Have you ever heard of personalities like Saadat Hasan Manto, Mirza Ghalib, Ismat Chugtai, and Mir Taqi Mir? Well, if you studied Urdu in school or college, it is most likely that you must have!
Just like any other language, Urdu has a rich literature background as well. The Urdu literature ranges from Urdu novels, Urdu dramas, and Urdu short stories and behind all this literature are renowned Urdu literary figures who have been empowered via Urdu literary movements.
Unfortunately, even though the students of Pakistan do learn the names of important literary figures and may even read famous novels and short stories, it is mostly to receive a good grade in their exams and rarely out of interest. If we look at the generation of Pakistan today, we might rarely be able to find young adults who are truly interested in Urdu literature. Perhaps, this has happened because parents and schools no longer encourage students to cultivate a reading habit of Urdu novels and short stories.
However, if you are truly interested in the Urdu language and literature and want to learn about the history of Urdu literature and learn about the social impact it has, you have come to the right place!
The history of Urdu literary movements is extensive and includes examples such as the Hindi-Urdu controversy, the Urdu movement, and the Progressive Writers’ Movement which took place in the subcontinent when it was under British rule. The purpose of the Progressive Writers movement was to promote anti-imperialist sentiments and advocate for equality and raise a voice against social injustice This movement originated with the publication of Angarey which was a collection of nine Urdu short stories which was banned by the British authorities. The association grew so much that after the British left the subcontinent, it started to operate in Pakistan. There, a new company ‘The Progressive Papers Limited’ was formed and provided a platform to Urdu journals and newspapers. Thus, it is apparent how short stories played a part in forming a crucial association with the Urdu language.
It is interesting to note that the literary movements that took place in the subcontinent, aimed to protect the language and to provide it with the respect that it deserves. However, after partition, the Urdu language and literature were used as a way to protest for the freedom of speech of the public as well. Confused? Let’s revisit a key historic incident!
As you may be aware, Pakistan was under military dictatorship for various years. One of those dictators was known as Zia ul Haq who had imposed various censorships during his reign. It was at that time that Faiz Ahmed Faiz wrote a poem ‘Hum Dekhenge’ which attacked Zia’s reign and talked about democracy. The poem was then sung by Iqbal Bano when there was a ban on reciting Faiz’s poetry in public.
This is an excellent example of how Urdu literature and poems were used as a means for people to fight for their rights.
Moreover, Urdu writers and poets have often used the language as a means to talk about social injustice and as a means to highlight social issues prevalent in society. For instance, the novels and stories by Manto highlighted different social issues such as mental illness and looting after the partition. The novels were seen as so gruesome and close to reality that children were often prohibited from reading them. However, young adults and adults weren’t encouraged to read them either. This lack of encouragement led to people straying away from Urdu literature because the same themes were being discussed in Sidney Sheldon’s novels but those were acceptable whereas reading Manto was rarely encouraged.
The famous Urdu novelist, Ismat Chugtai also penned down her perspective regarding femininity and the class conflict which was deemed inappropriate by the Pakistani society as well as people did not greatly encourage others to read her works. Perhaps, labeling certain themes as appropriate and deeming others as inappropriate has stemmed from the censorship that Pakistani society has faced for a large number of years.
Fortunately though, even though some writers may have been banned or deemed inappropriate, years later, other writers are conveying their thoughts and perspectives regarding Pakistani society by channeling them into scripts which turn into drama serials. Over the years, various Pakistani dramas have aimed to discuss Pakistani society too, sometimes even in collaboration with Non-Profit Organizations like the Kashf Foundation. Examples of these dramas include Rehai, Udaari, and Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahi. These dramas have gained national and international popularity as they have highlighted the social issues prevalent in Pakistani society. Thus, the viewership of such dramas has created some awareness in society which means that they have positively impacted society.
Now, you may be in awe and may even be in shock due to the information you have encountered just now. That is because the contributions of famous Urdu writers are rarely discussed publicly in much detail. The literary movements are rarely ever mentioned either. What is more unfortunate is that some Urdu-speaking individuals may never find out about the rich literary history of their language because not much importance is given to it, which means that not much discussion is held regarding it either.
However, if after reading this article you are contemplating learning Urdu or researching more about the language, or want your child to reconnect with their roots, there are various websites which provide online Urdu tutors to students which can enrich the understanding of students regarding the language.
FAQs:
- What consists of Urdu literature?
Urdu literature refers to literary works which have been penned down in the Urdu language. It consists of a wide variety of genres such as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and even drama scripts.
- What are some famous Urdu literary works?
Some famous Urdu literary works include poetry by Mirza Ghalib and Faiz Ahmed Faiz, as well as novels penned by Saadat Hasan Manto and Ismat Chugtai.
- How has Urdu literature contributed to society?
As mentioned in the article above, Urdu literature has contributed to society by being used as a means of protesting for the right to free speech, the right of democracy, and the right of Urdu to be respected, and has also contributed by highlighting the social issues present in the society.
- How has Urdu literature impacted education?
Urdu literature has greatly impacted education, especially in Pakistan. That is because in government and public schools and colleges, most of the course books are in Urdu and so, the education that students receive is in Urdu language. Thus, the way the students get educated and then use that education later to earn a living is possible due to the Urdu language and literature. Moreover, if students struggle with Urdu, there are various websites available which offer online Urdu tuition to students.
- What is the future of Urdu literature?
Even though fewer people engage in reading Urdu literature as mentioned in the article, Urdu literature is still not declining because many Urdu writers have now moved towards script-writing and are earning wealth and fame through that. Moreover, as research and scholarship have increased, there has been a growing academic interest in Urdu literature which means that it has a future as people are willing to explore it further.