Toba Tek Singh

 (e-content developed by Dr N A Jarandikar)

Toba Tek Singh

“Toba Tek Singh” is a story written by Sadat Hasan Manto. Manto is a Urdu writer After Partition, Manto migrated (स्थलांतरित होणे) to Pakistan. The common deprived people (वंचित लोक) are the main characters in Manto's literature. 'Toba Tek Singh' is a powerful story by Manto which makes a harsh comment on the idea of Partition.

        The story "Toba Tek Singh” revolves around Bishan Singh. The story takes place in an asylum (वेड्यांचे इस्पितळ) in Lahore. After partition of India, it is decided that like the civilians, the lunatics (वेडे) also should be exchanged. So, it is decided that the Muslim lunatics from India will be sent to Pakistan and the Hindu, Sikh lunatics will be sent to India. The lunatics from the Lahore asylum are confused because of the partition and the idea of the exchange.

Like other lunatics, Bishan Singh is also confused. Bishan Singh belongs to a village named Toba Tek Singh. So, everyone in the asylum calls him Toba Tek Singh. He is a landlord (जमीनदार). He is in the asylum for last fourteen years. During these fourteen years, he has never slept on the ground. He le standing all the while. His feet and ankle are swollen. For every question he has a strange answer — “Upar di gudgud…”.  He has a family and a daughter, Roop Kaur. After partition, all his family members migrate to India. And now Bishan Singh too will be shifted to India. But Bishan Singh is interested neither in India nor in Pakistan. All the time, he goes on asking where is his village, Toba Tek Singh?

Finally, the lunatics are exchanged on the Wagah Border. Here again Bishan Singh asks, “Where is Toba Tek Singh?” and the officer replies that it's in Pakistan. All of a sudden Bishan Singh runs back crying “Upar di gurgur …” As Bishan Singh is a harmless fellow (निरुपद्रवी व्यक्ती), the officers allow him to stay there. Bishan Singh stands there for the whole night. It is a severely cold night. In the morning, all the officers listen to a heart-rending cry (हृदयद्रावक किंकाळी) from Bishan Singh and find him lying on the ground. Thus, Bishan Singh leaves the world lying on the land which belongs to neither India nor Pakistan.

The major setting of the story is an asylum. All the characters are the lunatics. But these insane people (वेडी माणसे) behave very wisely. Manto presents the whole world of lunatics in a comic way. But the undertone of the story is very serious. It is the harsh comment on the futility (निरर्थकता) of partition. The story is a good example of ‘black comedy’.

 

*     *     *     *     *