Shamsur Faruqi Looks at the Past to Reclaim Truth


Posted on 24th Jan 2015 02:21 pm by mohit kumar

Jaipur, Jan 22 (IANS) The beauty of the past lies in finding the truth that is buried deep in some unknown corners of the memory. Reclaiming it is a tedious process, but this is what Urdu critic and novelist Shamsur Rahman Faruqi has done in the remarkable novel "The Mirror of Beauty" that recreates the era of the late 19th century, with Wazir Khanam as the protagonist.

The Allahabad-based novelist has translated this fictional novel from his 2006 Urdu novel "Kai Chand the Sar-e-Aasman" that is woven around the real life character of Khanam.

"The past has to be seen in its own value and not in terms of how you want to see it," said Faruqi Thursday during a session at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival.

"Most of us... or all of us don't know that we have lost something because we don't understand and acknowledge that there is a beauty in it and isn't easy to reclaim from the past," he added.

The 80-year-old author admitted that during his journey in the literary world he has always questioned why "everything has to be seen from a western point of view."

"We have always been taught to look at everything from the western point of view, but if I am unable to place Ghalib or Iqbal in that western frame because they don't fit in there then why put them in some alien place?" questioned Faruqi who is considered the T.S. Eliot of Urdu critics.

And this is what he has challenged throughout his life. He reviewed "Dastangoi" --Urdu oral storytelling format, apart from writing many stories and poems and doing translations.

"Past can also make you understand today's relevance. My perspective to look at beauty is to find truth in it and for this I rely on my observant eye and reasonably good memory," he said.

However, when asked by Pakistani author Bilal Tanweer, who was also on the panel, that isn't "nostalgia" not accepted by the western school of thought, Faruqi was quick to add that "nostalgia is a dirty word."

"Most of us make it (nostalgia) an alibi for not doing a thing. But if it means that you go back there, use the memory and come back to tell-a-tale, it would be described as imaginative understanding," he said.

"An understanding of how you have observed and seen past and what do you perceive from it," he concluded.

Did you know?Explore Trending and Topic pages for more stories like this.
0 Like 0 Dislike
Previous news Next news
Other news

US alert on China's military drill: Biden said - do not be afraid of exercise, there is a concern; Beijing keeps silence

President Joe Biden's reaction has come for the first time since US Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit

UP Election 2022: Home Minister Amit Shah said in Gorakhpur workers' conference - no matter how hard the opposition tries, BJP will get more than 300 seats

In the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election 2022, Home Minister Amit Shah, who was engaged in a campai

Will always remember five moments of Indo-Pak match: Hardik hugs Rizwan, Naseem Shah kept moaning in pain, still bowled

About 10 months ago on 24 October 2021, the Indian team lost to Pakistan for the first time in th

'Modi is speaking Trump's language', Congress targeted the Prime Minister; said- PM is straying from the path.

Congress has criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his comments on the relevance of global

The most lethal effect of black fungus: In Mumbai, the eyes of 3 children had to be removed, the doctors said - if you do not remove the eyes, then the life will not be saved.

A very scary case has come to light from Mumbai. It has been claimed in the media report that aft

MRF to invest Rs.4,500 crore in capacity expansion

Chennai, March 23 (IANS) Tyre major MRF Ltd plans to expand production capacity at its two plan

RuPay in Europe: Worldline and NPCI join hands to expand UPI and RuPay services, know the plan

Global payment service provider Worldline has joined hands with NPCI International Payments to ex

In an age of drones, kites a big draw in Goa (Human Interest Feature)

Panaji, Jan 27 (IANS) In an age of bullet-spitting US drones, good old kites with traditional in

Aryan Khan: Bobby Deol did this act with Aryan at the screening of 'The Bads of Bollywood', fans liked the style.

Shah Rukh Khan's son, Aryan Khan, has entered the world of showbiz with "The Baddies of Bollywood

Simi Grewal trolled for defending Abhishek Bachchan amid news of divorce from Aishwarya, deleted the post.

Abhishek Bachchan is in the headlines these days for his personal life. If reports are to be beli

Sign up to write
Sign up now if you have flare of writing..
Login   |   Register
Follow Us
Indyaspeak @ Facebook Indyaspeak @ Twitter Indyaspeak @ Pinterest RSS



Play Free Quiz and Win Cash