WHO would have thought that this frail woman sitting in a room at her residence had, only a few years ago, created a stir in the otherwise stagnant cultural life of Karachi? Author of half a dozen books including collections of short stories, poems and the translation of a novel originally written in Bangla, Saeeda Gazdar has no pretensions about herself.
Unlike some writers and poets, she is extremely modest and does not beat her own drum to draw the attention of critics. But there has always been something quite remarkable about her personality which distinguishes her from others. She is averse to the idea of making compromises on issues that are dear to her heart.
A fearless writer, many people are offended by her frankness. They do not judge her on the basis of her creativity but are misled by her appearance and her utterances.
I often wonder why she had to choose Shahidullah Kaiser's famous novel to translate into Urdu. Maybe she was charmed by the unruly waves of mighty rivers and the hazardous lives of those men and women who tame the violent forces of nature. Or, she might have discovered some unseen linkage between the virulent waves and the emotions buried in her heart.
Coming from Allahabad, the seat of Urdu culture in North India after Delhi and Lucknow, Saeeda Gazdar knew that her stay in the deserts of Sindh may not be very palatable. But her restless soul defied all apprehensions and she chose to make Sindh her second home.
She imbibed within her all the virtues of a life riddled with problems and that may be one of the reasons why she selected Mushtaq Gazdar as her life partner. Her love and admiration for Sindh and, of course, Pakistan cannot be measured by any scale.
I was once at the couple's residence when they took me to a room on the ground floor of their house which has been improvised into a studio.
Saeeda warned me that I was about to see something which I had not witnessed before. The screen showed roaring planes bombing and destroying small hutments. The bombs were not falling on enemy territory but our own country, and the operation had been launched against our own countrymen and women who had refused to yield to the dictates of self-styled rulers. It was the heyday of the MRD (Movement for the Restoration of Democracy).
In his foreword to Saeeda's translation of Sarang Bau (Urdu title Mallah ki Biwi), M.J. Zahedi, former secretary general of the Pakistan Writers' Guild, paid glowing tributes to the Bangla author Shahidullah Kaiser who was his long-time friend and with whom he had shared many sorrows and joys.
In those days of uncertainty, when the future appeared a distant dream, Kaiser remained steadfast in his commitment to the cause and in the end he paid for it with his life.
Perhaps this explains why Saeeda chose to translate his novel into Urdu to convey to readers that life is not a bed of roses and change can occur only through great sacrifices.
Saeeda's poems may not conform to the parameters that have been crafted to judge the merit of poets, but if poetry has anything to do with genuine emotions, then her poems truly represent the feelings of a tortured soul.
A rebel since childhood, she refuses to surrender before the dictates of self-styled critics. As a poet, she demolishes the barriers that stand between genuine feelings and worldly considerations.
Among her creative writings are Mallah ki Biwi, Aag Gulistan na Bani, Aadhi Gawahi, Tauq-o-Daar ka Mausam and Zanjeer-i-Roz-o-Shab. In addition, she has contributed thought-provoking articles in various literary journals and edited the literary journal Pakistani Adab for several years. She has also made precious contributions to the efforts of her husband in editing and producing videos and films that angered the establishment.
Today this spirited writer and revolutionary poet is almost bedridden. A debilitating disease has sapped all her energy and initiative. But her bright eyes still convey the message of determination and hope.
