August 11, 2002

THE progressive writers’ movement launched in India in 1936, influenced a large number of writers of Urdu fiction. Under the movement’s creed, adab baraaye zindagi (literature to depict real life), Urdu short story found a new direction. Until then it had largely followed the principle of adab baraaye adab (literature for the sake of literature) and had preferred to indulge in fantasies and romance. Now it got deeply involved in depicting the stark realities of life.

This shift made Urdu short story the most popular genre of prose among Urdu readers. Shaukat Siddiqui belongs to the last batch of short story writers who were highly influenced by this change, and gained recognition before the movement was banned in Pakistan by the government in 1954.

Shaukat Siddiqui has contributed significantly to this category of fiction and has managed to portray real life situations vividly in his work. His writings revolved first around life in India and later in Pakistan, and feature situations describing the exploitation and injustices prevalent in both the countries. The introduction of realism in his work has been facilitated by keen observation, personal experiences and in-depth study. His remarkable skill in characterization enhances the overall impact of his fictional work, whether it be short story writing or the framing of a plot for a novel.

Though most of his stories and novels focus on the darker side of life, he does not agree with the common opinion that his writings lead the readers towards pessimism and despondency. On the contrary he believes that by creating an awareness of bitter realities, he strengthens their will to fight exploitation and oppression.

Shaukat Siddiqui made his mark as a short story writer with his story, “Teesra aadmi”, written in 1950. The story is about an unscrupulous agent of a feudalist-turned-industrialist who would go to any extent to do the will of his master and assist him in his exploitative and unlawful activities, even if that meant killing innocent people. Other stories written during that period and later, also revealed in great detail the manipulations of the exploiters and the miseries of the exploited, in different settings and through a variety of characters, who could range anywhere from the simple to the shrewd, from the artist to the intellectual. Shaukat Siddiqui’s work is influenced by his avid reading habit and the views of some of his teachers in school. The company of Dr Abdul Aleem also shaped his outlook on literature and created in him an interest in writing. Dr Aleem, who then taught at the Lucknow University and later became the vice chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University, was among the founders of the Anjuman-i-Taraqqipasand Musannefeen and was also its general secretary for some time. He was highly influenced by another Leftist, Ali Mazhar Rizvi, with whom he worked on the editorial board of a short-lived monthly in 1944. Rizvi introduced Siddiqui to a number of other renowned literary personalities of Lucknow such as the poet Majaz and critic Prof Ihtesham Husain. The company of Mazhar Rizvi led Siddiqui into the communist party and also to a short stint in prison.

He migrated to Pakistan in 1950 and became a journalist and retired in 1984. But all through that period, and even later, he continued to pursue his interests in creative writing.

He has to his credit four published collections of short stories and the same number of novels. Of these, Khuda ki basti, which was also serialized on the television, is the best known. Set in the urban environment of the 1950s, it develops around a family whose head has died leaving behind a widow, a young daughter and a son not yet in his teens. Having lost its bread winner, the family lives in a slum and soon falls victim to some unscrupulous people who exploit them. The novel, a tale of sorrow, was a great success on television as well as in print, because of the remarkable realism depicted in it. It has also been translated into 26 languages, including English. Entitled God’s own land the English translation has been done by David Mathews.

His second novel, Jangloos, is set in an entirely different background: rural Punjab. According to the author, he made a visit to the areas described in the story specially to acquaint himself with local conditions and traditions. The story is narrated by two convicts who escape from prison and keep wandering to avoid being re-arrested. The novel utilizes the ‘document’ approach and presents a montage of assorted images of rural Punjab and its history. The novel was first written for a popular Urdu magazine and later parts of it were televised.

Two of Shaukat Siddiqui’s less known works are Kameen gah, a novelette, and Chaardeewari, a novel. In Chaardeewari, a style similar to the Arabian Nights has been adopted in which one story leads to another. The subject of the novel is Lucknow from the days of the Nawabs till its emergence as a modern city.

Now an octogenarian, Shaukat Siddiqui has lived a life full of struggle. After passing the intermediate examination, he was unable to attend any educational institution and obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees as a private candidate. In Pakistan, he took up journalism, then a hard and unrewarding profession. He survived by shifting from one newspaper to another, first in the English language and later in Urdu.

But he was also lucky to have received ample recognition for his literary work. The serialization of his novels on television brought him immense public acclaim. He has also received the Adamji and the President’s Pride of Performance awards in appreciation of his literary services and activities.

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