Mantosmusings

What women want: Manto on eve teasing and flirting

Trust Manto to take up a subject as unusual as the forcible interaction between sexes - what we call eve-teasing and molestation in India - and write this long essay on it.

Partition of India: Manto on why Pak never stopped being violent

Manto thought the violent forces that had been unleashed during that period would remain in Pakistan's society, damaging it. In this piece he tells us the country would become increasingly violent unless the matter was taken up.

Business of blasphemy: Manto on Pakistan's colourless future

Manto sketches an apocalyptic, Mad Max-type future for Pakistan in this essay, as he began to recognise its Orwellian trajectory. Who can say he had it wrong?

Cigarette snatchers: Manto on the spoils of World War II

During World War II, the Army had been expanded and used to consume vast quantities of foodstuffs. These were rationed across India, as also were cigarettes, which now had to be got from the black market. Manto here talks about people who bummed cigarettes off him.

Hindi or Urdu? Manto on post-independence language wars

As the freedom movement took off, so did a dispute between what the official language of India would be. Some said Hindi because it was spoken by more people, others said Urdu because much of the law and history was in it. Manto found the whole thing stupid as this piece shows.

From pillow to pistol: Manto on the meaning of 'deterrence'

Saadat Hasan Manto lived through World War II and his most productive writing years in India were 1939-1945. This was the period where nations had converted industrial factories into armaments producing units.

The frivolities of justice: Manto on the court of law

Manto was tried several times for obscenity in British India, but it was only after independence that his legal troubles sent him into despair. The essay he mentions as causing him the most trouble is called Thanda Gosht, and is about necrophilia during a riot.

Manto on the violence that trailed Quit India Movement

Manto was probably the best observer of communal violence in Bombay. In this piece, he writes of the mayhem that came to the city during the Quit India Movement.

Manto on the chaos that was the Partition of India

We are fortunate that Manto brought his skills as a writer and an obserer to the days of Partition in Bombay. Manto then tells us, through his experiences in Pakistan, how silly the whole enterprise is.

Of bad luck and spring cleaning: Manto on his wedding

In this, the final episode of the story of his wedding, Manto tells us how he eventually crosses the line. Watch out for the personalities who play a part in this drama. Most are now forgotten, but in their day they were giants of Indian cinema.