Bano Qudsia
Encyclopedia
Bano Qudsia (born 1928) is a writer
, intellectual
, playwright
and spiritualist from Pakistan
who wrote Urdu
novel
s and short stories
regarded among the best Urdu novelists and short story writers of modern times.She is best known for her novel Raja Gidh
.She has written for television
and stage in both the Urdu and Punjabi
languages. Bano Qudsia is recognized as a trendsetter in the realm of television plays. Some of them gained immense popularity across the border because of their vitality, warmth and courage. Strife is one word she would like to banish from the dictionary. She attributes the hostilities raging across the world to the Intolerance and selfishness of the human race. She was married to novelist Ashfaq Ahmed
. She has written television plays. She was awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 2003 and the Hilal-e-Imtiaz in 2010.
during the Partition of India
. Her father, a landlord
with a Bachelor's degree
in agriculture
, died when she was young. She attended school in Dharamsala
in eastern India before moving to Lahore. Her mother, Mrs. Chattah, was an educator. She married novelist Ashfaq Ahmed
.
in Lahore. In 1951, she completed her M.A.
degree in Urdu
from the Government College Lahore.
Her plays include Tamasil, Hawa key Naam, Seharay and Khaleej. The plight of women and other socio-economic issues have often been the subject of her television serials. The Graduate Award for Best Playwright was conferred on Bano in 1986, followed by the same award for three consecutive years from 1988 to 1990. In 1986, she was also given the Taj Award for Best Playwright.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and spiritualist from Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
who wrote Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s and short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
regarded among the best Urdu novelists and short story writers of modern times.She is best known for her novel Raja Gidh
Raja Gidh
Raja Gidh by Bano Qudsia is one of the most widely read and acclaimed Urdu novels. Gidh is the Urdu word for a vulture and Raja is a Hindi synonym for king. The name anticipates the kingdom of vultures. In fact, parallel to the main plot of the novel, an allegorical story of such a kingdom is...
.She has written for television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and stage in both the Urdu and Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
languages. Bano Qudsia is recognized as a trendsetter in the realm of television plays. Some of them gained immense popularity across the border because of their vitality, warmth and courage. Strife is one word she would like to banish from the dictionary. She attributes the hostilities raging across the world to the Intolerance and selfishness of the human race. She was married to novelist Ashfaq Ahmed
Ashfaq Ahmed
For disambiguation also see Ashfaq Ahmad, Ishfaq Ahmed and Ishfaq AhmadAshfaq Ahmed, PP, SI was a distinguished writer, playwright, broadcaster, intellectual and spiritualist from Pakistan. His prime qualities of heart and hand earned appreciations across the world...
. She has written television plays. She was awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 2003 and the Hilal-e-Imtiaz in 2010.
Life
Qudsia moved with her family to LahoreLahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
during the Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
. Her father, a landlord
Landlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
with a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, died when she was young. She attended school in Dharamsala
Dharamsala
Dharamshala or Dharamsala is a city in northern India. It was formerly known as Bhagsu; it is the winter seat of government of the state of Himachal Pradesh and the district headquarters of the Kangra district....
in eastern India before moving to Lahore. Her mother, Mrs. Chattah, was an educator. She married novelist Ashfaq Ahmed
Ashfaq Ahmed
For disambiguation also see Ashfaq Ahmad, Ishfaq Ahmed and Ishfaq AhmadAshfaq Ahmed, PP, SI was a distinguished writer, playwright, broadcaster, intellectual and spiritualist from Pakistan. His prime qualities of heart and hand earned appreciations across the world...
.
Education
She wrote for college magazines and other journals. She graduated from Kinnaird CollegeKinnaird College
Kinnaird College for Women is a college in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is partially semi- government institute recognized by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.-Early history:...
in Lahore. In 1951, she completed her M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
from the Government College Lahore.
Works and Honors
She wrote numerous short stories, novelettes, television and radio plays, and stage plays. Her short stories include Baz Gasht, Amar Bail, Doosra Darwaza and Twajju ki Talib. She wrote the novel Raja Gidh which builds around the symbol of a vulture, a bird of prey, that feeds on dead flesh and carcasses with the premise that indulgence in the forbidden leads to physical and mental degeneration.Her plays include Tamasil, Hawa key Naam, Seharay and Khaleej. The plight of women and other socio-economic issues have often been the subject of her television serials. The Graduate Award for Best Playwright was conferred on Bano in 1986, followed by the same award for three consecutive years from 1988 to 1990. In 1986, she was also given the Taj Award for Best Playwright.
Books
- Aatish Zeir Pa
- Adhi Baat
- Aik Din
- Amr Bail
- Assey Passey
- Bazgasht
- Chahar Chaman
- Dast Basta
- Dosra Darwaza
- Dusra Qadam
- Foot Path Ki Ghaas
- Haasil GhaatHaasil GhaatHasil Ghaat is a novel by Bano Qudsia. Though there is some controversy as to whether this book be classified as a novel or not, there is no doubt in the richness of the book. Sometimes the book appears to be a collection of scattered mystic thoughts...
, Read online - Hawwa Key Naam
- Kuch Aur Nahi
- Marde Abresham
- Maum Ki Gallian
- Naqabal e Zikr
- Piya Naam Ka Diya
- Purwa
- Purwa and Aik Din
- Raja GidhRaja GidhRaja Gidh by Bano Qudsia is one of the most widely read and acclaimed Urdu novels. Gidh is the Urdu word for a vulture and Raja is a Hindi synonym for king. The name anticipates the kingdom of vultures. In fact, parallel to the main plot of the novel, an allegorical story of such a kingdom is...
, Read online - Saman-e-Wajood
- Shehr-e-bemisaal
- Sudhraan
- Suraj Mukhi
- Tamaseel
- Tawjha Ki Talib
- Dastan Sarei, forthcoming