Education, Development, and Change
Email Dr. Shahid Siddiqui

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Adhe Adhoore Khawab


 by
Uzma Dawood

“Adhy adhuray khawab “ is a heart touching novel that revolves around diverse themes of love, inspiration, education, and change. Dr. Siddiqui, a well known professor and researcher, wrote this novel in a to  provide food for thought for all those who are part of teaching learning process in educational institutes and have an urge for educational change. The novel’s gripping style does not  let the readers’ distract from the focus .
This novel ‘s central character is professor , Saharan Roy,  who cherishes revolutionary thoughts  and believes that the essence of education is not in transmission but in transformation. In the first chapter beautiful description of many concepts with new definitions like teaching is a creative art”. Fame of good teacher emanates from classrooms and spreads every where on campus. This chapter arouses curiosity about the personality of Saharan Roy.
 Some thought provoking questions made this novel a different literary text for the readers.
 In 2nd chapter author skillfully describe professor Saharan Roy,  a person who can knock at the doors of heart and mind. This chapter addresses the  inquiry and scientific method that how he loves to use these two methods while teaching….”destination finds its path itself.”
Imtisal Agha, another character of the novel, is beautifully described by the author.  One can visualize her childhood  and the scenic beauty of the area where she spent  her childhood. While reading background of her village I felt as if  I was living there and observing all by my own. Good literature mesmerizes the reader and s/he becomes part of the story. l  also find myself part of “Adhy adhury khawb” and in my very own kachi pakki neendon ky “adhey adhuray khawab”.    

The novel introduces the reader to different ideas.  One of them is, “politics of reading” taht revolves around the objectives of literacy that the main objective of literacy is to get awareness about orders to act upon these orders, thus  darkening the colors of slavery. While reading these lines I came to know that introduction with professor Saharan Roy  was still incomplete because in every line written next was revealing something very interesting about him. Professor Roy knows the difficult art of winning the hearts.
The important turn of the novel is the meeting of Professor Suharan Ray with Imtisal Agha. This scene demands full attention of readers.   There was something common among these two characters and both felt that. Politics of Education, how education is used by rulers or  powers? How a teacher takes part in a movement against rulers. In the next lines there is a magnificent description of  role of education in differentiating classes in society and in our nation the same is happening that our educational system is increasing the gap between different classes and promoting status quo. The association of imtisal and Professor suharan rai “ kabhi kabhi ham apnay ap ko khud sy chupatay hain”
She was dreamed to be the carrier of his dreams, she was the carrier of the transfer the fragrance of his thoughts. And this is what was similar between professor Roy and Imtisal Agha.


Tassawar who loves his teacher Professor Suharan Rai. More than love , he is having an inspirer/follower  relationship with his teacher. Being a teacher I was intrigued to know the characteristics of good teachers, and most important discussion that fascinated me was to “Hold back” and providing an opportunity to the student to think , think and think. The writer beautifully describe the main spirit of pottery, how three laws create a living whole. His focus on every individual learner in class really inspires me and the way writer describe this is really appellant.

I have heard education is an agent of change, curriculum is an agent of change, teachers are agent of change and I understand the same after reading this novel. An education can let the nation sleep for whole life and it can also awake the nation and let it achieve its objectives. A transformation from functional literacy to critical literacy is the need of todays’ nations. This novel is effectively explains the need of education in societies and also explains  what sort of education is the requirement of modern societies.

Some thought provoking questions made this novel a different literary text for the readers. The writer provided an opportunity to the readers to reflect by raising such questions:

What is the relationship of  this body of matter with nature?
Why our internal environment affects the external environment?

The writer also described present situation in educational institutes that critical thinking and social change is just bookish knowledge that is being provided to the students. Professor Saharan Roy thinks that development is not the name of civil engineered work rather States are developed if they are having concern with health, education, freedom of thought , etc. Imtisal’s detailed introduction of her village with professor Saharan Roy is also mesmerizing and letting me think about that place of earth where there is no pollution of thought and environment , where nature laughs and laughs. Again a discussion of Imtisal Agha and Professor Saharan Roy on the topic of love and pain……. Love is not the name of give and take ….. this is not a business for profit and revenue generation….. Muhabbat cannot be described neither it can be defined…… it is all about feelings….. Prof Roy is also as deep as his thoughts are….like a deep sea…..

As I read forward novel is getting more interesting and I thought what a spiral sequence that is not letting readers put down the book….. this is just catching…..English medium schools of our society, another agent of enjoying benefits of neo liberalism, where focus is just to take profit and considering education as an industry , where there is no values especially with reference to human resource who are working in the place.
I get awareness with another definition of life
“ zindgi  ik gehri karvi lambi sans
Dost pehly jib hi lain marna to hay”

While the arrest of professor Saharan Roy also arrested my heart…. It was pounding what would happen.
Again the lines of the novel described a bitter situation of law and order, describing an underdeveloped nation as there is no freedom of thought, freedom of action , and the inhuman conduct in jails on having  revolutionary thoughts by a person who is not against the government but against the way they are running a the country. The description made my eyes wet.. writer describe the whole situation in such a way that at any place I have not felt as being not the part of this novel.

“Muhabbat ik aisa jazba jo hamaray rago-pa main utar jata hay
or jab tak hamain us ki mojoodgi ka  ehsas hota hay
who hamaray jism-o-jan main door door tak phel chukka hota hay
phir bahir ki ruton ka kaisa hee ulat pher ho
ander ka mausam hara ho jata hay”

Professor Saharan Roy did not die…. He lives as love in many hearts….. so we all must float as love in hearts……. And spread this beautiful feelings among our students….. they are our very own part… like potter develops a pot we must also develop our students.
 A wonderful reading and understanding experience this novel provides me …. As you meet with some people and cannot forget…same is with this novel.  Once you read it you won’t be able to forget it.  Such a strong writing, that influenced me and my professional thoughts a lot.






















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