Short Fiction By Dr Shamim Mari

 

Dr. Shamim Mari is known as the bold writer of Sindhi language. She depicts problems of women in Sindh in her fiction. She has become a strong voice for women’s rights in recent time. She is PhD. In 2017, she was invited as a speaker in Ted Talks, USA, while she was a fellow of Acumen Pakistan (chapter) in 2015. In 2019, she got the best fiction writer award and woman role model award.

Dr. Mari was also given award for her social activities in her hometown Mirpur Khas. Her stories are self-explanatory of sexual and gender issues of girls and women which they face from cradle to grave in rigid conservative societies Pakistan.

The collection of her short stories and fiction titled “Meeran Jogan” was published in 2018, by Kanwal Publication, Kamber.

         Short Fiction of Dr Mari (Translated from Sindhi):

                               Tradition:

Haji Sahib was a renowned personality in the village; he was respected by everyone including men, women and children. Being a respected personality he was also imam of village mosque. Everyone used to come to him for solutions of social as well as religious problems.

He not only observed prayers and fasting regularly, but also strictly followed the traditions of the Prophet. Because those traditions involved the favors of the Prophet and following the traditions was the way to redemption.

He never used to wear any other color besides white; as it too was a tradition (of the Prophet).

Just yesterday, Haji Sahib became furious with his son. He was so much angry that had his wife not pleaded him to let the son go; he’d have disowned him.

The reason behind that sudden anger….

Yesterday, his son returned home with his second wife…a widow. Haji Sahib had no problems with the second marriage… It was difficult to tie men and horses to one hook!

But he was burning inside because his son had married a widow.

What would the people say: wasn’t there any suitable girl in the whole area so that Haji Sahib’s son married a widow….! That was an unworthy act….

But no one in the village dared to tell Haji Sahib that marrying a widow was also a tradition (of Prophet).

  

                            Heathen:

Her husband was continuously abusing the son, he was angry on his son because he’d denounced the religious life. He was neither interested in prayers nor in fasting. He passed his whole day in evil; watching movies and listening to the music.

When his anger was unbearable he glancing at his wife shouted on his son:

“You sister-fucker you are a heathen….you don’t seem to be offspring of a faithful.”

  Though the son left the house without paying any attention to his father’s abuse. But those words broke the heart of the wife; she felt her heart had come to her mouth. She felt someone had revealed her secret. She entered the dirty narrow lane of her past… She remembered that she bore this son in those days when she had to visit the offices of high officials for  promotion and unfortunately the officer was not a Muslim…!

                  Glow:

Listen…

Yes!

When I saw you in the morning your face looked dull and now suddenly it has such a glow…! What have you done?

Nothing….

Had you gone to parlor?

No.

Then what have you done, there’s no one else in the party whose face is as glowing as yours?

I have just returned from having a good time with my lover…!

     (This short fiction is translated from book “Meeran Jogan”)