Pandit Ratnath Sarshar (1846-1903) was not only a witness to the declining Muslim Lucknowi civilization but also an excellent surgeon of its virtues and shortcomings. He himself was a Kashmiri Hindu Pandit but was an authority on Lucknowi civilization, Urdu, Persian and Muslim history and culture. His masterpiece novel “Fasana-e-Azad” not only sheds light on new experiences in Urdu literature but also exposes the political, social and economic problems of his time. The two characters in this novel, Azad and Khoji, represent two opposing thoughts of society. Azad is truly a free man and openly expresses his opinion, while Khoji, like the declining civilization, has become dwarfed in height, is weak in body and has become old in age but still reflects on the greatness of a thousand years. Pandit Ratnath, the creator of the characters of Azad and Khoji, died in 1903 in Hyderabad Deccan. After sleeping in “heaven” for 122 years, when he opened his eyes, he sent the characters of the story Azad and Khoji to the land of contradictions. When they both arrived here, what they saw can be guessed from the dialogue between the two.

Azad (to Khoji) Hey Mian, look, everything has changed in a hundred years, earlier palanquins were used, the Kahars used to carry them, now motorbikes are plying on the roads. When the greatest king of India, Akbar the Great, used to go to Kashmir from Fatehpur Sikri, it used to take him several months to travel, now these fancy motorbikes take him from one city to another in the blink of an eye. Look at the clothes of the people, we used to wear tunics, now every boy and girl and every lady is wearing western clothes and jeans, where is Wilayat and where is Sargodha, where is Chakwal, all have become one. What did the poor starve to death earlier, now no one dies of starvation. Everything has changed, Khoji, everything has changed.

Khoji (to Azad) Hey Mian Azad, nothing has changed, wearing clothes or sitting in motor cars does not change thoughts or thinking. The minds of the people of the paradoxes are the same thousands of years old, they are still intoxicated with their own greatness, they wear jeans but in their dreams they wield swords wearing an Arabic turban, they ride in motor cars but in their imaginations they conquer Europe by racing horses.

Azad (from Khoji) All these are victims of a distorted mind, if the world changes, they should also change their dreams and thoughts. Israel is blowing up brave leaders one by one with artificial intelligence and they are still stuck in the age of arrows and swords. Earlier wars were fought on the strength of bravery and strength, today technology and planning are the real thing. The entire Al-Qaeda fell victim to drones operated without pilots, the era was afraid of their names, but the nameless and unmanned drones turned them into dust in the blink of an eye. Those who do not keep up with the times disappear, if technology and education are not adopted, I see only destruction.

Khoji (to Azad) Mian Azad, you neither liked the old days nor do you like them today. You have not put anything in science and technology. In fact, our faith is weak. If faith is strong, one can fight even without a sword, soldier. It was the same country of contradictions that defeated superpowers like Russia once in Afghanistan and the second time in America. It was the same country of contradictions that had been bloodily invading India, which is four times bigger than itself, for 75 years. It was the same country of contradictions that had made a superpower like America helpless with its cleverness and cunning. America was blindfolded in such a way that it did not even realize it, and the country of contradictions successfully built its own nuclear program and missile system inside.

Azad (to Khoji) Mian, the people of Kondistan have shrunk in stature, become dwarfs and dwarfs, old age has come but they still do not stop boasting, the economy has been destroyed, if they do not get loans, they will default, everything from needles to cars comes from abroad, neither industries are running nor capital is coming in. Enmity with India, a state of war with Afghanistan, a secret conflict with Iran, the situation with China is also not enviable. In such a situation, if there is no hopelessness about Kondistan, what will happen?

Khoji (freely) The geography of Afghanistan is its economic and defense guarantee. What is there to be despair about? The US is currently busy with its own internal affairs. It will need Afghanistan’s help in dealing with Afghanistan. Be it a conflict with Iran, trade relations with India, or a policy of containing China, Afghanistan will be important in every case.

Azad (to Khoji) Khoji Mian, you used to fly without wings even a hundred years ago, you are still the same, you are the same from the inside, look at the land of contradictions, the traffic here is chaotic, the order and order here is ruined, the politics here is abusive, if you want to look at any country, you can see how the traffic of this country is, how conscious the leaders of this country are, look at the leadership here, it seems to be ready to fight with the thinking of centuries ago all the time, even if it is ready to negotiate, it does not show flexibility. Until they change their thoughts, do not adapt to the new era, do not come towards reconciliation and peace-loving foreign policy, do not change their economic priorities, I do not see a bright future for them.

Khoji (to Azad) Azad Mian, you were a Qanuti before, you are still a Qanuti today, I was a Rajai before and I am still a Rajai today. This country, Kondistan, was built by the special grace of God, the shadow of the elders still remains on it, this country has been established by God, from here Islam is to spread throughout the world, Kondistan is the only country in the Islamic world whose nuclear program is striking in the eyes of the whole world, its missiles fly intercontinentally, no enemy can look at it with a malicious eye.

Azad (from Khoji) This is the modern world. Evil spells do not put worms in the enemy’s cannons. Prayers do not change the situation. You have to try. Come out of dreams, illusions and false hopes and you will come to know the bitter truths.

Khoji (freely) is built to survive in contradictions. This dream is his only support, and his ambitions will bring him victory.