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Krishan Chander

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Krishan Chander Chopra
Krishan Chander on a 2017 stamp of India
Born(1914-11-23)23 November 1914
Bharatpur, Rajputana, British India
(now in Rajasthan, India)
Died8 March 1977(1977-03-08) (aged 62)
Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Alma materForman Christian College, Lahore
OccupationWriter
SpousesVidyawati Chopra and Salma Siddiqui
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Krishan Chander (23 November 1914 – 8 March 1977) was an Indian Urdu and Hindi writer of short stories and novels. Some of his works have also been translated into English. He was a prolific writer, penning over 20 novels, 30 collections of short stories and scores of radio plays in Urdu, and later, after partition in 1947, took to writing in Hindi as well. He also wrote screen-plays for Bollywood movies to supplement his meagre income as an author of satirical stories. Krishan Chander's novels (including the classic: Ek Gadhe Ki Sarguzasht, transl. 'Autobiography of a Donkey') have been translated into over 16 Indian languages and some foreign languages, including English.

His short story "Annadata" (transl. The Giver of Grain – an obsequious appellation used by Indian peasants for their feudal land-owners), was made into the film Dharti Ke Lal (1946) by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas – which led to his being offered work regularly as a screenwriter by Bollywood, including such popular hits as Mamta (1966) and Sharafat (1970). He wrote his film scripts in Urdu.[1][2]

Early life and education

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Krishan Chander was born in Bharatpur, Rajasthan where his father worked as a doctor.[1][3][4] The family originally belonged to Wazirabad District Gujranwala, of undivided Punjab, India. Chander spent his childhood in Poonch, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, where his father worked as the physician of Maharaja Poonch. His novel Shakast (Defeat) is related to Kashmir's partition. Mitti Ke Sanam, one of his most popular novels, is about the childhood memories of a young boy who lived with his parents in Kashmir. His another memorable novel is "Gaddar", which is about the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. In this novel, he brilliantly picturised the sufferings of the people during that time through a selfish young man's feelings, who himself was a gaddar (betrayer). His short stories are the stories of Kashmiri villages, as well as those of displaced expatriates and rootless urban man. He used Pahari (dialect of people living in Poonch) words while writing in Urdu.[1][3]

In the 1930s, he studied at Forman Christian College, Lahore and edited the English section of the college house magazine, and was at that time interested in English writings. As the then editor of the Urdu section of the magazine, Mehr Lal Soni Zia Fatehabadi was instrumental to his career in having got published, in the year 1932, Chander's first Urdu short story, "Sadhu".[5]

Career

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His literary masterpieces on the Bengal famine and the savagery and barbarism that took place at the time of the partition of India in 1947 are some of the finest specimens of modern Urdu literature, but at other times, too, he continued relentlessly to critique the abuse of power, poverty and the suffering of the wretched of the earth; but above all he never stopped protesting casteism, fanaticism, communal violence and terror. He was a humanist and a cosmopolitan.[6]

Books written by Krishan Chander

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He has been described as the "author of more than 100 books including novels, collections of short stories, plays, fantasies, satires, parodies, reportages, film-scripts and books for children",[7] which include:

Novels:

  1. Jamun Ka Peid
  2. Shikast[8][3]
  3. Jab Khet Jagay
  4. Toofaan Ki KaliyaaN
  5. Dil Ki Waadiyaan So GayiN
  6. Darwaaze Khol Do
  7. Aasmaan Roushan Hai
  8. Bavan Patte[8]
  9. Ek Gadhe Ki Sarguzasht (The Life Story a Donkey)[1]
  10. Ek Aurat Hazaar Deewanay
  11. Ghaddaar[1][6]
  12. Jab Khet Jage
  13. Sarak Wapas Jaati Hai
  14. Dadar Pul Ke Neechay
  15. Barf Ke Phool
  16. Borban Club
  17. Meri Yaadon Ke Chinaar
  18. Gadhay Ki Wapasi[1]
  19. Chandi Ka Ghaao
  20. Ek Gadha Nefa Mein
  21. Hong Kong Ki Haseena
  22. Mitti Ke Sanam
  23. Zar Gaon Ki Raani
  24. Ek Voilon Samundar Ke Kinare
  25. Dard Ki Nahar
  26. London Ke Saat Rang[9]
  27. Kaghaz Ki Naao
  28. Filmi Qaaida
  29. Panch Loafer (1966)[9]
  30. Panch Loafer Ek Heroine
  31. Ganga Bahe Na Raat
  32. Dusri Barfbari Se Pahlay
  33. Gwalior Ka Hajjam
  34. Bambai Ki Shaam
  35. Chanda Ki Chandni
  36. Ek Karor Ki Botal
  37. Maharani
  38. Pyar Ek Khushbu
  39. Masheenon Ka Shahr
  40. Carnival
  41. Aayine Akelay Hain
  42. Chanbal Ki Chanbeli
  43. Uska Badan Mera Chaman
  44. Muhabbat Bhi Qayamat Bhi
  45. Sone Ka Sansaar
  46. SapnoN Ki Waadi
  47. Aadha Raasta
  48. Honolulu Ka Rajkumar
  49. Sapnon Ki Rahguzarein
  50. Footpath Ke Farishtay
  51. Aadhe Safar Ki Poori Kahani

Short Story Collections:

  1. Tilism E Khayal[9]
  2. Ekk Tawaef Ka Khat
  3. Nazaray
  4. Hawai Qilay
  5. Ghunghat Mein Gori Jalay
  6. Tootay Hue Taaray
  7. Zindagi Ke Mor Per
  8. Naghmay Ki Maut
  9. Purane Khuda
  10. Ann Daata[8]
  11. Teen Ghunday[9]
  12. Hum Wahshi Hain[8]
  13. Ajanta Se Aagay
  14. Ek Girja Ek Khandaq
  15. Samunder Door Hai
  16. Shikast Ke Baad
  17. Naye Ghulam
  18. Main Intezaar Karunga
  19. Mazaahiya Afsaanay
  20. Ek Rupiya Ek Phool
  21. Eucalyptus Ki Daali
  22. Hydrogen Bomb Ke Baad
  23. Naye Afsaanay (1943)[9]
  24. Kaab Ka Kafan
  25. Dil Kisi Ka Dost Nahi (1959)[9]
  26. Muskuraane Waaliyan
  27. Krishn Chander Ke Afsaanay
  28. Sapnon Ka Qaidi
  29. Miss Nanital
  30. DaswaaN Pul (1964)[9]
  31. Gulshan Gulshan Dhundha Tujhko
  32. Aadhe Ghante Ka Khuda
  33. Uljhi Larki Kaalay Baal (1970)[9]
  34. Kaloo Bhangi[1]

Filmography

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Personal life and legacy

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Krishan Chander Chopra had married twice. His first wife was Vidyawati Chopra, a lady from a decent family belonging to his own community, and the match was arranged by their families in the usual Indian way. They had three children together, two daughters and one son.

Chander later took a second wife, and he was her second husband. This was a divorced Muslim woman, Salma Siddiqui, daughter of Rasheed Ahmed Siddiqi, an Urdu academic.[1] Siddiqui was the mother of a son born of her earlier marriage, and the boy was raised in Chander's household. No children were born of the relationship between Chander and Siddiqui.

Krishan Chander died working at his desk in Mumbai on 8 March 1977.[1] He had just started to write a satirical essay entitled Adab baray-e-Batakh (Literature for a duck), and wrote just one line Noorani ko bachpan hi se paltoo janwaron ka shauq tha. Kabootar, bandar, rang barangi chiriyaan… (since childhood Noorani was fond of pet animals such as pigeons, monkeys, multi-coloured birds…). Before he could complete the sentence, he succumbed to a massive heart attack.

A Fountain Park in the town of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir has been renamed Krishan Chander Park, Poonch in his memory. His statue has also been erected in the middle of that garden.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rauf Parekh (2 May 2016). "LITERARY NOTES: Remembering Krishan Chander and Akhter-ul-Iman". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Film World". Film World. 10. T.M. Ramachandran: 65. 1974. I feel that the Government should eradicate the age-old evil of certifying Urdu films as Hindi ones. It is a known fact that Urdu has been willingly accepted and used by the film industry. Two eminent Urdu writers Krishan Chander and Ismat Chughtai have said that "more than seventy-five per cent of films are made in Urdu." It is a pity that although Urdu is freely used in films, the producers in general mention the language of the film as "Hindi" in the application forms supplied by the Censor Board. It is a gross misrepresentation and unjust to the people who love Urdu.
  3. ^ a b c "From Krishan Chander, a Salute to Kashmir". The Wire (India) website. 12 August 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  4. ^ Ahmed, Ishtiaq (4 February 2014). "Centenary of Krishan Chander". Daily Times.
  5. ^ Malik Ram (1977). Zia Fatehabadi – Shakhs Aur Shair (in Urdu). Delhi: Ilmi Majlis. pp. 116–117.
  6. ^ a b Lamat R. Hasan (25 August 2018). "A translation of Krishan Chander's Ghaddaar that is timely, moving, vital". Hindustan Times (newspaper). Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  7. ^ Advance, Volume 26 (1977), Public Relations, Punjab, p. 17
  8. ^ a b c d Books by Krishan Chander on goodreads.com website Retrieved 8 March 2021
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h Books By Krishan Chander on rekhta.org website Retrieved 8 March 2021
  10. ^ a b c d e Filmography of Krishan Chander on Cinestaan.com website Retrieved 8 March 2021
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