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May 26, 2002
REVIEW: Life on a ship
SAMANDAR kay din is a travelogue in Urdu by an outstanding travel writer of the Sindhi language. The author of over 50 books, Altaf Shaikh is regarded as the pioneer of travel writing in Sindhi. Being a marine engineer, he has travelled throughout the world and has experienced the harshness of almost every ocean. Many of his travelogues, such as the one under review, are about life on a ship. One of his early books, Muhinjo sagar muhinjo sahil was awarded the best book prize by the Pakistan Writers’ Guild in 1969, and according to him, that award encouraged him to write more.
The present book is a collection of translations of his best articles. He loves writing about the isolated life on a ship. He has introduced many islands and small towns of different parts of the world to his readers, which otherwise would go by default in the hustle bustle of daily life. He wanders in different parts of the world and compares the culture of the people with ours. While talking about different cultures, he never tries to project the Pakistani culture as superior to malign other cultures.
The translation from his collection has opened a new chapter for Urdu readers as the travel writing in Urdu by Ibn-i-Insha and Mustansar Hussain Tarrar is distinct from that of Altaf Shaikh in terms of its diction and selection of subjects.
Altaf was a student at Marine Academy at Chittagong (Bangladesh). After the separation of Bangladesh from Pakistan, a Marine Academy was set up in Karachi. In one of his articles, he describes his visit as a mariner to Bangladesh and talks about those streets where he used to wander while he was a student. In his unique style, he compares the lands he visits with his native country but his style is that of a cosmopolitan person who speaks from his subconscious in his articles. In “Bedeshi manoos” (A strange foreigner) he observes “borders can’t limit the feelings of love”.
Since the articles in this book have been selected at random from his Sindhi books, there is no sequence of travel. One can start reading about one country or about any country’s culture. But basically it is a book of a seafarer’s life.
Samandar kay din
By Altaf Shaikh
Dolphin Publications, 703, Oyster View, Tower 2, Clifton, Karachi
Email: ltaf.shk@mailcity.com
207pp. Rs120
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