Kali by Huma Waqas (Urdu Afsana)

About this afsana

Kali (Urdu: کلی) by Huma Waqas is a short Urdu afsana that moves between a struggling father of four daughters and a loving couple. Nazleen and Shahid share quiet mornings together, and the writer gradually brings the stories of the two homes together.

The afsana opens with a striking image of a writer at work: fingers dancing over a keyboard, each word appearing under a fingertip, and after a lamp goes out, the words still glowing in the eyes for a few seconds.

Then the first story begins. “Deeba… Deeba… hurry up with breakfast,” Ahmad calls, straightening his tie and pulling a chair to sit with his newspaper. His ordinary private job means he can’t afford to be late. As he lowers the paper, he sees little Jannat, the youngest, carefully bringing him a plate. She is the fourth of his daughters; after three girls Allah gave them a son, and then, just five years ago, Jannat came – exactly what they had wished for when they wanted to complete the family. “Abba, today Jannat will make your breakfast,” she lisps, her eyes shining. Ahmad lovingly takes the plate from her hands.

ایک باپ کی فکریں، ننھی جنت کی محبت، اور گھر کی چھوٹی چھوٹی ضرورتیں۔

The worries of the household soon come out. Deeba tells him that Rukhsar’s father came yesterday asking for Shahnaz’s fees – Shahnaz, the eldest, is in matric and has science subjects, so she has to go to an academy, and that’s been two days missed. Ahmad rubs his forehead in frustration: did she have to take such difficult subjects? Doesn’t Deeba know how many expenses there already are? He sighs, takes his plate and says he’ll ask Akhtar Sahib for an advance today, even if he’s late.

The scene then turns to Nazleen and Shahid. Nazleen asks him if he has prayed; he says he has, and asks if she did too. Walking together, he picks a flower from a nearby flowerbed and tucks it behind her ear. She points out how, wherever there used to be empty land, buildings are rising – the town is growing fast.

Huma Waqas writes with tenderness about family love, money worries and the little joys of life, and the title – “bud” – suggests something small and precious at the heart of the story.

You can read Kali online here or download the complete PDF for free. More by Huma Waqas: Mohay Piya Milan Ki Aas, Charagh Sham Say Pehly and Maqsoom, or see all Huma Waqas novels and our Huma Waqas novel list with a short guide to each book.