A voice from Scandinavia

(A tentative note about Sain Sucha’s literature: By Dr. Saadat Saeed Ankara University Turkey)

 

I congratulate you on choosing a great self made man Sian Sucha as distinguished guest. I have many links to share with him. He was born in Sahiwal and latter shifted to Mazang Lahore. I was born in Saadi Park Mazang Lahore and lived in Sahiwal for several early years of my life. He joined govt college Lahore and Islamia college Lahore as student I joined these colleges as teacher for thirty long years.

My friend Mustansar Hussain Tarrar in his maiden travelogue has given friendly remarks about Mushtaq Ahmad whose pen name now is Sain Sucha. This was my first introduction with him. Latter I met him several times in Norway and Sweden by the courtesy of our common friends Saeed Anjum, Nasar Malik and Dr. Parveiz Parwazi Sahib. I remember we discussed many crucial problems, which were ruining the morality of contemporary worlds I mean first world, second world and third world. His attitude towards these problems was philosophical. He inspired me a lot. His progressive outlook is beyond doubt. That is why he has translated into Swedish many poems by Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Ahmad Fraz and another forgotten progressive poet Sahir Ludhihanvi. These three poets craved for the better life for the people who were called wretched of earth by Franz Fanon. His experiences of various fields of life as writer, intellectual, Labourer, Research Chemist, Car Assembler, Book Salesman, Photographer, Disc Jockey, Club Master, Importer, Taxi Driver and Publisher e have given him an edge over his contemporary writers.

As for as the matters of principles are concerned Sain Sucha is frank and bold enough in having clashes even with friends. His ideas on racism and rigidity are very clear. He has depicted those in Roots of misery   and Search for identity. He truly has pointed out “I had the opportunity of meeting youth from ninety-two different countries. I discovered that our apparent differences were limited to our sight; but once one crossed that border and went beyond visual perception then we all longed for mutual understanding, companionship and affection.”

After reading Sian Sucha’s short stories and articles in books entitled  Chutkian and Sochain, readers become certain of  his committed  love for socialism, democracy, humanism and existentialism.

I know Sain Such is sensitive about writing in one’s mother tongue. During 1992 to 1994 when I was in charge of weekly Art and Literature Page of The News International Lahore I published his article about this sensitive issue. In Pakistani Punjab many people have sacrificed their mother tongue rightly or wrongly proclaiming that they want to promote Urdu language which culturally have solid links with their past. In Punjab most of the writers love to write in Urdu. I think he principally is right to claim that linguistic affinity plays a prime role for achieving any kind of emotional nearness.

Sian Sucha’s services for the promotion of Urdu writings abroad are above board. Besides translations from prominent Urdu poets into English and Swedish he has introduced many Urdu short story and fiction writers to the western readers. In this connection “one should not forget to read his books entitled “Discourses with IT” Search for Identity” “A Broken Man translation of Khalid Sohail’s novel Toota huwa Aadmi”,  “Chutkian” “Sochain”,  “Reflections”, and Urdu prose writers of twentieth century in the west.

Sian Sucha’ style of writing is frank and bold. He is not fond of making his prose a kind of puzzle. His simplicity contains philosophical depth. I admire his idealistic approach towards humanity and current situations in the world. For me idealism provides food for thought. He and we all need peaceful world around us.

I don’t know Swedish but due to Sain Sucha’s artistic capabilities I can imagine he can definitely transmit the quality of original texts into the second language. 

 He faithfully can recreate in his translations original conceptions and emotional contexts. His critical approach guides him in the matters concerning originality in literature.