Abstract:

Mujtaba Hussain’s essay on the renowned Urdu writer Awaz Sayeed offers a personal and literary reflection on Sayeed’s unique style and character. Hussain begins by highlighting the challenge of writing about a man as noble and virtuous as Awaz Sayeed, noting that his own literary sketches typically focus on individuals with more complex or flawed personalities. He describes his acquaintance with Sayeed as respectful yet never fully intimate, likening Sayeed’s presence to the iconic Charminar of Hyderabad—visible and significant, yet never fully accessible.

The essay delves into the literary environment of Hyderabad, emphasising the rarity of writers like Sayeed, whose originality and authenticity are not products of the local milieu but of his distinct personality. Hussain recounts anecdotes from his interactions with Sayeed and their mutual friends, illustrating Sayeed’s subtle sense of humour, humility, and the understated strength of his character.

Hussain analyses Sayeed’s evolution as a writer, noting that his early stories aimed to shock the reader, while his later works matured into more nuanced narratives that no longer relied on surprise but rather on depth and authenticity. He praises Sayeed’s skill in writing literary sketches (portraits), particularly admiring the honesty and insight in his depictions of contemporaries like Waheed Akhtar, Alam Khundmeri, and Om Prakash Nirmal. Hussain contrasts his own approach to sketch writing with Sayeed’s, acknowledging the latter’s ability to reveal hidden facets of personalities with remarkable fidelity.

The essay concludes with Hussain’s appreciation for Sayeed’s contribution to Urdu literature, especially his role in documenting the cultural and intellectual life of Hyderabad through his sketches. Hussain expresses a singular regret that Sayeed did not write a sketch of their mutual friend Shaz Tamkant, suggesting that true familiarity sometimes precludes literary portrayal. Ultimately, the essay stands as both a tribute to Awaz Sayeed’s literary artistry and a meditation on the challenges of capturing the essence of a truly noble individual in words.

Go back to the Urdu article.