Anandi / آنندی

by Ghulam Abbas

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

Hardcover

First published April 1, 1948

About the author

Ghulam 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.

Reviews

[Aamir Shahani · Rating 5 out of 5]

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۔

[Naveed Nawaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Ghulam Abbas. Beautiful.

[The Running Malang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking!

[Asif Nadeem · Rating 5 out of 5]

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۔

[Osama Siddique · Rating 5 out of 5]

"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)

[Sid Abdullah · Rating 3 out of 5]

That is bitter truth...

[Rao Waqar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most beautiful story i have ever read.

[Huwaida · Rating 3 out of 5]

amazing, amazing concept. the description of how a society/community is founded is too painfully detailed, though.

[Zamr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story
The reality of society

[Satish Thakur]

DSD

[Babur Khan (The Pukhtoon Bibliophile) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Hassan Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.