Kashmiri Short Stories

The short story emerged in the Kashmiri language in 1950 as a literary form distinct from the centuries, old folk tale, fable and parable. During the past forty-six years, it has been accepting the influence of all the experiments in the technique of the shorter fiction. The three distinguishable phases in Kashmiri short story faithfully reflect the changing life patterns of the Kashmiris and the related cultural framework. Through a spectrum of characters and events the twenty five short stories in this volume image the subjective reality of the individuals as well as the social ambience that circumscribes them.

M. Siddiq Beg (Khunda Bhawan, Nava Kadal, 1935-) is a profound scholar of erudition. His analytic introduction to the stories and his translation in lucid, lively and modern English is expected to stimulate the readers to read more Kashmiri short stories and help them understand the mystique of Kashmir and the Kashmiri.

Preface Kashmiri, in spite of its richness and its significance as a repository of common human experience and accumulated social wisdom, has not received the attention and recognition which other regional languages have deservedly and quite abundantly received. This balance is to be redressed precisely because the valley inhabited by its speakers has become a test case for preserving, strengthening and consolidating the values which are sought to be validated.   >>>		Introduction The stories, though not in a strict chronological order, present the life of the artisan, common people in different walks of life, their hopes and aspiration, small sorrows and joys, their afflictions, and unroll their lives in resolving their conflicts to a happy turn so far as the circumstances allowed, all along characterized by hope and optimism in spite of the social restriction though the rumbling of coming social dissolution can be read between the lines.  >>>
Dr. Harikrishna Kaul (1934-) Harikrishna Kaul is one of the major Kashmiri playwrights of the modern era. He started his literary career during his college days in early fifties, writing short stories in Hindi. He continued writing in Hindi till mid-sixties when he switched to writing in Kashmiri and immediately established himself as a major Kashmiri playwright and short story writer.  >>>		Akhtar Mohi-ud-din (1928) - The Red Silken Pajamas  - Thou Art, Thou Alone Art  - Madanvaar and Padmaan: a Love Story
Amin Kamil (1924) - A Cock-fight - An Infernal Creature  - What Matters is the Head		Bansi Nirdosh (1930-2001) - This Too is a Feeling
Somnath Sadhoo (1933-1982) - When I Wore a Neck-Tie		Deepak Koul (1932-) - The Journey and the Companions
Avtar Krishan Rahber (1933-) - Nirvana		Ali Mohammed Lone (1927-1987) - The Vacuum
Shanker Raina (1939–1977) - A Puzzle and a Few Men		H. K. Bharti (1937-) - The Savage - Chakra Vyuha - The Sunless Tomorrow - The Crown of Creation
R. L. Shant (1938-) - What Should I Talk of? - The First Lesson		Ghulam Nabi Shakir (1935-) - Adam and Eve
Gulshan Majid (1949-) - He		Shafi Shauq - A Child in the Rain

Introduction and translation from the Kashmiri by M. Siddiq Beig

A BOOK OF KASHMIRI SHORT STORIES 
Copyright © 1997 by PEN Productions 
All rights reserved

PEN PRODUCTIONS 
GULAB BAGH, NASEEM BAGH, 
SRINAGAR, (J. K), 1997

Printed at: Crown Printing Press. Batmaloo, Srinagar, Kashmir
Computer Typeset at: Gulmarg Computronics 
Cover Design and layout: B.Q Zaman