queer foreboding in Naiyer Masud's Obscure Domains of Fear and Desire. The tragedy and horror of Partition are brought to life by Saadat Hasan Manto's lunatic (in Toba Tek Singh ) and the eponymous heroine of Rajinder Singh Bedi's Laajwanti. Despairing, violent, passionate, humorous, ironic and profound the fiction in The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told will imprint itself indelibly on your mind.
M. U. Memon is a translator without parallel and this book, which brings together the best of short fiction in the literary Urdu tradition, is sure to be classic. This collection spans the entire spectrum of the Urdu literary tradition from Premchand, who is considered the first Urdu short-story writer, to contemporary writers like S. M. Ashraf and Tassaduq Sohail. In The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told, you will find much-loved gems like Premchand's Kafan , Rajinder Singh Bedi's Laajwanti , Saadat Hasan Manto's Toba Tek Singh as well as new classics like Sajid Rashid's Fable of a Severed Head and Anwer Khan's The Pose .
This book is part of a continuing series that gave us the highly popular The Greatest Bengali Stories Ever Told.
372 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2017
266 people are currently reading
1338 people want to read
About the author
Muhammad Umar Memon
46 books34 followersMuhammad Umar Memon is a critic, short story writer, renowned Urdu translator and editor of The Annual of Urdu Studies from Pakistan. He is Professor Emeritus of Urdu Literature and Islamic Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dr. Memon was born in Aligarh, India in 1939. In 1954, his family moved to Karachi, Pakistan where he earned his bachelors and masters degrees. After his graduation, he taught at Sachal Sarmast College and Sind University. In 1964 he won a Fulbright scholarship to the United States. This move enabled him to earn a masters degree from Harvard University and eventually a doctorate in Islamic Studies from UCLA. Dr. Memon joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1970 and retired from there after 38 years of service. He has remained active as a scholar: besides working on translation of Urdu works into English he serves on the editorial board of Pakistaniaat: A Journal of Pakistan Studies and is also an advisor to the Urdu Project.
Dr. Memon was born in Aligarh, India in 1939. In 1954, his family moved to Karachi, Pakistan where he earned his bachelors and masters degrees. After his graduation, he taught at Sachal Sarmast College and Sind University. In 1964 he won a Fulbright scholarship to the United States. This move enabled him to earn a masters degree from Harvard University and eventually a doctorate in Islamic Studies from UCLA. Dr. Memon joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1970 and retired from there after 38 years of service. He has remained active as a scholar: besides working on translation of Urdu works into English he serves on the editorial board of Pakistaniaat: A Journal of Pakistan Studies and is also an advisor to the Urdu Project.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
July 10, 2021
Love is known to turn even the smartest people into perfect idiots
Urdu Playlist :
• Ranjish hi sahi-Ali Sethi
• Teri Yaad-Jal
• Ertugrul Ghazi-Leo Twins(YT Channel)
• Aadat(cover)-Leo Twins
• Turkish ney music-Buddha’s lounge(YT Channel)
This book contains 25 Urdu Short Stories.I had some problems while starting the book but I am glad that I finished this book, otherwise I would have missed reading some gems.
The thing I noticed that in these stories,Partition played a great role.The co-existence of Hindu and Muslim communities and later the anguish have impacted some characters.Women of both of the communities were the primary victim of this.You can easily immerse into their sorrows and their lives.Some stories give us a new perspective of life.
In a nutshell,it’s a good book to start reading Urdu Literature.
Urdu Playlist :
• Ranjish hi sahi-Ali Sethi
• Teri Yaad-Jal
• Ertugrul Ghazi-Leo Twins(YT Channel)
• Aadat(cover)-Leo Twins
• Turkish ney music-Buddha’s lounge(YT Channel)
This book contains 25 Urdu Short Stories.I had some problems while starting the book but I am glad that I finished this book, otherwise I would have missed reading some gems.
The thing I noticed that in these stories,Partition played a great role.The co-existence of Hindu and Muslim communities and later the anguish have impacted some characters.Women of both of the communities were the primary victim of this.You can easily immerse into their sorrows and their lives.Some stories give us a new perspective of life.
In a nutshell,it’s a good book to start reading Urdu Literature.
October 24, 2017
The greatest Urdu stories ever told is one of the finest and rare short story collections I have ever read. Every story in the anthology illustrates one or the other facet of life like death, fear, desire and poverty.
The stories are unique and exceptional and the fine translations by Muhammad Umar Memon make the experience of reading pleasurable. I don’t know the Urdu language so it is my golden opportunity to read the stories in the language I understand. The twenty-five stories are the finest short fiction of Urdu literature.
The book is one of those you will cherish reading and would like to re-read the stories. It is one of those rare gems of literature you don’t want to miss having in your vast collection of books adorning your bookshelf. This is undeniably a must read.
https://thereviewauthor.com/
The stories are unique and exceptional and the fine translations by Muhammad Umar Memon make the experience of reading pleasurable. I don’t know the Urdu language so it is my golden opportunity to read the stories in the language I understand. The twenty-five stories are the finest short fiction of Urdu literature.
The book is one of those you will cherish reading and would like to re-read the stories. It is one of those rare gems of literature you don’t want to miss having in your vast collection of books adorning your bookshelf. This is undeniably a must read.
https://thereviewauthor.com/
December 28, 2023
Starts off with an excellent introduction by Muhammad Umar Memon, who talks in detail about the differences between Urdu literature (influenced by Persian style) and other Indian styles. There were some good stories and the anthology is worth a read, but I felt some stories just dragged a bit. Loads of Partition stories again. I feel that maybe parts of North India still has not recovered from this, perhaps?
My favourites included:
The Shroud by Munshi Premchand : An useless pair of father and son are taken care of by the daughter in law. When she lies dying, they fail to arrange even a shroud for the corpse. Very hard-hitting, and slightly indicative of male attitudes towards women in the Hindi belt even today.
Toba Tek Singh by Saadat Hasan Manto : A great classic and yet one more Partition story. An Indian madman is put into a mental asylum across the border and he misses home. The splitting of the country affects him mortally.
Laajwanti by Rajinder Singh Bedi : When women are kidnapped and raped during the Partition riots, many of them were ostracised by their own families. Some men campaigned against this injustice and when the wife of one of the men came back, old secrets spill out and things change completely. A very insightful short story.
Aanandi by Ghulam Abbas : I think this one was my absolute favourite. When a bunch of conservative men vote to throw out the prostitutes from their homes to clean up the city, the result is hilarious. Conservative men and their hypocrisy are showcased very neatly in this small story but the theme is also very funny!
Of Fists and Rubs by Ismat Chugtai : When a middle class woman gives birth to a daughter, the helpers taking care of her in the hospital are convinced she is going to be thrashed for not producing a son. Then they tell her stories about how women deal with this issue. Ugh! Disgusting, but probably true, especially in the past.
The Old Mansion by Ikramullah : Three men live in a dilapidated old house in Lahore as squatters. Their lives are separate but intertwined together due to the circumstances. When the mansion is slated for demolition for safety issues, a whole bunch people become homeless again.
Fable of a Severed Head by Sajid Rashid : Brilliant! As someone who grew up in 90s Mumbai with bomb blasts all over the place, it's interesting to get a glimpse of what might have been going on in the head of someone who actually commits these acts. A suicide bomber is killed but his head remains alive. He can hear and think but not speak or move. When he is rejected by everyone including the man who recruited him to die, it's too late for him. Absolutely brilliant.
Lots of good stories but also contains a few that I did not enjoy at all. Removing a couple of these stories may have made this a 4 star book for me! Will be visiting South India again next with Telugu stories.
My favourites included:
The Shroud by Munshi Premchand : An useless pair of father and son are taken care of by the daughter in law. When she lies dying, they fail to arrange even a shroud for the corpse. Very hard-hitting, and slightly indicative of male attitudes towards women in the Hindi belt even today.
Toba Tek Singh by Saadat Hasan Manto : A great classic and yet one more Partition story. An Indian madman is put into a mental asylum across the border and he misses home. The splitting of the country affects him mortally.
Laajwanti by Rajinder Singh Bedi : When women are kidnapped and raped during the Partition riots, many of them were ostracised by their own families. Some men campaigned against this injustice and when the wife of one of the men came back, old secrets spill out and things change completely. A very insightful short story.
Aanandi by Ghulam Abbas : I think this one was my absolute favourite. When a bunch of conservative men vote to throw out the prostitutes from their homes to clean up the city, the result is hilarious. Conservative men and their hypocrisy are showcased very neatly in this small story but the theme is also very funny!
Of Fists and Rubs by Ismat Chugtai : When a middle class woman gives birth to a daughter, the helpers taking care of her in the hospital are convinced she is going to be thrashed for not producing a son. Then they tell her stories about how women deal with this issue. Ugh! Disgusting, but probably true, especially in the past.
The Old Mansion by Ikramullah : Three men live in a dilapidated old house in Lahore as squatters. Their lives are separate but intertwined together due to the circumstances. When the mansion is slated for demolition for safety issues, a whole bunch people become homeless again.
Fable of a Severed Head by Sajid Rashid : Brilliant! As someone who grew up in 90s Mumbai with bomb blasts all over the place, it's interesting to get a glimpse of what might have been going on in the head of someone who actually commits these acts. A suicide bomber is killed but his head remains alive. He can hear and think but not speak or move. When he is rejected by everyone including the man who recruited him to die, it's too late for him. Absolutely brilliant.
Lots of good stories but also contains a few that I did not enjoy at all. Removing a couple of these stories may have made this a 4 star book for me! Will be visiting South India again next with Telugu stories.
August 26, 2017
Before I left for my holiday last week, I spent some time with greatest Urdu writers of all time, thanks to Umar Memon's translation of The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told. I met my all time favorite, Saadat Hasan Manto, some new writers like Jamila Hashmi and some classic ones like Ismat Chughtai and Munshi Premchand. I spent three beautiful days in the company of these great writers, and a sad thing occurred to me that we have so many gems still lying to be discovered, but we keep on running after the latest one.
The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told comprises of twenty-five stories translated by Umar Memon, a writer and translator par excellence. The book opens with an introduction from him, where he traces the evolution of Urdu short stories. Munshi Premchand was the first commercial Urdu story writer, and from then on the Progressiveness settled in during 1930's, when Urdu stories became bold and unabashedly political, to the post independence era of modern writing to the today's generation of experimental writing.
Apart from the technique of the stories, the most brilliant thing is the power and impact they can have on a reader. It's like, The Great Urdu Stories Ever Told is a different world in itself. The world which gives you a different sense of calm and magic, a strange sense of peace.
A striking thing to see in these stories was that even when some of the stories are decades old, you can witness the boldness of characters and thoughts in these brilliant writer's work. They are open, educated and experimental, something which I wasn't expecting when I first picked up a copy of this book.
There are death and poverty looking at each other's face in Munshi Premchand's Shroud, In The Wagon by Khalida Asghar's, a mysterious color starts shrouding the sunset. Saadat Hasan Manto's brings you the worst of partition through Toba Tek Singh, a story which I read a few months back when I was reading short stories by Saadat Hasan Manto.
The Greatest Urdu Stories ever told has the capability to embed itself into your mind and heart, and you look forward to such more stories to read. The only thing that bugged me while I was reading it is that it's not everybody's cup of tea. Some people may not have the aptitude to decipher the depth of these stories which risks this beautiful book. But a true lover of stories would not miss this anywhere because it is brilliant and a must read.
The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told comprises of twenty-five stories translated by Umar Memon, a writer and translator par excellence. The book opens with an introduction from him, where he traces the evolution of Urdu short stories. Munshi Premchand was the first commercial Urdu story writer, and from then on the Progressiveness settled in during 1930's, when Urdu stories became bold and unabashedly political, to the post independence era of modern writing to the today's generation of experimental writing.
Apart from the technique of the stories, the most brilliant thing is the power and impact they can have on a reader. It's like, The Great Urdu Stories Ever Told is a different world in itself. The world which gives you a different sense of calm and magic, a strange sense of peace.
A striking thing to see in these stories was that even when some of the stories are decades old, you can witness the boldness of characters and thoughts in these brilliant writer's work. They are open, educated and experimental, something which I wasn't expecting when I first picked up a copy of this book.
There are death and poverty looking at each other's face in Munshi Premchand's Shroud, In The Wagon by Khalida Asghar's, a mysterious color starts shrouding the sunset. Saadat Hasan Manto's brings you the worst of partition through Toba Tek Singh, a story which I read a few months back when I was reading short stories by Saadat Hasan Manto.
The Greatest Urdu Stories ever told has the capability to embed itself into your mind and heart, and you look forward to such more stories to read. The only thing that bugged me while I was reading it is that it's not everybody's cup of tea. Some people may not have the aptitude to decipher the depth of these stories which risks this beautiful book. But a true lover of stories would not miss this anywhere because it is brilliant and a must read.
May 13, 2018
Short stories are my all time favourite. The obvious reason being their short length and their power to captivate the reader so quickly. While it usually takes us 10-15 pages to get into a novel, the short story often miraculously leaves us mesmerized within that span of pages. I got this book about 4-5 months ago and I had been making my way through the anthology slowly and slowly, enjoying one story at a time.
The anthology has 25 stories in all. And each of the 25 stories in this anthology is a gem. 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. The Urdu fiction belongs to a realm that has hitherto remained in darkness for most of the English readers, unless someone already has an interest in it.
This anthology throws light on this world of Urdu fiction which has numberless pieces of writing to boast of. These translations, although very smooth, can only give us an estimate of the real beauty of Urdu prose. I enjoyed each and every story in the collection. Each story was like a unique experience to me.
The stories in the collection come from all the spheres of life. There’s a sense of longing in most of the stories. While reading some stories, I found my self to be mourning the loss of a harmonious and loving world that went missing during the partition and was never found- perhaps no one made an attempt to find it.
Having a partition story of my own family to think of and living in Punjab (which is where most the stories are set in), I could connect much more deeply with these stories and their characters. Although stories about riots appear to be dominating the collection, there are several other stories that come from different areas.
The stories in the collection are of varied length, ranging from 4 to 40 pages long. Most of the stories of the first half are longer and set in Punjab. While the stories from the second half are shorter and take us to different locations, from Mussourie through Calcutta to Australia and England. The characters that appear in these stories are very much like the people around us.
My favourite short stories from the collection are The Shroud, Toba Tek Singh, Laajwanti, Aanandi, Banished, Beyond the Fog, Fable of a Severed Head and The Vultures of the Parsi Cemetery. There are many more that I want to mention here but these stand our from the whole collection.
I would again like to say that this anthology provides a unique inexplicable experience- an experience like the gush of hot wind that hits your face when you open your window in the month of June, an experience as pleasant the smell of first few drops of the long awaited rain, an experience that leaves one speechless. It is a highly recommended book.
My Rating: ***** (5/5)
The anthology has 25 stories in all. And each of the 25 stories in this anthology is a gem. 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. The Urdu fiction belongs to a realm that has hitherto remained in darkness for most of the English readers, unless someone already has an interest in it.
This anthology throws light on this world of Urdu fiction which has numberless pieces of writing to boast of. These translations, although very smooth, can only give us an estimate of the real beauty of Urdu prose. I enjoyed each and every story in the collection. Each story was like a unique experience to me.
The stories in the collection come from all the spheres of life. There’s a sense of longing in most of the stories. While reading some stories, I found my self to be mourning the loss of a harmonious and loving world that went missing during the partition and was never found- perhaps no one made an attempt to find it.
Having a partition story of my own family to think of and living in Punjab (which is where most the stories are set in), I could connect much more deeply with these stories and their characters. Although stories about riots appear to be dominating the collection, there are several other stories that come from different areas.
The stories in the collection are of varied length, ranging from 4 to 40 pages long. Most of the stories of the first half are longer and set in Punjab. While the stories from the second half are shorter and take us to different locations, from Mussourie through Calcutta to Australia and England. The characters that appear in these stories are very much like the people around us.
My favourite short stories from the collection are The Shroud, Toba Tek Singh, Laajwanti, Aanandi, Banished, Beyond the Fog, Fable of a Severed Head and The Vultures of the Parsi Cemetery. There are many more that I want to mention here but these stand our from the whole collection.
I would again like to say that this anthology provides a unique inexplicable experience- an experience like the gush of hot wind that hits your face when you open your window in the month of June, an experience as pleasant the smell of first few drops of the long awaited rain, an experience that leaves one speechless. It is a highly recommended book.
My Rating: ***** (5/5)
July 28, 2019
Oh what a book. I'll give it a 5. If you belong to the Indian subcontinent then it should be on your 'Read' list.
So many authors only a few I had previously read and having read a translation of their work in English, I wish I could read Urdu or Hindi with so much ease as I in English.
The stories that stood out for me were,
Banished by Jamila Hashmi and The Shepherd by Ashfaq Ahmed.
You've got to read them to be able to live the life we at some point have experienced either in anecdotes or as witness ourselves.
So many authors only a few I had previously read and having read a translation of their work in English, I wish I could read Urdu or Hindi with so much ease as I in English.
The stories that stood out for me were,
Banished by Jamila Hashmi and The Shepherd by Ashfaq Ahmed.
You've got to read them to be able to live the life we at some point have experienced either in anecdotes or as witness ourselves.
August 30, 2017
The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told is undoubtedly a gathering of the finest stories I have ever read. There are twenty five stories in this collection. The introduction to the book by the translator is also worth being treasured. It offers hereto unknown insights about Urdu stories. I knew Munshi Premchand as one of the greatest writers in Hindi. The introduction told me that he is the first professional short story writer in Urdu. Now, this completely shattered the image of the man who portrayed poverty in most of his poignant works.
The story which I liked the most is Beyond the Fog by Qurratulain Hyder. Until now for me short stories were good only if they had a very strong emotional content. I don’t mean to say that the aforesaid story lacks it. But this story of rags to riches of a sweeper woman’s daughter is packed with entertainment quotient. I could not control the mirth which aroused after reading this story. This story for me is a course in story telling itself. Purists may prune it aside saying this story tells and doesn’t show. But as a reader I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Toba Tek Singh another story in the collection by Saddat Hasan Manto narrates the plight of lunatics in an asylum in pre-partition India. On partition the Hindu lunatics will be swapped for the Muslim lunatics in India. This story is quest of a lunatic to know on which side of the border his town Toba Tek lies. Premchand’s The Shroud is different from the rest of his work that I have read. This story if of two lazy men, a father and son. They strangulate the humanity by feasting upon the funeral expenses of the wife of the son. Obscure Domains of Fear and Desire by Naiyer Masud demonstrates how the mind both desires and undesires the desires. In Rajinder Singh Bedi’s Laajwanti the wife who has returned from her captor says. ‘He never hurt me. And yet I was afraid of him. You used to beat me, but I never felt scared of you.’
Banished is another jewel in this collection by Jamila Hashmi. In this story set amidst the turbulent times of partition, Sitaji accepts the life with Ravan. Anandi by Ghulam Abbas shows how remote areas turn into magnificent suburbs. The Saga of Jaanki Raman Pandey is another masterpiece in this collection. This is a tale of Muslim junior wife of a Hindu and the walls that stand between them, the walls which are not pulled down even after his death.
A startling fact about this collection is that the stories sound very contemporary, even after years of their publication. In the Fable of a Severed Head by Sajid Rashid, a family is left with a tough choice, whether to admit that the head is of a family member, who the police say was a terrorist. The Vultures of Parsi Cemetery by Ali Imam Naqvi reflects how humanity is dying on the streets. The Tree by Tassaduq Sohail is about a tree which thinks there is nothing after death. I really liked this story for its treatment.
Ismat Chughtai’s Of Fists and Rubs is a hard hitting tale about botched up abortions carried out at home. Poignancy, disgust, anger, disbelief all this welled up inside my chest while reading this story.
Yes some of the stories are too prosaic and difficult to comprehend, yet they are outnumbered by stories which are literary marvels. I knew Urdu literature was rich. But this book told me that it is prosperous beyond my imagination. This book is surely not to be missed.
The story which I liked the most is Beyond the Fog by Qurratulain Hyder. Until now for me short stories were good only if they had a very strong emotional content. I don’t mean to say that the aforesaid story lacks it. But this story of rags to riches of a sweeper woman’s daughter is packed with entertainment quotient. I could not control the mirth which aroused after reading this story. This story for me is a course in story telling itself. Purists may prune it aside saying this story tells and doesn’t show. But as a reader I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Toba Tek Singh another story in the collection by Saddat Hasan Manto narrates the plight of lunatics in an asylum in pre-partition India. On partition the Hindu lunatics will be swapped for the Muslim lunatics in India. This story is quest of a lunatic to know on which side of the border his town Toba Tek lies. Premchand’s The Shroud is different from the rest of his work that I have read. This story if of two lazy men, a father and son. They strangulate the humanity by feasting upon the funeral expenses of the wife of the son. Obscure Domains of Fear and Desire by Naiyer Masud demonstrates how the mind both desires and undesires the desires. In Rajinder Singh Bedi’s Laajwanti the wife who has returned from her captor says. ‘He never hurt me. And yet I was afraid of him. You used to beat me, but I never felt scared of you.’
Banished is another jewel in this collection by Jamila Hashmi. In this story set amidst the turbulent times of partition, Sitaji accepts the life with Ravan. Anandi by Ghulam Abbas shows how remote areas turn into magnificent suburbs. The Saga of Jaanki Raman Pandey is another masterpiece in this collection. This is a tale of Muslim junior wife of a Hindu and the walls that stand between them, the walls which are not pulled down even after his death.
A startling fact about this collection is that the stories sound very contemporary, even after years of their publication. In the Fable of a Severed Head by Sajid Rashid, a family is left with a tough choice, whether to admit that the head is of a family member, who the police say was a terrorist. The Vultures of Parsi Cemetery by Ali Imam Naqvi reflects how humanity is dying on the streets. The Tree by Tassaduq Sohail is about a tree which thinks there is nothing after death. I really liked this story for its treatment.
Ismat Chughtai’s Of Fists and Rubs is a hard hitting tale about botched up abortions carried out at home. Poignancy, disgust, anger, disbelief all this welled up inside my chest while reading this story.
Yes some of the stories are too prosaic and difficult to comprehend, yet they are outnumbered by stories which are literary marvels. I knew Urdu literature was rich. But this book told me that it is prosperous beyond my imagination. This book is surely not to be missed.
March 12, 2021
What a Gem! I am totally " moonstruck" by this anthology. I literally am.
My father is an Urdu Professor and writer and I was technically raised among scores of Urdu books. My childhood was strewn with literary discussions of the highest quality and there I was aloof and lost in my own world of English literature. This affinity towards english language held me back from all those Urdu jewels which remained unacknowledged by me for years. Names like Sadat Hasan Manto and Ashfaq Ahmad often crossed my ears and I did realized by the discussions taking place at my house that these men do hold some exceptional literary intellect but these fell on my deaf ears. The numerous Urdu novels, books and magazines in the little cozy library of our own kept gathering dust and I kept turning a blind eye towards them.
And, one fine day , as it was predestined to happen this book came as a gift to me from a very dear friend who shared the same love for books as I did with a beautiful note attached to it and hence began my first actual rendezvous with the birth and evolution of urdu literary traditions. I was flabbergasted by the power of impact of each of the stories. I am so influenced that I might remember few of them all through my life.
I read the book over a long period , one story at a time and the perusal of this book invigorated me in the same manner as a fine quality tea re-energizes its connoisseur, each sip issuing the aroma and the malty aftertaste.
My hands are bound with the shoratage of space and words otherwise I would have let my ink flow in the praise of all these literary pearls.
But the a few of these pearls which I believe must not remain unnamed in this review are "The Shephard" by Ashfaq Ahmad the story and the writer both succeeds in capturing a place in my heart.
" Toba Tek Singh" by Sadat Hasan Manto is an intellectual piece of work and maybe one of the best contributions to the partition literature.
" Aanandi " by Ghulam Abbas was both satirical and humorous at the same time and left me in fits of laughter.
" The Saga of Jaanki Raman Pandey" by Zakia Mashhadi gave birth to an all new thinking process in my mind, a new perception of life.
" Fable of a Severed head " by Sajid Rashid was came as bitter truth and was really shocking.
"The Vultures of the Parsi Cemetry" by Ali Imam Naqvi is again a brilliant piece of work in short story genre.
I am exhilarated and saddened at the same time The perusal of this work opened a whole new world of urdu literature for me and thats really amazing.
But I also came face to face with the sad reality of the discouragement and the struggle of survival the urdu language is facing in our country.Only time will tell that will these great works survive the tides of time or die a silent death.
My father is an Urdu Professor and writer and I was technically raised among scores of Urdu books. My childhood was strewn with literary discussions of the highest quality and there I was aloof and lost in my own world of English literature. This affinity towards english language held me back from all those Urdu jewels which remained unacknowledged by me for years. Names like Sadat Hasan Manto and Ashfaq Ahmad often crossed my ears and I did realized by the discussions taking place at my house that these men do hold some exceptional literary intellect but these fell on my deaf ears. The numerous Urdu novels, books and magazines in the little cozy library of our own kept gathering dust and I kept turning a blind eye towards them.
And, one fine day , as it was predestined to happen this book came as a gift to me from a very dear friend who shared the same love for books as I did with a beautiful note attached to it and hence began my first actual rendezvous with the birth and evolution of urdu literary traditions. I was flabbergasted by the power of impact of each of the stories. I am so influenced that I might remember few of them all through my life.
I read the book over a long period , one story at a time and the perusal of this book invigorated me in the same manner as a fine quality tea re-energizes its connoisseur, each sip issuing the aroma and the malty aftertaste.
My hands are bound with the shoratage of space and words otherwise I would have let my ink flow in the praise of all these literary pearls.
But the a few of these pearls which I believe must not remain unnamed in this review are "The Shephard" by Ashfaq Ahmad the story and the writer both succeeds in capturing a place in my heart.
" Toba Tek Singh" by Sadat Hasan Manto is an intellectual piece of work and maybe one of the best contributions to the partition literature.
" Aanandi " by Ghulam Abbas was both satirical and humorous at the same time and left me in fits of laughter.
" The Saga of Jaanki Raman Pandey" by Zakia Mashhadi gave birth to an all new thinking process in my mind, a new perception of life.
" Fable of a Severed head " by Sajid Rashid was came as bitter truth and was really shocking.
"The Vultures of the Parsi Cemetry" by Ali Imam Naqvi is again a brilliant piece of work in short story genre.
I am exhilarated and saddened at the same time The perusal of this work opened a whole new world of urdu literature for me and thats really amazing.
But I also came face to face with the sad reality of the discouragement and the struggle of survival the urdu language is facing in our country.Only time will tell that will these great works survive the tides of time or die a silent death.
August 7, 2021
Every story in the book is illustrates one or the other the book tell us the best stores of the form in the Urdu traditional writing. But the stories in the book are really effective coz it really puts a effect on reader and makes it more interesting to read.Death and poverty face off in Premchand’s masterpiece ‘The Shroud’. In Khalida Asghar’s ‘The Wagon’, a mysterious redness begins to cloak the sunset in a village by the Ravi. Behind closed doors and cracks in the windows lies desire but also ‘a sense of queer foreboding’ in Naiyer Masud’s ‘Obscure Domains of Fear and Desire’. The tragedy and horror of Partition are brought to life by Saadat Hasan Manto’s lunatic (in ‘Toba Tek Singh’) and the eponymous heroine of Rajinder Singh Bedi’s ‘Laajwanti’. The book will surprise you and make you engaged with the way of story telling. book holds really good stories and its just once you start the book you will be reading it evrey time with a great intrest.
February 14, 2022
The stories are soul stirring. Wish the book did not end with that particular story. The book is brushed with a tinge of melancholic human condition.
October 14, 2019
This book was just fantastic. It made me realize that translated stories from the Indian subcontinent, use so much context that you gave grown up with. It is almost weird because there were certain paragraphs I read and I felt the shadow of movies I've seen or hindi or Marathi stories I read in school. Obviously I wish I could read urdu to truly enjoy the language but the translation seems to be marvelous, given that the stories felt as compelling. If you are from India, and you want to feel a little bit like you're back at home, this is a highly recommended book. If you just like reading interesting twists and takes on random things, this is a good book too.
November 11, 2020
Doesn't live up to the name at all
October 19, 2021
just not sure
May 24, 2024
The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told is one of the books I started reading early this year, in January. This book is massive for a story collection. Some of the stories are pretty lengthy. However, this is a gem of a collection of twenty-five Urdu stories. Only a few of the authors in this book are familiar to me, including Munshi Premchand, Saadat Hasan Manto, and Ismat Chughtai. The other writers are new to me. I took a long time to finish this book because some were slow in the plot and hard to comprehend, but others were excellent. Thanks to Muhammad Umar Memon for editing and translating this great volume. The following stories are included in this lovely collection:
1. Obscure Domains Of Fear And Desire - Naiyer Masud
2. The Shepherd - Ashfaq Ahmed
3. The Shroud - Munshi Premchand
4. Toba Tek Singh - Saadat Hasan Manto
5. Laajwanti - Rajinder Singh Bedi
6. Aanandi - Ghulam Abbas
7. The Saga Of Jaanki Raman Pandey - Zakia Mashhadi
8. Sunlight - Abdullah Hussein
9. Of Fists And Rubs - Ismat Chughtai
10. Sukhe Saawan - Zamiruddin Ahmad
11. Banished - Jamila Hashmi
12. Beyond The Fog - Qurratulain Hyder
13. The Wagon - Khalida Asghar
14. The Back Room - Intizar Husain
15. Voices - Muhammad Salim ur-Rahman
16. Do You Suppose It’s The East Wind? - Altaf Fatima
17. Ma’i Dada— The Man With Three Names - Asad Muhammad Khan
18. The Old Mansion - Ikramullah
19. Two Old Kippers - Siddiq Aalam
20. Fable Of A Severed Head - Sajid Rashid
21. The Pose - Anwer Khan
22. The Man - Syed Muhammad Ashraf
23. A Sheet - Salam bin Razzaq
24. The Vultures Of The Parsi Cemetery - Ali Imam Naqvi
25. The Tree - Tasadduq Sohail
Among these, my favorites are Obscure Domains Of Fear And Desire, The Shroud, Laajwanti, Aanandi, Beyond The Fog, The Wagon, Two Old Kippers, Fable Of A Severed Head, A Sheet, and The Vultures Of The Parsi Cemetery. I regret reading this on Kindle because it could have been an excellent addition to my growing collection of paperback stories.
1. Obscure Domains Of Fear And Desire - Naiyer Masud
2. The Shepherd - Ashfaq Ahmed
3. The Shroud - Munshi Premchand
4. Toba Tek Singh - Saadat Hasan Manto
5. Laajwanti - Rajinder Singh Bedi
6. Aanandi - Ghulam Abbas
7. The Saga Of Jaanki Raman Pandey - Zakia Mashhadi
8. Sunlight - Abdullah Hussein
9. Of Fists And Rubs - Ismat Chughtai
10. Sukhe Saawan - Zamiruddin Ahmad
11. Banished - Jamila Hashmi
12. Beyond The Fog - Qurratulain Hyder
13. The Wagon - Khalida Asghar
14. The Back Room - Intizar Husain
15. Voices - Muhammad Salim ur-Rahman
16. Do You Suppose It’s The East Wind? - Altaf Fatima
17. Ma’i Dada— The Man With Three Names - Asad Muhammad Khan
18. The Old Mansion - Ikramullah
19. Two Old Kippers - Siddiq Aalam
20. Fable Of A Severed Head - Sajid Rashid
21. The Pose - Anwer Khan
22. The Man - Syed Muhammad Ashraf
23. A Sheet - Salam bin Razzaq
24. The Vultures Of The Parsi Cemetery - Ali Imam Naqvi
25. The Tree - Tasadduq Sohail
Among these, my favorites are Obscure Domains Of Fear And Desire, The Shroud, Laajwanti, Aanandi, Beyond The Fog, The Wagon, Two Old Kippers, Fable Of A Severed Head, A Sheet, and The Vultures Of The Parsi Cemetery. I regret reading this on Kindle because it could have been an excellent addition to my growing collection of paperback stories.
April 9, 2021
If you could see the hardcopy of this book on my side-table, you will realise that this book has been through it all! train-rides, walks, rain, long distance travels. That says a lot about how I felt while reading this chunky book, so much so that I was ready to carry it around with me despite the bulk of it.
The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told is just that! The greatest urdu stories ever told!! Every story was such an enjoyable experience for me. The stories have themes of partition, sub-continent conflict, the collateral of partition and the heart-breaking realities of living in a recent post or pre-partition times. Some stories are simply just stories that have nothing to do with partition as well but they were all so special and opened my eyes to the melting pot of cultures that resided in sub-continent. I found a great sense of comfort, reading stories about characters that lived happily alongside their neighbours, despite religious or cultural differences.
If I had to choose one story that truly resonated with me, I would say it was "The Shepherd" by Ashfaq Ahmad. Oh my... I can not come to wrap my head around its ending and in some ways, probably wonder what I would have done in a situation like that myself. The most peculiar story for me was "Fable of a Severed Head" by Sajid Rashid! I mean, what the hell was that story? I couldn't bring myself to enjoy it as much. And the story that truly broke my heart was well.... all of them but "The Vultures of the Parsi Cemetery" by Ali Imam Naqvi. The way that short, sweet story was able to speak volumes, the mere weight of that story alone would have led me to give this book a 5 star rating.
The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told is just that! The greatest urdu stories ever told!! Every story was such an enjoyable experience for me. The stories have themes of partition, sub-continent conflict, the collateral of partition and the heart-breaking realities of living in a recent post or pre-partition times. Some stories are simply just stories that have nothing to do with partition as well but they were all so special and opened my eyes to the melting pot of cultures that resided in sub-continent. I found a great sense of comfort, reading stories about characters that lived happily alongside their neighbours, despite religious or cultural differences.
If I had to choose one story that truly resonated with me, I would say it was "The Shepherd" by Ashfaq Ahmad. Oh my... I can not come to wrap my head around its ending and in some ways, probably wonder what I would have done in a situation like that myself. The most peculiar story for me was "Fable of a Severed Head" by Sajid Rashid! I mean, what the hell was that story? I couldn't bring myself to enjoy it as much. And the story that truly broke my heart was well.... all of them but "The Vultures of the Parsi Cemetery" by Ali Imam Naqvi. The way that short, sweet story was able to speak volumes, the mere weight of that story alone would have led me to give this book a 5 star rating.
May 16, 2020
Muhammad Umar Memon has selected and translated 25 short stories from, what he considers, the finest in Urdu literature. In his introduction, he traces the history and evolution of the Urdu short story format - starting from Munshi Premchand, the first professional short story writer in Urdu, through the emergence of The Progressive Writers Movement, the Partition, the Modernist phase post-independence and now to the avante-garde experimental writers of today’s generation.
While each story represents some facet of Urdu literary tradition, there is also a formal technique and inventiveness. What captures one’s attention, though, is the subject the story raises and its profound impact on the reader. The stories included are authored by noted writers such as Munshi Premchand, Khalida Asghar, Saadat Hasan Manto, Ismat Chugtai, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Naiyer Masud and several more.
Most of these I have read for the first time. Even as I started this book, I realised I was unable to read more than a couple of stories at a time. They were violent, passionate, ironic, humorous, despairing. They evoked extreme emotions and left an indelible imprint on my heart and mind.
This was an intense and insightful introduction to Urdu literature.
While each story represents some facet of Urdu literary tradition, there is also a formal technique and inventiveness. What captures one’s attention, though, is the subject the story raises and its profound impact on the reader. The stories included are authored by noted writers such as Munshi Premchand, Khalida Asghar, Saadat Hasan Manto, Ismat Chugtai, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Naiyer Masud and several more.
Most of these I have read for the first time. Even as I started this book, I realised I was unable to read more than a couple of stories at a time. They were violent, passionate, ironic, humorous, despairing. They evoked extreme emotions and left an indelible imprint on my heart and mind.
This was an intense and insightful introduction to Urdu literature.
December 3, 2025
Thus book successfully lives up to its ambitious title by delivering a collection that is, above all, a triumph of powerful storytelling. The Literary Achievements in this volume are immense, rooted in the towering mastery of authors like Saadat Hasan Manto, whose "Toba Tek Singh" remains an unparalleled, devastating work of political satire and enduring human tragedy.
The Moral Confrontations, however, must be acknowledged not as a failing of craft, but as the inevitable emotional cost of reading essential literature: stories such as Premchand’s "The Shroud" are relentlessly bleak, forcing the reader to confront human depravity and poverty with a stark, unforgiving realism that makes for a difficult, painful experience.
Yet, the greatest Stylistic Revelation lies in the sheer breadth and emotional spectrum of the collection. Alongside the sorrow and moral horror, authors like Qurratulain Hyder present work that is unexpectedly lighthearted and buoyant, using rapid narrative pacing to achieve mastery through pure delight, proving that Urdu fiction is prosperous beyond the common perception of its focus on Partition trauma. This synthesis of the devastating, the beautiful, and the compellingly varied makes the book an indispensable treasury of South Asian literary gems.
The Moral Confrontations, however, must be acknowledged not as a failing of craft, but as the inevitable emotional cost of reading essential literature: stories such as Premchand’s "The Shroud" are relentlessly bleak, forcing the reader to confront human depravity and poverty with a stark, unforgiving realism that makes for a difficult, painful experience.
Yet, the greatest Stylistic Revelation lies in the sheer breadth and emotional spectrum of the collection. Alongside the sorrow and moral horror, authors like Qurratulain Hyder present work that is unexpectedly lighthearted and buoyant, using rapid narrative pacing to achieve mastery through pure delight, proving that Urdu fiction is prosperous beyond the common perception of its focus on Partition trauma. This synthesis of the devastating, the beautiful, and the compellingly varied makes the book an indispensable treasury of South Asian literary gems.
May 11, 2018
This review was first published in The Era I Lived In. Please head to the blog for a detailed review.
I believe this book deserves to be read and talked about widely because of a number of reasons (you can read the details on my blog):
1. It's a beautiful book with a gorgeous cover and inspiring prose.
2. The book opens doors to the history of Urdu literary fiction.
3. The translation from Urdu has been done keeping in mind that the reader has little to no knowledge of Urdu. The stories have retained their magic & charm in the translated version.
4. The anthology is a kaleidoscope of emotions that surprise with their timeless freshness.
5. Despite 25 stories of varying lengths & portraying different emotions, it's almost impossible to pick a favourite. Yes, each story is impactful in its own right.
If you love anthologies and translated books that transcend beyond the barriers of time, you must read this beautiful book.
I believe this book deserves to be read and talked about widely because of a number of reasons (you can read the details on my blog):
1. It's a beautiful book with a gorgeous cover and inspiring prose.
2. The book opens doors to the history of Urdu literary fiction.
3. The translation from Urdu has been done keeping in mind that the reader has little to no knowledge of Urdu. The stories have retained their magic & charm in the translated version.
4. The anthology is a kaleidoscope of emotions that surprise with their timeless freshness.
5. Despite 25 stories of varying lengths & portraying different emotions, it's almost impossible to pick a favourite. Yes, each story is impactful in its own right.
If you love anthologies and translated books that transcend beyond the barriers of time, you must read this beautiful book.
July 26, 2019
This is indeed a good collection of short stories, and I am indeed glad that this has been published. Urdu has declined, as a language, in many parts of North & Northwest India. My father spoke it, as did my grandfather. Not me
I have been rediscovering the works of Urdu poets and writers, and it is indeed good that this book has been published because it serves to remind the public (also in India) that there are great stories to be found in my country, in languages other than English.
The collection of stories itself is good. Whether this is a collection of the greatest, or among the greatest, is a matter of debate.
Some of the stories shine through, even with the limitations of the English language. Stories like Lajwanti, Toba Tek Singh, etc are magnificent even in English. Others suffer, even though the translators have done a magnificent job.
It is definitely a book worth reading. It has inspired me to hunt for the stories, in Hindi sadly, to add to my own collection. To that extent, Muhammad Umar Memon has performed a great service.
I have been rediscovering the works of Urdu poets and writers, and it is indeed good that this book has been published because it serves to remind the public (also in India) that there are great stories to be found in my country, in languages other than English.
The collection of stories itself is good. Whether this is a collection of the greatest, or among the greatest, is a matter of debate.
Some of the stories shine through, even with the limitations of the English language. Stories like Lajwanti, Toba Tek Singh, etc are magnificent even in English. Others suffer, even though the translators have done a magnificent job.
It is definitely a book worth reading. It has inspired me to hunt for the stories, in Hindi sadly, to add to my own collection. To that extent, Muhammad Umar Memon has performed a great service.
October 16, 2019
Short stories can't all be bad I had thought and I was correct. It's a mixed bag some excellent, some okay and some just not to my taste. Tagore being my favorite short story teller, so the bar is exceptionally high.
One thing that I found common in most stories was that they were either set in partition era or somehow the story setting or characters were influenced by it. Another theme that was common amongst most stories was that the authors consciously highlight the differences in Muslim and Hindu/Sikh culture; the "Them" and "Us" is quite pronounced.
Stories like Toba Tek Singh by Manto and The Shroud by Munshi Premchand are beyond sad, they leave you empty.
.
"There behind the barbed wires, was Hindustan, and there behind the same barbed wires, was Pakistan. In between, on the thin strip of no man's land, lay Toba Tek Singh."
One thing that I found common in most stories was that they were either set in partition era or somehow the story setting or characters were influenced by it. Another theme that was common amongst most stories was that the authors consciously highlight the differences in Muslim and Hindu/Sikh culture; the "Them" and "Us" is quite pronounced.
Stories like Toba Tek Singh by Manto and The Shroud by Munshi Premchand are beyond sad, they leave you empty.
.
"There behind the barbed wires, was Hindustan, and there behind the same barbed wires, was Pakistan. In between, on the thin strip of no man's land, lay Toba Tek Singh."
October 26, 2019
The vast majority of stories in this collection are unique, unsettling and profound in the way they explore mortality, human nature, political unrest/uncertainty, and any combination of these. They are masterpieces in their own right. Six of the stories are more straightforward and almost like tracts or fables in the traditional trappings of the short story, but even those are good enough to avoid dragging down the collection in any way. The result is a compelling and meaningful book I wholeheartedly recommend to any fans of translated literature.
July 12, 2019
there are some very fine stories here; there are also some that felt like a slog. i think the translations were quite good (not in the sense of fidelity, since i could hardly judge that, but in the sense that they felt very natural, attentive, and finely-wrought). i would certainly recommend this to others, but with the caveat that these stories reward an attention that does not stray, and a close reading, rather than some broad thematic concern.
May 13, 2021
I think out of all the 03 "greatest short story collections" this one was a huge disappointment.
Some stories were definitely daunting, but the focus surrounding the partition and the conflicts was what I expected in probably 2 to 3 stories. I wanted a bit more knowledge of the culture of the language, and was a bit too curious.
This book took me a while to read because it was hard to keep continuing on a pace like the others.
Still, all 03 are something to keep in collection.
Some stories were definitely daunting, but the focus surrounding the partition and the conflicts was what I expected in probably 2 to 3 stories. I wanted a bit more knowledge of the culture of the language, and was a bit too curious.
This book took me a while to read because it was hard to keep continuing on a pace like the others.
Still, all 03 are something to keep in collection.
November 28, 2019
Great stories. Give glimpse of sufferings, separation, pain, grief during the time of partition. We will never be able to feel the emotions of people of that era but these stories take us to old pathways of that time. These stories show love and respect among people irrespective of any religion.
Its a must read.
Its a must read.
September 16, 2020
Picked it up after coming across Saira's New Yorker article. It's a collection of stories from the pre-partition era, and reminded of folk tales I heard from my grandparents growing up. I particularly liked Aanandi, but the entire set had a compelling range I have not found in other anthologies. It also had writing from Saadat Hasan Manto, which was a nice surprise.
July 29, 2019
While not quite the greatest, this is certainly a commendable collection with some remarkably well written stories. Nice introduction to some of the best writers of Urdu fiction that I have read - admittedly a limited corpus. Highly recommended.
April 27, 2022
Pretty drab and uninteresting. Some of the stories are written for a particular audience. Maybe these stories from the point of view of pure storytelling make a good reading in Urdu, but the translated version is absolutely uninspiring.
February 4, 2019
This book is beautiful. I'm sure some of the beauty has also been lost in translation but it's still lovely. Especially when it comes to learning about what culture really used to be like.
February 6, 2019
Brilliant!
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