Saadat Hasan Manto, an Indo Pakistani, was a great Urdu short story writer, author and playwright. He was known for his critical yet emotional stories. His stories always had a certain edge to it, that made them phenomenal.
Partition has been one of his favourite topics to weave around as he wrote. He was posthumously presented the ‘Nishan-I-Imtiaz’ award by the Government of Pakistan.
Here are a few beautiful stories by Manto that one should never forget to read.
Thanda Ghosht
It is a heart churning story of a Sikh man who in a rage during the partition riots had killed a family. The man tried raping their dead daughter, he confesses his guilt to his wife who ultimately kills him. This story makes us realise how man-made wars make a human lose their human emotions.
Khol Do
This is an ultimate piece of work where Manto explores the wrath of partition towards common and simple people. It is a story where a girl is raped multiple times by several people. The story focuses on her encounter with a doctor post-trauma. This story should be read to understand the inhuman nature of certain people.
Toba Tek Singh
This story is named after a district of Punjab, it is one of his best works with its satirical take on the after-effects of partition. This story with an instilled humour has a deep-rooted effect on a person reading it. Staged within an asylum the inmates name the no-man’s land as their divine abode. This shows the disturbed mindsets of people rushing around from one place to another, knowing no end to their misery.
Tithwal ka Kutta
This shows a dog going from one side of the border to another with a placard around its neck. The dog is shown to have no country of his own with all suspecting him of being a traitor. The dog ultimately is killed for no reason of his own just like people living on different sides of the country.
Kaali Shalwaar
The story underlines the life of a prostitute who came from Ambala to Delhi and is unable to get what she aims for. She is cheated by the man whom she entrusted with all her will and hopes. This beautifully gives us the right manner of looking into a world full of deceptions.
