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Anandi / آنندی
- GenresFictionShort Stories
Hardcover
First published April 1, 1948
About the author
Ghulam Abbas
50 books36 followersGhulam Abbas (Urdu: غلام عباس ) was an Urdu short story writer. His influence has been both long and deep. In his short stories he often exposes shortcomings, weaknesses and hypocrisy in human beings. But his tone is never sarcastic or venomous.
He was a great admirer of the Russian short story tradition.
His love for poetry, specially Urdu poetry was abiding and profound, but he never ventured into it himself seriously.
Abbas’ fame is purely because of his literary genius, as he became popular without associating himself or depending on any of the literary movement or group.
His short stories Anandi and Overcoat earned him international fame. Jaaday ki Chandni and Kan ras are his famous books containing remarkable short stories.
He died in 1982 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
He was a great admirer of the Russian short story tradition.
His love for poetry, specially Urdu poetry was abiding and profound, but he never ventured into it himself seriously.
Abbas’ fame is purely because of his literary genius, as he became popular without associating himself or depending on any of the literary movement or group.
His short stories Anandi and Overcoat earned him international fame. Jaaday ki Chandni and Kan ras are his famous books containing remarkable short stories.
He died in 1982 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 13, 2026
"Jawari" is a tongue-in-cheek humorous tale of gambling den owner who after a police raid picks him and ten gamblers up and takes them to police station, tries to maintain the impression that all is well and in hand that whatever they are going through is a pretence as the police inspector knows him well and indulges him. What transpires though is rather different and quite comical.
"Humsayay" is a coming-of-age story or more like an impressionist account of the innocent interaction between young children who live on two houses on a lonely hill and conveys the bitter-sweet flavour of childhood infatuation. It is notable for its poetic description of the shifting mountain weather and the vistas of the changeable landscape below.
"Katba" is an incredibly powerful story that dwells on and meticulously excavates the tedium, hopelessness and utter monotony of many people's lives. Ghulam Abbas is brilliant at depictions of the lower-middle class salaried employees such as clerks, typists, record keepers, dispatchers, accountants, head clerks, superintendents and other low grade employees leading lives that offer little respite and opportunity to excel and rise. Sharif Hussain, a clerk, comes across and buys a finely cut slab of marble and that inspires him to think of higher things so that one day it could serve as the nameplate outside his house. But strive as he does he never escapes the tedium and monotony of his lowly employment and as the sands of time tun out the slab only ends up serving as his tombstone.
(In progress)
"Humsayay" is a coming-of-age story or more like an impressionist account of the innocent interaction between young children who live on two houses on a lonely hill and conveys the bitter-sweet flavour of childhood infatuation. It is notable for its poetic description of the shifting mountain weather and the vistas of the changeable landscape below.
"Katba" is an incredibly powerful story that dwells on and meticulously excavates the tedium, hopelessness and utter monotony of many people's lives. Ghulam Abbas is brilliant at depictions of the lower-middle class salaried employees such as clerks, typists, record keepers, dispatchers, accountants, head clerks, superintendents and other low grade employees leading lives that offer little respite and opportunity to excel and rise. Sharif Hussain, a clerk, comes across and buys a finely cut slab of marble and that inspires him to think of higher things so that one day it could serve as the nameplate outside his house. But strive as he does he never escapes the tedium and monotony of his lowly employment and as the sands of time tun out the slab only ends up serving as his tombstone.
(In progress)
May 30, 2021
ایک معاشرہ ایک سوسائٹی ایک شہر کیسے ویرانی کے بعد آبادی میں تبدیل ہوتا ہے اس چیز کو ایک بہت دردناک انداز میں بیان کیا گیا۔
December 2, 2014
Classic Ghulam Abbas. Beautiful.
June 29, 2015
Thought provoking!
February 12, 2020
آنندی نے اس بنیادی اصول کو بیان کیا ہے کہ عام طور پر بنجر زمین شہر میں کیسے منتقل ہوتی ہے اور سول سوسائٹی کے نام نہاد نگہداشت لینے والے ایک ہی غلطی کو کس طرح دہراتے ہیں۔
August 18, 2026
An absolutely explosive pleasure reading Ghulam Abbas’s collection of short stories , Anandi.
.
What a masterpiece, of course what else to expect from the writer of #Overcoat and #Kutba.
I have to say i wasn’t expecting this awesomeness.
What a loss for Urdu Lit readers who haven’t read him yet.
The rhythm in his words and sentences.
The simplicity in his themes and topics.
The variety, diversity and depth of his observation and understanding of this world around him.
The way his story starts, it continues and the speed with which he keeps telling it as if he’s afraid that if he pause, the story might leave him.
The fast paced stories and the smooth but unhinged endings; the endings which make you read the last page again to understand what could have could have happened or why and how it happened?
The endings where you slightly hate the author for not giving you full disclosure.
My favourite stories among these are “Jawari”, “Hamam mae”, “Andhaeray”, “Anandi” and yes “Samjhota”.
.
What a masterpiece, of course what else to expect from the writer of #Overcoat and #Kutba.
I have to say i wasn’t expecting this awesomeness.
What a loss for Urdu Lit readers who haven’t read him yet.
The rhythm in his words and sentences.
The simplicity in his themes and topics.
The variety, diversity and depth of his observation and understanding of this world around him.
The way his story starts, it continues and the speed with which he keeps telling it as if he’s afraid that if he pause, the story might leave him.
The fast paced stories and the smooth but unhinged endings; the endings which make you read the last page again to understand what could have could have happened or why and how it happened?
The endings where you slightly hate the author for not giving you full disclosure.
My favourite stories among these are “Jawari”, “Hamam mae”, “Andhaeray”, “Anandi” and yes “Samjhota”.
January 2, 2019
That is bitter truth...
February 11, 2019
Most beautiful story i have ever read.
August 20, 2019
amazing, amazing concept. the description of how a society/community is founded is too painfully detailed, though.
December 5, 2020
Amazing story
The reality of society
The reality of society
Want to Read
November 23, 2021DSD
November 15, 2023
Absolutely brilliant
Currently Reading
July 27, 2026Let's gooo 1
July 30, 2023
Hehehe. I guessed where this was going straight away and I was not disappointed!
[Spoilers below]
Whorehouse moved out of the city centre. City centre and market follow the whorehouse. Whorehouse needs to be removed from the city centre!
[Spoilers below]
Whorehouse moved out of the city centre. City centre and market follow the whorehouse. Whorehouse needs to be removed from the city centre!
March 24, 2017
An excellent story by an excellent writer. The story explores some phenomenon about birth of a new city, the factors behind that and so on. Ghulam Abbas's writing will not let you stop once you start reading this.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews