اردو داستان : قصہ گوئی سے ڈرامائی تشکیل تک

Abstract

Urdu dastan is a lost art form of storytelling which was once most popular among the masses. Man’s interest in story and his attachment to storytelling is a fact of his collective life which history has also acknowledged. Dastan was a part of entertainment and a celebration of man’s achievements, in which he faced and triumphed over the conflicting forces of the environment. Urdu Dastan writing started in 1635 with MullaWajhi’sDastan “Sab Ras”. However, Urdu Dastan Goi gained public popularity and fame in the nineteenth century and had become a regular art form of storytelling. During this era, many Dastan Writers and Dastan Go appeared who not only narrated these dastans in various palaces, gatherings and public points but also acted when needed. Dramatization in Urdu literature started much later and when it started, the art of dastan goi ended. In the 20^th century, the Urdu dastan declared obsolete due to industrial development and realistic tendencies. Some schools of Urdu criticism were considering that the revival of Urdu dastan in future might not be possible. In the 21^st century, there seems to be a revival of Urdu dastan. In the current era, there is a trend of innovation through themes like science fiction and magical realism in film and drama. In addition, the stories told in the ancient era are being dramatized by means of media, which is smoothing the atmosphere for the dramatization of Urdu dastan. This research studies the nature and forms of storytelling in the classical period of Urdu dastan and to determine the reasons why the dastans are not dramatized in the classical period. This research is also an analysis of all the efforts, aspects, and possibilities of the revival of the dastan in the present time.