Men lived intensely and wrote intensely’. There were stirring times, when passions were strong and speculation was rife, when everything conspired to bring out the best that was in men.
The only words cannot depict the magnanimous personality of towering figures of the Urdu Literature – BanoQudsia.
Alas! BanoQudsia is no more. It was a short sentence, but it had many aspects of meaning attached to it. The feeling of a great loss, sweet memories of her writings, and nostalgic sentiments are benumbing everyone.
She was born on Nov 28, 1928 and later proved that she had all the writing talents & skills to join the august club of the literary giants of Pakistan. Her writings were famous around the globe. She had cultivated philosophy in her pieces of works. That was equally inspired by mysticism, spirituality and the flux of time. The things came from her heart and made the eternal marks.
She authored several short stories, novels and dramaswhich remained the living minds. Some of her classic works included: Raja Gidh, Aatish-i-Zer-i-Paa, AikDin, Amer Bail, Asay Pasay, Chahar Chaman, ChotaaSheherBaray Log, Footpath kiGhaas, HaasilGhaat, Hawa Kay Naam, AadheeBaat and many more. Her works touched base on every aspect of social life. She also contributed towards several plays for Radio and Television and won accolades.
Literature is basically the reflection of society. Each of her literary works reflected the ills of the contemporary society. Her ideology teaches with delight. Here, Francis Bacon can be cited; ‘Some Books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.’
Her classical writings, including Raja Gidh – 1981 (The King Vulture) is the first full-length novel coated fully with prudence that started her journey towards novel writing. Later on sje also authored novels namely: Parda and Shehr-e-Baymisaal.
These novels are generally considered to be one of the most widely read Urdu novels. Every bite is spiced with irony. She had projected the struggle of the soul through her characters. The very apt use of symbolism and metaphor, made her an elusive writer.
She is the harbinger of anew style of drama in the Urdu literature history. Her characters are the mouthpiece of – political changes, economic upheaval and moral degeneration of that era – of woman in particular.
Her plots are diverse. Every sentence is well tinged with the aphorism, epi-grammatic brevity, and precision. Her style is somewhat proverbial. This thing highlighted her organizational nature. She was husbanding her storehouse of vocabulary in an enchanting manner. “Madness is onlythe result of unfulfilled unceasing love” ~ BanoQudsia.
She was blessed with the intellectual aristocracy in the form of her spouse. Ashfaq Ahmad – A Legend writer of Urdu Language who also authored several books, novels and short stories. Both of them were matchless in every domain.
Once Bano asserted “We work independently, writing a book is like bearing a child and it is a confidential document between you and the book that you are creating”
She had shunned the image of so-called modern independent Woman, who had been trapped by her own whims of freedom. She dejected the responsibilities of family life, side by side,which ironically gets entangled in economic clutches.
She vocalized the hidden intentions of Man to push Woman out as a breadwinner. It was a post industrialized era who developed the taste of luxury in Man and Woman. Actually, she wanted to scribble, “simplicity is the peace of mind.” Her life is the true practical implication of this.These thoughts showed that she was a woman of strong character, good brain and exceptional soul.
A variety of writers; Mumtaz Mufti, Ashfaq Ahmad, Qudrat Ullah Shahab etc., while recognizing her dramatic brilliance, human veracity and sentimental approach had agreed in being unwilling to praise her writings.
She is the big wig of Urdu Literature. She had won Life Time Achievement Awards, Kamal-e-Fun Award, Best Playwright Award, Taj Award, Sitara-i-Imtiaz and Hilal-i-Imtiaz.
On February 4, 2017 – heaven possessed her soul and her services towards literature would be eternally adored and her name with her intellectual legacy inscribed among the innumerable stars in the firmament of Urdu Literature. May God rest her soul in peace, Ameen!!!!
