Reflections of Dr Asma Zahoor on my Urdu Novelette, "Aadhe Adhoore Khawab"

Adhay Adhory Khawab by Dr.Shahid Siddiqi is a beautiful blend of aestheticism and didacticism in a unique narrative style. I have heard Dr. Shahid during different international conferences, read his books and articles in different Urdu and English newspapers. His informed, pragmatic   scholarly discourse has always impressed me .

I have heard his students talking about the kind of inspiration he has always been for them. I have been a great admirer of his reformation policies and struggle during his tenure as a vice chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University. But after reading his novel I have a feeling that this is the type of literature I want my students, especially those studying English literature, to read. The very first reason is, its simple yet stylistically beautiful Urdu diction, the one they can easily read, comprehend and enjoy. The other thing is the beauty of the theme which revolves around an inspirational teacher, Prof. Roy, a teacher who is neither an orthodox nor the one who is dependent on modern gadgets to convey his message but a social reformer and a thinking soul who can touch and transform other peoples’ lives. He is the one who believes in education as a vehicle of broadening the students’ mental horizons, inculcating critical and analytical thinking and inspiring them to work for social reforms. He believes in the ideological foundation of the process of learning to evolve as better human beings. Despite his staunch idealism, he is lifelike. We can relate to him to the social struggle going on in the contemporary world for fair play and justice. The struggle is not limited to a particular person but conveys the message of lighting other’s candle and to carry on the greater mission.

The struggle is not limited to a particular person but conveys the message of lighting other’s candle and to carry on the greater mission.

I am an English teacher but love my own language Urdu and want my students to read Urdu literature as well. I strongly believe that in order to polish our finer sensibilities we have to relate to our own world first and literature is the best reflection of life. But somehow we have not tried to simplify our language to attract younger generations to read our own literature in our own language and enjoy it. Adhay Adhory Khawab attracts and inspires both. I wish it to be a trend setter to bring our people back to Urdu.