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আধা গ্রাম
Rahi Masoom Reza’s honest and controversial novel unfolds during the latter years of the Raj and the first decade of Independence and portrays the rival halves of a zamindar family, their loves, fights and litigations. It attacks the creation of Pakistan and explores the abolition of the zamindari system and its impact at the village level. A semi-autobiographical work set in the author’s village of Gangauli, in Ghazipur district on the fringes of Avadh, A Village Divided, previously published as 'The Feuding Families of Village Gangauli', is full of passion and vibrancy, a powerful record of the meeting of Muslim and Hindu cultural traditions that bound Indian society together.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1966
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 28, 2023
I love the way he writes anything, indian Marquez.
It's hard to explain this book but it's in one of my top 10 books, it's story that let's you experience life itself and people of gaungli.
It's story how a bustling village which was happy in itself deals with difference of ideologies and urbanisation. Though it's aging but not enough to be unreasonable until like 200 years from now.
It's hard to explain this book but it's in one of my top 10 books, it's story that let's you experience life itself and people of gaungli.
It's story how a bustling village which was happy in itself deals with difference of ideologies and urbanisation. Though it's aging but not enough to be unreasonable until like 200 years from now.
December 3, 2020
यह उपन्यास उत्तर प्रदेश के एक गाँव और वहां के रहने वालों की कहानी है। कुछ पात्र काल्पनिक है परन्तु उन पत्रों के साथ जो घटित होता है वह यथार्थ की धरती से जुड़ा हैं। समय है भारत की स्वाधीनता के समय होने वाले विभाजन का और उस विभाजन के प्रति गाँव के लोगों की मनः स्तिथि। कैसे मुस्लिम बाहुल्य गाँव होने के बावजूद यहाँ हिन्दू और मुस्लिमों के सम्बद्ध उनके धर्म के आधार पर नहीं थे।
कहानी के माध्यम से आपको उस समय के समाज का ताना-बाना देखने को मिलता है। गाँव में शिया जमींदार भी हैं तो सुन्नी कारीगर और जुलाहे जिन्हे कम जात का समझा जाता है और उसी तरह ठाकुर जमींदार है तो नीची जाती के समझे जाने वाले अहीर, चमार। किताब उस समय के माहौल को बखूबी दर्शाती है, महिलाओं के प्रति घर व घर के बहार होने वाले भेद भाव को बड़े ही सजह तरीके से दिखाया गया है।
समय जबकि स्वाधीनता के आस-पास का है पर गंगौली के बाशिंदो को "राष्ट्रवाद" से कोई खास सरोकार नहीं , उनका सारा जीवन गंगौली की परिधि में ही समाहित है। ऐसे में जब "पाकिस्तान" के बनने की बात होती है तो यहाँ के लोग क्या सोचते हैं इस बारे में। इसी दौरान मुस्लिम लीग व् कांग्रेस की क्या राजनीती रही। जो कुछ लोग पकिस्तान गए क्या वहां पर वो सिर्फ मुसलमान के तौर पे जाने गए या वहां भी उनकी जात और उनका सामाजिक अस्तित्व उनके साथ गया।
मूलतः इन्ही सब बातों के इर्द गिर्द की कहानी है आधा गाँव। सारे किरदार गाँव की बोली बोलते हैं और जैसी बोली जाती है वैसे बोलते हैं तो भाषा आपको ठेठ मिलेगी पूरी आम बोलचाल की तरह जिसमे गालियां भी शामिल हैं। एक ऐसा उपन्यास जो एक सामान्य से गाँव के रोज़मर्रा के जीवन व उनसे जुडी अनेक छोटी-बड़ी बातों के द्वारा अपने पढ़ने वालों को मुस्लिम समाज की बारीकियों से अवगत करता है।
भाषा एकदम ठेठ है और बाहर से उर्दू शब्दों का प्रयोग नहीं है इसलिए पढ़ने में थोड़ी कठिनाई हो सकती है।
कहानी के माध्यम से आपको उस समय के समाज का ताना-बाना देखने को मिलता है। गाँव में शिया जमींदार भी हैं तो सुन्नी कारीगर और जुलाहे जिन्हे कम जात का समझा जाता है और उसी तरह ठाकुर जमींदार है तो नीची जाती के समझे जाने वाले अहीर, चमार। किताब उस समय के माहौल को बखूबी दर्शाती है, महिलाओं के प्रति घर व घर के बहार होने वाले भेद भाव को बड़े ही सजह तरीके से दिखाया गया है।
समय जबकि स्वाधीनता के आस-पास का है पर गंगौली के बाशिंदो को "राष्ट्रवाद" से कोई खास सरोकार नहीं , उनका सारा जीवन गंगौली की परिधि में ही समाहित है। ऐसे में जब "पाकिस्तान" के बनने की बात होती है तो यहाँ के लोग क्या सोचते हैं इस बारे में। इसी दौरान मुस्लिम लीग व् कांग्रेस की क्या राजनीती रही। जो कुछ लोग पकिस्तान गए क्या वहां पर वो सिर्फ मुसलमान के तौर पे जाने गए या वहां भी उनकी जात और उनका सामाजिक अस्तित्व उनके साथ गया।
मूलतः इन्ही सब बातों के इर्द गिर्द की कहानी है आधा गाँव। सारे किरदार गाँव की बोली बोलते हैं और जैसी बोली जाती है वैसे बोलते हैं तो भाषा आपको ठेठ मिलेगी पूरी आम बोलचाल की तरह जिसमे गालियां भी शामिल हैं। एक ऐसा उपन्यास जो एक सामान्य से गाँव के रोज़मर्रा के जीवन व उनसे जुडी अनेक छोटी-बड़ी बातों के द्वारा अपने पढ़ने वालों को मुस्लिम समाज की बारीकियों से अवगत करता है।
भाषा एकदम ठेठ है और बाहर से उर्दू शब्दों का प्रयोग नहीं है इसलिए पढ़ने में थोड़ी कठिनाई हो सकती है।
April 20, 2020
एक अनोखा उपन्यास, जो गंगौली गांव से शुरू होकर गाज़ीपुर होते हुए पूरे भारत मे बसने वाले शिया व सुन्नी मुसलमानों का बेपर्दा जीवन है,जिसमें संवेदनहीनता चरम स्तर पर है,लेकिन सच्चाई व यथार्थ यही है, इसके अलावा यह उपन्यास पाठक राष्ट्रीय आंदालनों से जोड़ते हुए कांग्रेस और मुस्लिम लीग का जीवंत की कहानी पेश करती है जो इतिहास की किताबों में कम ही देखने को मिलती है।और इसके साथ ही विभाजन की दुःखद त्रासदी व्यक्त करती हुई अन्तर्मन को भावुक कर देती है।इसके अलावा भी न जाने क्या-क्या...जो पाठक को ठठ्ठा मारके हंसने को मजबूर कर देती है।
August 19, 2019
इस आधे गाँव में बसा है पूरा पूरा गाँव पूरा पूरा शहर पूरा पूरा हिंदुस्तान.... और पाकिस्तान🕊️
● घर! यह शब्द दुनिया की हर बोली और भाषा में है और हर बोली और हर भाषा में यह उसका सबसे खूबसूरत शब्द है.
● नफ़रत और खौफ़ की बुनियाद पर बनने वाली कोई चीज़ मुबारक़ नहीं हो सकती.
● घर! यह शब्द दुनिया की हर बोली और भाषा में है और हर बोली और हर भाषा में यह उसका सबसे खूबसूरत शब्द है.
● नफ़रत और खौफ़ की बुनियाद पर बनने वाली कोई चीज़ मुबारक़ नहीं हो सकती.
June 11, 2021
Note: This review is a departure from the all-praise words written for this book, and very, very specific to me.
***
First the good part. Story is intriguing and too real. The simplicity of the characters and conversations made it seem that I was actually eaves dropping in people's lives. The dillemma they face about partition, how can a place go from one place to another, where and what exactly is Pakistan...the naive questions characters ask cause deep strikes in the mind. This observational commentary made the story believable. Situations are presented as they are, but dealt with sensitively. The language is a treat to read, bringing characters closer to reality. They are, as the author mentions in the beginning.
Now, for the bad part.
The story is intriguing, however, the writing style didn't sit well with me. The story introduces far too many characters, perhaps to show the village is enriched with multitudes of people, but without their sketches, background and relationships, and if done, they are concentrated in few pages that are pushed into oblivion in the reader's mind as the story goes on. Some character's are abandoned mid-way, while some are introduced in the middle of the story we know nothing of from before. It is difficult to keep track of who is who, and what's their relation to the others and to the story. The same character is referred to with different names.
Understandably, there is no lead character, the village itself is the lead. So, while writing of two characters, a third is introduced, their story is continued until a fourth character is introduced and then their story is continued and so on and so forth. This chain building exercise just leads reader from one character to another incessantly, with no story leading anywhere.
As much as I appreciated the story, going through it was a difficult task.
***
First the good part. Story is intriguing and too real. The simplicity of the characters and conversations made it seem that I was actually eaves dropping in people's lives. The dillemma they face about partition, how can a place go from one place to another, where and what exactly is Pakistan...the naive questions characters ask cause deep strikes in the mind. This observational commentary made the story believable. Situations are presented as they are, but dealt with sensitively. The language is a treat to read, bringing characters closer to reality. They are, as the author mentions in the beginning.
Now, for the bad part.
The story is intriguing, however, the writing style didn't sit well with me. The story introduces far too many characters, perhaps to show the village is enriched with multitudes of people, but without their sketches, background and relationships, and if done, they are concentrated in few pages that are pushed into oblivion in the reader's mind as the story goes on. Some character's are abandoned mid-way, while some are introduced in the middle of the story we know nothing of from before. It is difficult to keep track of who is who, and what's their relation to the others and to the story. The same character is referred to with different names.
Understandably, there is no lead character, the village itself is the lead. So, while writing of two characters, a third is introduced, their story is continued until a fourth character is introduced and then their story is continued and so on and so forth. This chain building exercise just leads reader from one character to another incessantly, with no story leading anywhere.
As much as I appreciated the story, going through it was a difficult task.
June 19, 2021
Aadha Gaon by Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza
बेबाक़, यथार्थ, व्यंग्यात्मक, राष्ट्रीय, मज़बूत, सारगर्भित, आँचलिक स्वाद…. ज़रूर पढ़ें!
The author widely known and praised for his marvellous scripts of Mahabharat (B R Chopra’s) and some of the beautiful Bollywood movies like Mili, Mai Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki,etc..However, his best work in literature undoubtedly, is this fiction(semi-autobiography).
This book has been quite controversial for its honest and unflinching portrayal of the political, social and family lives of Muslim and Hindu communities in the authors’ Village of ‘Gangauli’(Gazipur,U.P.) during the time of partition and Independence. Through this work, the author has given recognition to the sentiments of those Muslim Population who dodged the communal stream and stayed in country of their ‘Bap-Dada’(Bharat#India).
The Author successfully disseminate the message of Communal Harmony as building block of a nation in making against the backdrop of communal forces at play during the period.
Full of wit and humour. Interesting Read.
(I will suggest to go for the English edition for those who don’t understand ‘Bhojpuri Urdu’/ Hindi that well.)
बेबाक़, यथार्थ, व्यंग्यात्मक, राष्ट्रीय, मज़बूत, सारगर्भित, आँचलिक स्वाद…. ज़रूर पढ़ें!
The author widely known and praised for his marvellous scripts of Mahabharat (B R Chopra’s) and some of the beautiful Bollywood movies like Mili, Mai Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki,etc..However, his best work in literature undoubtedly, is this fiction(semi-autobiography).
This book has been quite controversial for its honest and unflinching portrayal of the political, social and family lives of Muslim and Hindu communities in the authors’ Village of ‘Gangauli’(Gazipur,U.P.) during the time of partition and Independence. Through this work, the author has given recognition to the sentiments of those Muslim Population who dodged the communal stream and stayed in country of their ‘Bap-Dada’(Bharat#India).
The Author successfully disseminate the message of Communal Harmony as building block of a nation in making against the backdrop of communal forces at play during the period.
Full of wit and humour. Interesting Read.
(I will suggest to go for the English edition for those who don’t understand ‘Bhojpuri Urdu’/ Hindi that well.)
Read
October 2, 2023Completed one more audiobook. This book is written in totally different manner where neither there is any protagonist nor antagonist. This is story of half of the village set in era of pre partition and partition. Best thing about the treatment of this is how it describes the daily lives of Muslims and how they are united and divided and best part is reason for both is not religion until the story neared to partition where the young generation was interested in going to Pakistan but old ones doesn't want to leave their place. Overall this is a light hearted novel with deep message. Bdw Rahi Masum Raza is also the writer of BR chopra sahab's MAHABHARATA.
May 17, 2023
A novel set in an Indian village called Gangauli in the pre and post partition era, focusing on the life of Shia Muslims and with Muharram as a backdrop.
This is an important novel and has many lessons for humankind. It talks not of a lost past but of a destroyed one.
Reads like 100 years of solitude with all the characters and their stories. It is largely a delightful read and i would recommend hearing it as an audio book.
This is an important novel and has many lessons for humankind. It talks not of a lost past but of a destroyed one.
Reads like 100 years of solitude with all the characters and their stories. It is largely a delightful read and i would recommend hearing it as an audio book.
November 29, 2019
फुन्नन :
फुन्नन मियां गुंडा है
कि फुन्नन मियां ज़मींदार
फुन्नन मियां नेता है
या शहीद बेटे की गुहार लगाता बाप
मोहर्रम का ताज़िआ है फुन्नन
या मंदिर की ज़मीन
आधी सजा काट कर आया फुन्नन
आधा गांव का पूरा किरदार है
खुद ही गया था जेल फौजदारी में
आज मर गया फुन्नन चौकीदारी में
फुन्नन मियां गुंडा है
कि फुन्नन मियां ज़मींदार
फुन्नन मियां नेता है
या शहीद बेटे की गुहार लगाता बाप
मोहर्रम का ताज़िआ है फुन्नन
या मंदिर की ज़मीन
आधी सजा काट कर आया फुन्नन
आधा गांव का पूरा किरदार है
खुद ही गया था जेल फौजदारी में
आज मर गया फुन्नन चौकीदारी में
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2023
शब्दों की कोई हैसियत नहीं होती...शब्दों से प���िचित हुए बिना भी बातें सुनी और समझी जा सकती हैं।।(आधा गांव-राही मासूम रज़ा)
February 25, 2017
Loved reading the book...especially the local Purvi language used. Too many characters to remember, had to flip back to recollect :-) ...It is amazingly weaved around the Muharram celebration and how it gets impacted with the changing times.
June 3, 2008
Excellent book
October 15, 2010
One part Moharram celebration, one part UP village satire, one part eulogy for youth and zamandari, one part national allegory. And some luv storys.
Translation a bit rickety in places.
Translation a bit rickety in places.
June 18, 2015
Truely amazing
September 13, 2016
One of the finest book by Rahi Masoom Raza. A masterpiece of storytelling art. The transition of events is impeccable...
October 5, 2016
Village society and its cohesion depicted very well despite having differences. Close to my heart because story belongs to my native place. To read Bhojpuri conversation is quite amusing.
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February 25, 2009I have the Hindi version.
Read
October 23, 2017l like this book
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews