The novel we are presenting to you today is knowns as Basti (بستی). The famous writer Intezar Hussain (انتظار حسین) penned down this marvelous work of writing. Its first edition got published in 1978, followed by English and other translations. This novel can easily find a place in the best creations of Urdu literature.
Basti Novel Summary and Review.
The events of this story take place in Lahore, a few months before the fall of Dhaka.
The main character of this story is a young history professor named Zakir. He hails from Roopnagar, a town in Uttar Pradesh (India), and migrated to Pakistan in 1947. He is currently living in Pakistan and tells us the story of his past through his memories.
In the first part of the story, he tells us how his beloved childhood memories and his sweetheart Sabra got left behind in Rupnagar during the migration. Despite the immense love for her, Sabir does not dare to bring Sabra from India to Pakistan.
The second part of the story mainly tells the events that happened in his life while living in Pakistan. That includes the tragic event of the fall of Dhaka.
There are many characters in this novel, but the main characters are Zakir, Sabra, Afzaal, Surender, and Irfaan.
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All in all. This novel is the story of a shattered man who recounted his early life and youth in the turbulent times of Pakistan’s establishment and migration. And then the days of his declining age with another tragedy like the fall of Dhaka.
Basti, without any doubt, is a classic Urdu novel. We recommend all our readers to read this novel at least once in your life.
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