Manto Saadaat hasan stories in english
Manto Saadat Hasan story in english “Phubha Bai”
Fubha Bai Saadat Hasan Manto
storyline
This is a story of a woman’s devotion, sacrifice and dedication. Phobha Bai lived and worked in Bombay, sent two hundred rupees every month to her son in Jaipur and visited him every three months. Unfortunately, that son dies and Phobha Bai’s entire existence is ruined.
When Shahab came from Hyderabad, he said to Hanif as soon as he stepped on the platform of Bombay Central Station, “Look brother, that matter will definitely happen this evening, otherwise remember, I will go back.”
Hanif knew what the matter was. So in the evening he took a taxi and took Shahab along. Called a broker at the Grant Road checkpoint and told him, “My friends have come from Hyderabad. They need a good daughter.”
The broker took out the discarded beedi from his ear and pressed it to his lips and said, “Will Deccani work?”
Hanif looked at Shahab with questioning eyes. Shahab said, “No brother… I want a Muslim.”
“Muslim?” The broker sucked the beedi, “Come on.” And saying this he sat on the front seat of the taxi. He said something to the driver, the taxi started and passed through various markets and entered the street next to Forget Street, which was on a hill. It was very high. The driver put the car in first gear. Hanif felt that the taxi would stop on the way and start moving back. But this did not happen, the broker asked the driver to stop at the end of the hill where there was a square.
Hanif had never come this way. There was a high hill on which there was a steep slope on the right side. The side of the building where the broker entered had two floors, although the buildings on the other side all had four floors. Hanif later learned that because of the slope, there were three floors below the building where the lift went.
Both Shahab and Hanif remained sitting silently. He did not say anything. On the way, the broker had praised the girl whom he had gone to that building to bring. He had said, “She is a girl from a very good family. I am taking it out especially for you.”
Both of them were wondering, how would this girl be who is being specially taken out.
After some time the broker appeared, he was alone. He said to the driver, ‘Return the car.’ Saying this he sat on the next seat. The car took a turn. Leaving three or four buildings, the broker said to the driver, “Stop.” Then he turned to Hanif, “She is coming… she was asking, what kind of man are you?” I said, “Number one.”
After ten-fifteen minutes the door of the taxi suddenly opened and a woman sat with Hanif. It was night time. There was less light in the street. That’s why both Shahab and Hanif could not see him clearly. As soon as he sat on the seat, he said, “Come.”
The taxi started descending rapidly.
Hanif did not have any place where any discussion could be held, so as it was decided, he went in favor of Doctor Khan Sahib. He was admitted to the Military Hospital and he was given two rooms there. Shahab had called her as soon as she reached Bombay that he would come to her at night with Hanif and the matter would be discussed together, so the taxi reached the military hospital. The broker took a hundred rupees and went down to Grant Road.
Even on the way, Shahab and Hanif could not see the woman clearly. Nothing special happened. When Shahab asked him in his typical Hyderabadi accent, “Aapka ism-e-girami?” So the woman said, “Phobha Bai.”
“Phobha Bai?” Hanif kept wondering what kind of name this is.
Doctor Khan was waiting for him. Shahab was the first to enter the room. Both hugged and abused each other a lot.
When Doctor Khan saw a young woman at the door, he became completely silent, “Come, come.” He placed his hand on his chest. “Doctor Khan… you?” He looked towards Shahab.
Shahab looked at that woman. The woman said, “Phobha Bai.”
Doctor Khan came forward and shook hands with him, “It is a great pleasure to meet you.”
Phobha Bai smiled, “I too felt sad.”
Shahab and Hanif looked at each other. Doctor Khan closed the door and said to his friends, “You go to the other room… I have some work to do.”
When Shahab said to Phobha Bai, “Let’s go.” So he held Doctor Khan’s hand, “No, you also bring Tashreef.”
“You take Tasharif, I will come.” Saying this, Doctor Khan released his hand.
Shahab and Hanif took Phobha Bai inside. When we chatted for a while, he realized that her tongue was thick. She couldn’t show any sheen or scene. Instead, feces would come out of his mouth. Her name in this respect was Shobha Bai. But after talking for some more time, they came to know that Shobha was not her real name. She was a Muslim, Jaipur was her homeland, from where she had fled to Bombay four years ago. He did not tell his circumstances more than this.
Had an ordinary appearance. The eyes were not big. The nose was also beautiful. There was a small scar between the upper lips. When she talked, this mark would spread a little. She was wearing a jeweled necklace around her neck. There were gold bangles in both the hands.
She was a very talkative woman. As soon as he sat down, he started talking here and there. Hanif and Shahab just kept saying yes. Then he started asking about them, “What do they do, where do they live, what is their age, whether they are Fadi Fida or non-Fadi Fida.” Why is Hanif so thin? Why has Fahab got two artificial teeth fitted? If Gofat was Khaura then why not get him treated by Doctor Khan. Why does he say? Why doesn’t the ferre sing?”
Shahab recited some poems to him. Shobha praised it very loudly. Shahab recited this poem,
Give water to the fields, now Ganga is flowing.
Give water to the fields, now Ganga is flowing.
Do something young people are rising youth
So Shobha jumped up, “Wow sir, sir, wow, it is very nice…you are on the rise. Wow!”
After this, Shobha recited innumerable couplets, completely absurd ones which had no head and no legs. After reciting the poem, he said to Shahab, “Fahab Saheb… did you enjoy it?”
Shahab replied, “Very.”
Shobha blushed and said, “These were mine… I am very fond of fire.”
Both Shahab and Hanif looked at each other and smiled. After this Shobha recited only one correct verse,
Sometimes you should know about the pain of your dying heart.
stricken with pain
Hanif had heard this poem many times and probably read it too. But Shobha said, “Hanif Sahib, this time is also mine.”
Hanif praised it very much. “Forgive me, Allah, you do wonders.”
Shobha was shocked, “Excuse me, there is something wrong with my language, but why did you say Mafa Allah instead of Mafa Allah?”
Both Hanif and Shahab laughed uncontrollably. Shobha also started laughing. Meanwhile Doctor Khan came. As soon as she entered, she said to Shobha, “Why sir, what are you laughing at so much?”
Shobha had tears in her eyes because of laughing too much. He wiped them with a handkerchief and said to Doctor Khan, “One thing happened that made us all gasp.”
Doctor Khan also started laughing.
Shobha told him, “Come and sit.” She moved to one side of the cot and took Doctor Khan’s hand and made him sit beside her.
Then it became poetry. Shobha recited four long absurd ghazals. Everyone applauded, Shahab got bored. He wanted a deal. Hanif was shocked to see his changed attitude. So he said to Shahab, “Okay brother, I want to leave, Inshallah we will meet tomorrow morning.”
Saying this he got up from the chair but Shobha held his hand, “No, you cannot go.”
Hanif replied, “I want Majarat.” My wife will be waiting for me.”
“Oh! But no. You must sit for a while longer. It’s only eleven o’clock.” Shobha insisted.
Shahab took a look and said, “It has been a long time.”
Shobha smiled and looked at Shahab, “I am sorry, you are innocent.” Shahab’s anger went away.
Hanif sat for a while, then took leave and left. Next day, around nine in the morning, Shahab came and started telling about the night, “This Phobha Bai was very strange. There was a small mark of operation on her stomach, which said that she was the daughter of a wooden merchant. He had opened a film company, his checks were signed only by Shobha. There was a motor which is still present, there were servants. The wooden merchant loved her very much. When he had a stomach operation, he donated one thousand rupees to the orphanage.”
Hanif asked, “Where is this wooden Seth now?”
Shahab replied, “Tal Khole is sitting in the other world. This Phobha Bai was a beautiful woman, I slept in the other room. So she lay down with Doctor Khan. At five in the morning Khan told him to go now. Shobha said, ok I will go, but you keep this jewelery of mine with you. I don’t go out alone with these.”
Hanif asked, “Did the doctor keep the jewellery?”
Shahab nodded, “Yes, initially he thought they were fake. But when he saw it in the light of day, they were real.”
“And she left?”
“Yes, she left, saying that she would come some day and take back her jewellery.”
“This is a very surprising thing that you have told me.”
“I swear by God it is true.” Shahab lit a cigarette, “That’s why I said that Phobha Bai is a strange and poor woman.”
Hanif asked, “What kind of woman was she?”
Shahab felt embarrassed, “Brother, I don’t know anything about such matters… you ask Khan about this. He is an expert.”
Both met Khan in the evening. The jewelery was safe with him. Shobha had not come to take him. Khan said, “I think Shobha is a victim of some mental shock.”
Shahab asked, “You mean he is mad?”
Khan said, “No, he is not mad but his mind is definitely not normal. She is a very kind woman. She has a son in Jaipur, she sends him Rs 200 per month. She visits him every three months. As soon as she reaches Jaipur, she wears a burqa, there she has to veil herself.”
Hanif said, “How did you understand that his mind is not normal?”
Khan replied, “Brother, I think, if she was a normal woman, why would she leave her jewelery worth Rs 1,500 to a stranger… Apart from this, she has a habit of taking injections of morphia.”
Shahab asked, “Is there one type of intoxication?”
Khan replied, “A very dangerous kind, worse than wine!”
“How did he get into this habit?” Shahab picked up the paper weight from the table and placed it on the table.
“After the operation, it got worse. The pain was intense. To reduce his consciousness, doctors kept giving him injections of morphia. For about two months…it just became a habit.” Dr Khan started a lecture on morphia and its dangerous effects.
One week passed, Shobha did not come. Shahab went back to Hyderabad. Doctor Khan came to Hanif with the jewelery and asked him to give it.
Both of them searched a lot at the block of Grant Road for the broker who had taken Shahab and Hanif near Shobha’s house but they could not find him.
Hanif knew which street it was and which building it was… Doctor Khan said, “Okay. We will find out. I don’t want to keep this jewelery with me. What will I do if it gets stolen? She is a strange careless woman.”
Both of them reached there in a taxi. Hanif told the building to Doctor Khan and said, “I will not go brother, you search for him.”
When Doctor Khan entered the building alone, he asked one or two people but could not find anything about Shobha. When the lift came up from downstairs, the hotel boy came out carrying the cups. When Khan asked him, he said, “Go to the last flat on the lowest floor.”
Khan went down through the lift and rang the bell of the last flat. After some time an old lady opened the door. Khan asked him, “Is Shobha Bai?”
The old lady replied, “Yes.”
Khan said, “Go tell him that Doctor Khan has come.”
Shobha’s voice came from inside, “Come doctor sahib come.”
Doctor Khan entered. There was a small drawing room, full of bright furniture. There were carpets on the floor. The old lady went to another room. Immediately Shobha’s voice came, “Doctor sir, come inside, I don’t want to go out.”
Doctor Khan entered the other room. Shobha was lying covered in a sheet. He asked him, “What’s the matter?”
Shobha smiled, “Nothing doctor sahib,” she was getting oil massage.
The doctor sat on the chair near the bed. He took out the handkerchief in which the jewelery was tied from his pocket, opened it and placed it on the bed, “How long will I keep protecting these jewelery of yours? You went in such a way that you did not even turn there again.”
Shobha laughed, “I had a lot of work, but why did you bother, I would have come and taken it myself.” Then he said to the old woman, “Ask tea for the doctor.”
The doctor said, “No, I have to go now.”
“Where?”
“Hospital.”
“Have you come in a taxi?”
“Yes.”
“Standing outside.”
The doctor nodded ‘yes’.
“So you go, I will come.” Saying this he placed the jewelery under the pillow and gave the handkerchief to Doctor Khan. When Doctor Khan reached Hanif, he asked, “Have you got it?”
The doctor smiled, “Found it, she is coming!”
After fifteen-twenty minutes, Shobha quickly opened the door of the taxi and sat inside.
In Doctor Khan’s room, a ridiculous kind of sherbaazy continued for a long time. Shobha recited innumerable verses of Hijr-o-Visal and Ishq-o-Mohabbat and recited them in her name. Doctor Khan and Hanif appreciated it very much. Shobha became very happy and said, “Yakub Feth used to make fun of me for hours.”
Yaqoob Faith was the wooden merchant who had opened a film company for Shobha. Doctor Khan and Hanif laughed. Shobha also started laughing.
Doctor Khan and Shobha became friends. Initially she used to come twice a week. Now she started coming almost every day. Night comes, morning goes early. In the evening, Bila Naga would take injections of morphia. The doctor used to apply anesthetic on his arm before giving the injection, he liked this cool thing very much.
When three months passed, Shobha was ready to go to Jaipur. He handed over the motor to his doctor Khan to take care of it. The doctor went to drop him at the station. They kept talking to each other in the car for a long time. When the car started moving, Shobha suddenly held the doctor’s hand and said, “Why do I suddenly feel that something is going to happen.”
Doctor Khan said, “What is going to happen?”
Shobha’s face started showing anger, I don’t know why, “My heart is breaking.”
Doctor Khan consoled him and the car started. Shobha’s hand kept moving for a long time.
Shobha received two letters from Jaipur which only showed that she had reached safely. When she returns, she will bring many gifts for him. After this came a card in which it was written, “There was only one lamp in my dark life, which God extinguished yesterday… may he be blessed?”
When Hanif read these words, tears came to his eyes. May it be good for him. “I had immense sorrow.”
A long time passed and no letter came from Shobha. A whole year has passed. Doctor Khan could not find any trace of him. Shobha had handed over her motor to him. Went to the building in which she used to live on the ground floor. Someone else was occupying the flat, a broker type man. Doctor Khan finally became tired and became silent. He kept the motor in a garage.
One day Hanif came to the hospital nervous, his face pale. He removed Doctor Khan from duty and took him aside and said to him, “I saw Shobha today.”
Doctor Khan held Hanif by the arm and asked suddenly, “Where?”
“At Chowpatty… I wouldn’t have recognized her at all because she was just a skeleton.”
Doctor Khan said in a hollow voice, “Bone structure?”
Hanif heaved a cold sigh, “It was not Shobha, it was her shadow. The eyes sunk inwards. Hair is troubled and dirty. She walked as if she was dragging herself. She came to me and said, give me five rupees… I did not recognize her. Asked, what will you do with five rupees? She said, I will take Morphia vaccine.
Suddenly I looked at him carefully. There was a scar on her right lip, I shouted, “Shobha…”
He looked at me with tired, desolate eyes and asked, “Who are you?”
I said, “Hanif…”
She replied, “I do not know any Haneef.”
I mentioned to you that you searched for him a lot, searched a lot. Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on her lips and she said, tell him not to look for me. Look at me, I have been searching for my lost son for so long… This search is absolutely useless, I can’t find anything… Give me five rupees. I gave him five rupees and said, take your motor to Doctor Khan.” She went away laughing.
Khan asked, “Where?”
Hanif replied, “I don’t know… she must have gone to some doctor.”
Doctor Khan searched a lot but could not find any trace of Shobha.