Lahore, Pakistan: “Histories are written under subjugation and only powerful and rich are portrayed as heroes and poor and powerless are depicted as villains because documentation of events had been under the control of rulers and subjugators”
This was observed by experts and participants while commenting at a virtual discussion to review “Madho LAL Hussain: Lahore Di Vale” written by Nain Sukh.
The discussion was arranged by Lyallpur Young Historians Club Reading Room on June 12, 2021. The discussion was moderated by Tohid Chattha of the Young Historians Club Reading Room. Scholars were of the view that Prof Nain Sukh while breaking the western rules of storytelling and had documented the oral tradition and oral history of Lahore. “Madho LAL Hussain: Lahore Di Vale” cannot be considered just a fiction work rather writer had talked about several real characters and told the reader how did Lahore change by vagabonds, mafias, power-seekers but Lahore had so strong cultural foundation that its culture somehow or other survived and it did not bow down completely to oppressors.
“Madho LAL Hussain: Lahore Di Vale” by Nain Sukh had won “Dhahan Award for Punjabi Literature” in 2015.
By profession, Nain Sukh is an advocate and currently working as Professor at the Institute of Art and Culture, Lahore.
He has written several books and his prominent works include ‘Madho Lal Hussain’ (a Novel), ‘Dharti Punj Daryai’ (history research book), four Short Stories Books including “Shaheed”.
Guest Reviewers of Dr. Pawan Tibba (Patiala, India), Shazia Anwer Cheema (Prague, Czech Republic), Mariam Dogar (Lahore), Prof Naveed Alam (Lahore), and Prof Zubair Ahmad (Lahore) expressed their views over the book under review.
Shazia Anwer Cheema is an expert on public diplomacy and a Fine and Performing Art Critic. She is a Ph.D. Scholar of Punjabi Theater at Charles University Prague. She heads DND Thought Centre that is a platform of Public Diplomacy. Prof Zubair Ahmad is retired as Associate Professor of English from old Islamia College, Lahore and he had authored six books. Prof. Naveed Alam, has been the teacher of creative writing in LUMS, BNU, NCA & IAC. He has published two books of poetry, one in English and the other in Punjabi. He has translated the Punjabi poetry of Shah Hussain, Nasreen Anjum Bhatti, and Sara Shagufta into English. Dr. Pawan Tibba, is a Lecturer, Northern Regional Language Centre, Punjabi University Campus, PATIALA, India. He has translated Saadat Hassan Manto’s character sketches “LOUDSPEAKER”.
Shazia Cheema was of the view that histories are written by powerful and poor had never been placed as heroes in history because historians had been historians for Kings and of the Kings.
She stated that rules defined by Historiography are made by western experts who always discourage documentation of the oral and traditional history of lands under their subjugation, therefore, commanding the rules of their own choice. She was of the view documentation of Punjabi oral history is not possible according to western rules of Historiography because western parameters discourage Oral tradition, folklore, and traditional storytelling. She appreciated the writer to break the rule and gave a new genre of documentation of traditional history.
Writer Nain Sukh was of the view that he is not afraid of rules imposed by invaders to document the history of their own choice and he has given an opportunity to readers to decide whether his work is fiction or documented history of Lahore by using several characters spreading over a period of several centuries.
