‘Smoke without Fire’: Author reminisces about childhood spent in Delhi

The book was jointly published in India and Pakistan and was inaugurated in Delhi on March 27, 2012.


Our Correspondent April 01, 2015
The book is based on the childhood and teenage memories of the author. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: Delhi is not a city but a whole tradition, said Abdul Rehman Siddiqui at the inauguration ceremony of his book, titled 'Smoke without Fire', on Tuesday evening at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi.

"My book highlights the small and simple things that affect one's life," he said, adding that the book reflected on the bonds shared among fathers, brothers and neighbours at that time.



Reminiscing about his childhood in Delhi, he told The Express Tribune that there was no electricity, water or toilets when he was six years old and used to play on the unpaved streets of Delhi. According to him, the book does not read like a history memoir; it is an engaging narrative instead.

The author has divided the book into two parts: the first depicts the events that took place after the 1857 War of Independence while the second reflects Siddiqui's memories from pre-Partition life in Delhi.

The book is based on the childhood and teenage memories of the author. According to writer Ghazi Salahuddin, it narrates how he used to play in the streets of Delhi, describes his favourite food at the market restaurants of the historic city and the memorable time he spent with friends at college. The book was jointly published in India and Pakistan. It was launched in Delhi on March 27, 2012.

Complimenting Siddiqui on his effort and writing, Salahuddin recited Mir Taqi Mir's verse: "Dekh to dil ke jaan se uthta hai, yeh dhuan sa kahan se uthta hai" [See if this rising smoke is coming out of my heart or is it from the soul I have?]



Salahuddin said that memories of living legends, such as Siddiqui, are inexplicably remarkable. "We are blessed that people like him are there to narrate their stories," he said, praising how well the author remembered each and every moment of his life despite being 90 years old.

According to Salahuddin, the book describes how life changes for a person. He talked about how Siddiqui has described the charisma of Mohammad Ali Jinnah and how and why he accepted East Pakistan, situated 1,000 miles away, as part of the country.

"Reading thousands of books on history cannot recreate that image of Delhi in your mind that an hour-long dialogue with the living history can," he said. "Siddiqui sahib is a living history. He has written this book after 67 years of Independence, but the pain and marks of Independence are still the same as they were in 1947 when he left his hometown, Delhi, at the age of 23.

According to Karachi University Pakistan Study Centre director Prof Dr Jaffar Ahmed, Siddiqui has dedicated a considerable part of the book to his childhood. "History is never of a country but of people, cultures and trends in those countries."

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2nd, 2015.

 

COMMENTS (1)

Fazli Azeem | 8 years ago | Reply Where can we purchase this book from, in Karachi?
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