July 11, 2008

Mujtaba Hussain  - a Humorist Par Excellence

(A function in his honor arranged by the Urdu Writers’ Society  - www.Urduwriters.Org -  is scheduled for July 26 in Pomona, CA.) 
         
Even for those who have but a fringe interest in the contemporary Urdu literature, Mujtaba Husain is not an unfamiliar name. But, not many in North America may be aware that selections from his delightful writings have been brought out from Chicago, in four volumes, by another well-known Urdu literary figure  -Hasan Chishti  (Hasan10@sbcglobal.net).
A self-effacing, helpful and considerate person, an icon of the Hyderabadi culture, Chishti has indeed earned the gratitude of a vast segment of South Asian community of North America through this self-less service to them. He has brought within easy access the scintillating writings of a great wit. The four-volume anthology covers almost all genres of Mujtaba’s writings.
A prolific purveyor of wit and humor, Mujtaba has for over fifty years produced some twenty volumes of his works, several of which have been translated into Hindi and some regional languages of India.  And, his writings have earned encomiums from eminent Urdu literati like Mushtaq Ahmad Yousufi, Ale Ahmad Saroor, Nisar Farooqi, Aqueel Danish, Mushfiq Khawaja –to mention just a few names.  They have all accepted him as a preeminent and profuse architect of wit, humor and satire on the contemporary Urdu literary landscape. The simplicity of language, the absence of repetition or over-lapping of themes, the racy style and natural flow of his pen have been mentioned by all of them. He creates humor without offending anyone or affronting the high cultural values he had been nurtured on. The anthology gathers the finest of his columns and other writings  -witty, rueful, entertaining, wise, commonsensical and always a pleasure to read. He has received nine different awards for his writings. On India’s Republic Day in 2007, he was awarded the much-coveted Padam Shri.
A consistent quality that I noticed in his writings is his anecdotal style. Irrespective of whether he is writing a column, an essay or the profile of some prominent figure, he fits it into the genre of short story. This technique holds the attention and curiosity of the reader while the subtle blend of wit and humor into the story adds further to its taste and texture. I would rate this as the unique and outstanding characteristic of Mujtaba’s writings. While this bears some resemblance to the situational comedy –sitcom- of American stage and films-   it is totally free from the burlesque nature, the vaudeville quality of American sitcom. In his inimitable and ostensibly sober style, Mujtaba takes great pleasure in revealing to people things they knew but did not know they knew.
To enliven his narrative, Mujtaba introduces dialogues at just the appropriate places. These add to the vivacity of the anecdote. Of course the form is less important than the content. That is where one comes face to face with the subtlety of Mujtaba’s intellect.  One is reminded of an observation of Mark Twain: ‘There has never been an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside of the dullest exterior there is a drama, a comedy, a tragedy.’  Mujtaba’s incisive insight picks it up, his racy pen draws the sketch and his brush gives it colorful touches of humor.
I had heard of Mujtaba Hussain and the mark he had already made a quarter century back, but I could meet him only a few years ago on his visit to North America. When I told him about my acquaintance with his elder brother, Ibrahim Jalees, he treated me as his own elder with all the attendant courtesies.                              
Dictates of official assignments took me to several foreign lands depriving me of the opportunity of spending as much time as I wanted to in the company Jalees. When I returned from my last foreign posting, Z.A. Bhutto’s government was gasping for breath. A panel of writers was set up to produce articles on topics to be identified by the government.  I was the only official whose name appeared on the panel. My protest went unheeded and I took solace in the fact that Jalees’ name was also there. That would give me, I thought,  another opportunity to spend some more time in the company of that great satirist –the author of the classic “Chalees Crore Bhikari”.  He never came to Islamabad and within a few weeks Zia declared Martial Law and closed down Masawat, the daily Jalees was editing at the time. He succumbed to the shock.
I found Mujtaba in good spirits on his visit to Southern California. But, I also noticed that he was suffering from severe arthritic knee pain. I saw him lugging down stairs in much pain his suitcase at his host’s house but wouldn’t allow a younger member of the family to carry it for him down stairs. Later a press report informed me that he had a knee replaced in India through surgical procedure. Mr. Vajapyee had undergone the same procedure earlier, but he still uses a wheel chair and stands and walks only when unavoidable.  Mujtaba has fared no better. The procedure is yet to be perfected, evidently.
Reverting to the contents of Mujtaba’s writings, one is reminded of a saying attributed to Aristotle that melancholy men are the wittiest. Mark Twain too maintained, “Everything human is pathetic. The secret source of humor itself is not joy but sorrow.”  
Mujtaba’s sorrow emanates from the step-motherly treatment meted out to Urdu language in India. His essays titled “Urdu Ka Akhri Qari” and “Deemak Ki Malka Say Eik Mulaquat” stand out in this category.  Had Mujtaba not been conscious of being politically correct, he would have placed Pakistan too along with India in this respect. The essays articulate the anguish over the eclipse of a rich language felt and borne in silence or in mumbled oaths by the speakers of that language now living in pockets in foreign lands.
 His articles on “Hyderabad Ka Jo Zikr Kiya” and “Char Minar and Char Sow Baras” portray his regret over a fast fading culture which is struggling for survival on foreign lands. And his writing on “Sindbad’s  Safarnama” and “Kuttu InsanooN Say Khabardar Raho” emanate from the depth of his sorrow over communal riots.
The second volume of the anthology carries  forty-one sketches of prominent figures of art and literature. The last sketch -#41- is his own and is really worth reading.  I too have had some contacts with half a dozen of the persons listed, but I assure you that I had hardly noticed those facets of these person on which Mujtaba has focused.  It is indeed a book of pure delight in an inimitable style. Written with sympathy for the  subjects portrayed, it bristles with intelligence and reflects the depth of observation of the writer.
  arifhussaini@hotmail.com/ (714)-921-9634)