K.A. Abbas
KHWAJA AHMAD ABBAS (1914-1987), a noted progressive hilingual (English, Urdu) writer, journalist, filmmaker and critic, is known for his radical views on life in his short stories and novels. He wrote the scripts of some of the widely acclaimed films such as Awara, Shree 420, Mera Nam Joker and Munna the first songless film in India. His works depict the Indian political wene during the nineteen twenties and thirties. Nationalism, leftism, denunciation of fascism, untouchability and Gandhiun values are major concerns in his works. A committed journalist, Abbas remained the editor of the popular weekly, the Blitz for 30 years. His collections of Short stories include Rice and other stories (1947), Cages of Freedom and other Stories (1947), One Thousand Nights on a Bed of Stones and other Stories (1957) and the Black Sun and Other Stories (1963). His important novels are Tomorrow is Ours: A Novel of the India of Today (1943) and Inquilab A Novel of the Indian Revolution (1955). In addition to Barrister At- Law: a Play About the Early life of Mahatma Gandhi (1947), Abbas has written two autobiographies- I Write as I feel (1948), and I Am not an Island (1976):
Cold Wave
In the dense fog, thought Baldeo, the lights of Connaught Place are like yellow leprous sores on the dark face of night. Then he became aware of a tremulous litany that was barely audible above the silky swish of the cold night breeze.
2 An old beggar, huddled in a comer with his bundle of rags, was whining in the mendicant's familiar monotone. "This accursed cold is killing me, baba. Give a blanket to a helpless old man, baba. May Bhagwan bless you and your children, baba." And because he was blind he did not know that Connaught Place lay deserted in the cold and fogy night like a doomed, dead city. There was not a soul to be seen
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