ABSTRACT
The afsancha, variously called the short short story or flash fiction (also mini or micro fiction), was a new introduction to modern Urdu fiction in the 1940s. Joginder Paul is known to have done pioneering work in this genre, having created little nuggets of thought and craft, literally capsule fiction. With him the form assumed greater literary heights and was recognised as one with all other literary writings. His literary oeuvre has four such collections, Silvatein (1975); Katha Nagar (1986); Parindey (2000); and Nahin Rahman Babu (2005). These are not reportages, or comments, but gems of philosophical fictional explorations of the human condition in a very condensed form. Paul’s main inspiration and intention in experimenting with this form was to use ideas and contexts which lent themselves easily to being told as tales in very few lines. He was convinced that in spite of their brevity and quick-flash quality, they were complete in themselves, and extremely engaging to their readers. He wanted to write micro-stories with some, perhaps even many, of the themes that he had used in his longer fiction. He felt that if the stories seemed complete, then the writer should not feel burdened to use more words than necessary, and that he should not impose upon himself the task of whipping up a sentiment beyond measure. Two of his best known and touching afsanche are presented in this volume, “The Settled People” on the man–woman relationship that Paul links inextricably with fiction writing, and “Kargil” on the senselessness and futility of war.
