اس چخد کے نام
جو اپنے جخد ہونے کا بیچ کھت اقرار کرے
This collection comprises 8 short stories: Debacha, Aik Khat, Dharas, Chughad, Parhiye Kalma, Mus Tain Wala, Babu Gopi Nath, Mera naam Radha hai, Janki, and Panch Din.
Chughad was written before the Partition of 1947 in Bombay. From the eight short stories, I enjoyed Chughas, Dharas, Janki, and Panch Din the most. These stories were written before 1947 and possibly around the end of WWII. Manto seems hopeful and almost content with his work in all his musings. Something that disappears in his later work, and he becomes much more cynical.
Manto doesn't hold back; he paints vivid characters while also humanising the sect of people we all tend to forget about. The prostitiutes, pimps, addicts, mistresses all show up in his stories and are fleshed out. Manto writes his female characters with a lot of care and understanding, without a lick of judgment. His crass and vulgar language about working women is almost reverent and dignified.
I'll end this review with an interesting line from Panch Din
۔۔۔ایک آدمی کا مرنا موت یے۔ایک لاکھ آدمی کا مرنا تماشہ۔