The induction of Fatima Hasan into Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu in place of Jamiluddin, who now stands retired, has coincided with the publication of the revised edition of Dr Gyan Chand Jain’s book, Urdu ki Nasri Dastaanain. The coincidence is a good omen. Or perhaps Fatima has herself taken care to see that the news of her joining the Anjuman should come to the Urdu world as a harbinger of some good tiding. And she is not content to offer us just one good tiding. She told me that the Anjuman will soon offer one more present. On being asked she explained that the research work on dastaango Mir Baqar Ali is nearing its end. It will soon be published and will also bring in its wake the written work of this dastaan narrator.

It is of course good news. Mir Baqar Ali stands last in the hierarchy of Urdu dastaan tellers the same way Bahadur Shah Zafar stands last in the glorious hierarchy of the great Moghuls. And what a dramatic end of this great tradition. Abruptly one sad day Mir Baqar Ali, in a state of despondency, said goodbye to

dastaangoi and started selling finely cut betel nuts. This unfortunate transformation of the esteemed dastaango came as a big shock to his admirers. On being asked about this unexpected transformation he said “Dilliwallas have forgotten the fine manners of betel chewing. I m trying to remind them of those manners.”

Now a few words about Dr Gyan Chand Jain and his precious research work on Urdu dastaans. He undoubtedly stands distinguished as a leading Urdu scholar. But in the last phase of life he brought out a book in which his linguistic analysis of Urdu vis-a-vis Hindi came as a big surprise for the Urdu world. It soon triggered a heated controversy. The angry old scholar stood resolutely in defence of his thesis, ready to cross swords with his rivals. But in the midst of this controversy he passed away.

The sad demise of the scholar worked to a great extent as an antidote to the anger and bitterness the controversy had created. The Anjuman has done a good job by bringing out the revised edition of his inestimable research work in a befitting way. The work has a history of its own, which has been detailed in the author’s foreword. The book was first published in 1948. Later, Jain revised his work and added to it newly-researched material to the extent that the second edition, which was published in 1969, was, as the author tells us, almost a new book. The third revised edition was published in 1987 with further research added to it.

It was after the publication of this edition that Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu, Pakistan, offered to bring out its new edition. The scholar had not yet concluded his research on the topic. And so we have now a fourth edition published by the Anjuman which brings with it yet more research. Thanks to the scholar’s deep involvement with the topic, the revised fourth edition of the book stands almost as a new book in contradiction to the original book published in March 1948. How marvelous that the research work started in the middle of the 20th century went on gathering newly researched material unabatedly while the untiring scholar remained engaged in his research till he breathed his last. Now in the second decade of the 21st century, the great book with about 60 years of untiring research stands distinguished under its original title, Urdu Ki Nasri Dastaanain. The controversies in relation to the author were short-lived. The renowned scholar stands unscathed with his precious contribution to Urdu’s research tradition.

And as for Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu, it had opened its new chapter, say Pakistani chapter, in Karachi in 1947 under the guidance of Maulvi Abdul Haq, commonly known as Baba-e-Urdu. He did not live long after Partition. After his death, Jamiluddin Aali came to the fore, playing the role of a guide to the institution. After playing his inning well, he now stands retired.

Now the distinguished female poet Fatima Hasan has taken charge of the Anjuman. The female poet has now been entrusted with a responsibility new to her but she seems bent to reactivate the Anjuman.