"Toba Tek Singh" (Urdu: ٹوبہ ٹیک سنگھALA-LC: Ṭobah Țek Siṉgh IPA: [ʈoːbəh ʈeːk sɪŋɡʱ]) is a short story written by Saadat Hasan Manto and published in 1955. It follows inmates in a Lahore asylum, some of whom are to be transferred to India following the 1947 Partition. According to a personal essay hosted at Columbia University by a scholar-in-training of Urdu literature, the story is a "powerful satire" on the relationship between India and Pakistan.[1]
The story is set two or three years after the 1947 partition, when the governments of India and Pakistan decided to exchange some Muslim, Sikh and Hindu lunatics, and revolves around Bishan Singh, a Sikh inmate of an asylum in Lahore, who is from the town of Toba Tek Singh. As part of the exchange, Bishan Singh is sent under police escort to India, but upon being told that his hometown Toba Tek Singh is in Pakistan, he refuses to go. The story ends with Bishan lying down in the no man's land between the two barbed wire fences: "There, behind barbed wire, was Hindustan. Here, behind the same kind of barbed wire, was Pakistan. In between, on that piece of ground that had no name, lay Toba Tek Singh."[2]
Bishan Singh's mutterings
In the story, whenever Bishan Singh gets irritated he mutters or shouts a mix of Punjabi, Urdu and English which, though nonsensical, is indirectly pejorative of both India and Pakistan. For instance, "Upar di gur gur di annexe di bedhiyana di moong di daal of di Pakistan and Hindustan of di durr phitey mun", which means: "The inattention of the annexe of the rumbling upstairs of the dal of moong of the Pakistan and India of the go to bloody hell!"[3][4]
Adaptations
A film based on a play adaptation of this story was made in 2005 by Afia Nathaniel.[5] A short film named Toba Tek Singh was released in 2018 in India. This film is directed by Ketan Mehta.[6]
In popular culture
On the sixtieth anniversary of Partition, the Pakistani theatre group Ajoka, as part of a series of plays and performances, performed a play adaptation in India. It was described as a "commentary on the state of affairs between the two countries, where sub-committees, committees and ministerial-level talks are the panacea for all problems".[7]
In 2017, Naatak, America's Biggest Indian Theater, staged[8] a grand musical based on the story. Staged at the Woodside Theater, with original music composed by Nachiketa Yakkundi of the RSV School of Music and dance choreographed by Shaira Bhan and Snigdha Singh of Dance Identity.[9] The musical was written and directed by Sujit Saraf and is available to stream anytime.[10]
In 2018, the British Broadcasting Corporation named the work among the 100 stories that shaped the world, alongside works by authors like Homer and Virginia Woolf.[11]
The 2018 biographical film Manto featured the popular rant of the main protagonist in Toba Tek Singh. It is one of the five short stories by Manto that are featured in the film.[12]
In 2020, British Pakistani rapper Riz Ahmed released a song titled "Toba Tek Singh" on his album A Long Goodbye, and there are multiple references in his film Mogul Mowgli.
References
^Toba Tek Singh - About the story - Columbia University website Retrieved 2 June 2021
^Saadat Hasan Manto (2006). Arif, Iftikhar; Khan, Mohammad Anwar; Siddiqui, Khurram Khiraam (eds.). Frances W. Pritchett (trans.). "Toba Tek Singh". Pakistani Literature. Islamabad: The Pakistan Academy of Letters. 11 (2): 83. (Translation available on-line on Pritchett's website)
^Clifford Chanin, Aili McConnon (January 2008), Blooming through the ashes: an international anthology on violence and the human spirit, Rutgers University Press, 2008, ISBN978-0-8135-4213-3, Bashan Singh walked away muttering: 'Upar di gur gur di annexe di bedhiyana di mung di daal of di Pakistan and Hindustan of di durr fitay munh!'
^Saadat Hasan Manto (2008), ٹوبہ ٹیک سنگھ (Toba Tek Singh), Four Corners, 2008, ISBN978-81-907633-5-6, اوپردی گڑگڑدی اینکس دی بےدھیانادی منگ دی وال دی پاکستان اینڈ ھندوستان آف دی درفٹےمنھ
An English translation from The South Asia Citizens Web.
A review of Saadat Hasan Manto's stories.
January 31, 2023
toba, singh, short, story, this, article, uses, bare, urls, which, uninformative, vulnerable, link, please, consider, converting, them, full, citations, ensure, article, remains, verifiable, maintains, consistent, citation, style, several, templates, tools, av. This article uses bare URLs which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot Please consider converting them to full citations to ensure the article remains verifiable and maintains a consistent citation style Several templates and tools are available to assist in formatting such as Reflinks documentation reFill documentation and Citation bot documentation August 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Toba Tek Singh Urdu ٹوبہ ٹیک سنگھ ALA LC Ṭobah Țek Sin gh IPA ʈoːbeh ʈeːk sɪŋɡʱ is a short story written by Saadat Hasan Manto and published in 1955 It follows inmates in a Lahore asylum some of whom are to be transferred to India following the 1947 Partition According to a personal essay hosted at Columbia University by a scholar in training of Urdu literature the story is a powerful satire on the relationship between India and Pakistan 1 Toba Tek Singh by Saadat Hasan MantoCountryPakistanLanguageUrduGenre s SatirePublication date1955 Contents 1 Plot summary 2 Bishan Singh s mutterings 3 Adaptations 4 In popular culture 5 References 6 External linksPlot summary EditThe story is set two or three years after the 1947 partition when the governments of India and Pakistan decided to exchange some Muslim Sikh and Hindu lunatics and revolves around Bishan Singh a Sikh inmate of an asylum in Lahore who is from the town of Toba Tek Singh As part of the exchange Bishan Singh is sent under police escort to India but upon being told that his hometown Toba Tek Singh is in Pakistan he refuses to go The story ends with Bishan lying down in the no man s land between the two barbed wire fences There behind barbed wire was Hindustan Here behind the same kind of barbed wire was Pakistan In between on that piece of ground that had no name lay Toba Tek Singh 2 Bishan Singh s mutterings EditIn the story whenever Bishan Singh gets irritated he mutters or shouts a mix of Punjabi Urdu and English which though nonsensical is indirectly pejorative of both India and Pakistan For instance Upar di gur gur di annexe di bedhiyana di moong di daal of di Pakistan and Hindustan of di durr phitey mun which means The inattention of the annexe of the rumbling upstairs of the dal of moong of the Pakistan and India of the go to bloody hell 3 4 Adaptations EditA film based on a play adaptation of this story was made in 2005 by Afia Nathaniel 5 A short film named Toba Tek Singh was released in 2018 in India This film is directed by Ketan Mehta 6 In popular culture EditOn the sixtieth anniversary of Partition the Pakistani theatre group Ajoka as part of a series of plays and performances performed a play adaptation in India It was described as a commentary on the state of affairs between the two countries where sub committees committees and ministerial level talks are the panacea for all problems 7 In 2017 Naatak America s Biggest Indian Theater staged 8 a grand musical based on the story Staged at the Woodside Theater with original music composed by Nachiketa Yakkundi of the RSV School of Music and dance choreographed by Shaira Bhan and Snigdha Singh of Dance Identity 9 The musical was written and directed by Sujit Saraf and is available to stream anytime 10 In 2018 the British Broadcasting Corporation named the work among the 100 stories that shaped the world alongside works by authors like Homer and Virginia Woolf 11 The 2018 biographical film Manto featured the popular rant of the main protagonist in Toba Tek Singh It is one of the five short stories by Manto that are featured in the film 12 In 2020 British Pakistani rapper Riz Ahmed released a song titled Toba Tek Singh on his album A Long Goodbye and there are multiple references in his film Mogul Mowgli References Edit Toba Tek Singh About the story Columbia University website Retrieved 2 June 2021 Saadat Hasan Manto 2006 Arif Iftikhar Khan Mohammad Anwar Siddiqui Khurram Khiraam eds Frances W Pritchett trans Toba Tek Singh Pakistani Literature Islamabad The Pakistan Academy of Letters 11 2 83 Translation available on line on Pritchett s website Clifford Chanin Aili McConnon January 2008 Blooming through the ashes an international anthology on violence and the human spirit Rutgers University Press 2008 ISBN 978 0 8135 4213 3 Bashan Singh walked away muttering Upar di gur gur di annexe di bedhiyana di mung di daal of di Pakistan and Hindustan of di durr fitay munh Saadat Hasan Manto 2008 ٹوبہ ٹیک سنگھ Toba Tek Singh Four Corners 2008 ISBN 978 81 907633 5 6 اوپردی گڑگڑدی اینکس دی بےدھیانادی منگ دی وال دی پاکستان اینڈ ھندوستان آف دی درفٹےمنھ Toba Tek Singh at IMDb Sudipta Datta 4 January 2020 Mottled Dawn by Saadat Hasan Manto The absurdity of violence The Hindu newspaper Retrieved 3 June 2021 Sangeetha Devi Dundoo 13 August 2020 Manto s musings on Partition The Hindu newspaper Retrieved 3 June 2021 https www naatak org portfolio toba tek singh 2017 Toba Tek Singh stage show http danceidentity com https www youtube com watch v i60rgGJmU4w Toba Tek Singh stage show on YouTube Published 22 September 2017 Retrieved 2 June 2021 Stories that shaped the world Literature The 100 stories that shaped the world BBC CULTURE website Retrieved 2 June 2021 Look who s playing Nawazuddin Siddiqui s friend in Manto DNA 25 February 2017 Retrieved 2 June 2021 External links Edit Literature portal Pakistan portalFrances W Pritchett s 2005 English translation An English translation from The South Asia Citizens Web A review of Saadat Hasan Manto s stories Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Toba Tek Singh short story amp oldid 1108106047, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
