EP13: Shayad Kahani Banta Desh By Noor Zaheer

A short story in Hindi, ‘Shayad Kahani Banta Desh’ by Noor Zaheer, though based in London, takes its protagonists into the heart of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Palestine. The Cineink podcast series Britain: Hindi Kahani is presented by renowned Hindi broadcaster Achala Sharma. Based in London, Noor Zaheer is a highly acclaimed short story writer, novelist, playwright and translator who writes with equal mastery in Hindi, English and Urdu. In this episode, she reads her latest Hindi short story, ‘Shayad Kahani Banta Desh’.A widely published and award-winning author, her major works include the memoir Mere Hisse Ki Roshnai(winner of the Delhi Hindi Akademi Kritii Samman), the short story collections Ret Par Khoon, Khamosh Pahadand Sulagte Jungle, the novels Barh Uriyye, My God is a Woman and An Indian Fantasy, as well as the powerful non-fiction book Denied by Allah, which examines the Muslim community’s struggle with triple talaq, halala, mutah and khula. Her other notable titles include the travelogues Surkh Karwan Ke Hamsafar and At Home in Enemy Land, the research work The Dancing Lama on Buddhist performing arts, and several plays — including four full-length dramas and twenty-four plays for children. She has also written a biography of Faiz Ahmed Faiz titled Aaj Ke Naam and has compiled and translated early women’s writing from Urdu into English. Noor Zaheer’s research explores Buddhist, tribal and oral traditions of the north-western Himalayas. Her recent collection Sayani Diwani brings together her latest short stories in Hindi.The series is produced by Pervaiz Alam.