KARACHI, Nov 9 Qurratulain Hyder once said to her niece “Life is like a cake. It has layers (tiers) of memories. We keep the better ones on top.”

What makes Qurratulain Hyder a literary giant? Two reasons instantly spring to mind (a) in the subcontinent`s literary world that`s overwhelmingly dominated by one art genre, poetry, she wrote fiction — and that too right out-of-the-top-drawer (Aag Ka Darya); (b) in a culture where “shrewd” women are tamed to become homespun, she, a woman, excelled in an art form that usually men dabbled in. No mean feat by any stretch of the imagination.

So when someone showers encomium on her, there`s hardly an element of surprise in it.

On Nov 8, 2008 the Qurratulain Hyder edition of the renowned literary quarterly Roshnai, edited by Ahmed Zainuddin, was celebrated at the PMA House, Karachi. It was an opportunity that no literary buff would have liked to pass up. And the occasion lived up to its billing to a decent degree.

The ceremony was presided over by Jamil Jalibi, whereas OUP`s Amina Syed, who also happens to be Qurratulain Hyder`s niece, was the chief guest.

Speaking on the occasion, critic Rauf Niazi shed light on Ahmed Zainuddin`s achievements as editor of Roshnai and as a fiction writer whereas poet Shafique Ahmed Shafique likened Zainuddin`s efforts to those of Sehba Lukhnavi`s and touched upon some essays on Hyder that have been published in the special edition of the quarterly.

But what really transformed the yawningly academic programme into a lively, meaningful discussion was Dr Asif Farrukhi`s brilliant and fiery speech on how some (male) critics treated Qurratulain Hyder in a crudely sexist way. He raised the pertinent question that why all of a sudden the writer and her works were being frequently talked about immediately after her death, and not when she was alive, which spans almost half a century.

Critic and fiction writer Dr Tahir Masood pointed out a few flaws in Roshnai`s latest edition but on the whole praised Ahmed Zainuddin`s endeavours.

Amina Syed narrated some anecdotes from the time when she lived with the great writer for a few days. She emphasised Qurratulain Hyder didn`t like being queried about her return to India from Pakistan after partition.

Dr Jamil Jalibi claimed that she had already become a “classic” while she was alive.

Ahmed Zainuddin thanked a lot of people, including Dr Shershah Syed, for making the event a success.