Mere Arman Aur Tum By Samaa Chaudhary

About this novelette

Mere Armaan Aur Tum (Urdu: میرے ارمان اور تم) by Samaa Chaudhary is a short Urdu romance about Ahal, a restless young man who writes stories. He writes to understand his own heart, and his path crosses with Witr Ayaz, a cheerful only daughter just starting university.

The story opens with Ahal’s own words: “Life began with poison and ended in a memory. I never understood whether what I lost was mine, or what I found was mine. Today I have everything, but my heart has no peace – the restlessness never ends.” Ahal Ahmad Chaudhry turns the pages of a story he has written, lost in moments that have passed.

The scene then switches to a bright morning. Sunlight fills Witr’s room while she sleeps peacefully, until her Amoo Jaan’s voice cuts through: “Haye haye, she sleeps as if she has no fear of God! Today’s generation has no work except sleeping. In our day, our mothers woke us before the azaan, and these young people don’t even hear it!” Witr, eyes full of sleep and annoyance, jumps out of bed and rushes to the washroom. She is Ayaz Ahmad’s only child, raised by Amoo Jaan and loved by everyone – a cheerful girl who has never known sorrow and who brings life to the whole house. “But who knows what time has in store,” the writer adds.

بے چین دل والا احل، اور گھر بھر کی رونق وتر۔

Meanwhile, at university, Ahal is sitting on the steps outside his class when his best friend Hassan rushes over – Miss Tamanna was asking why Ahal skipped class again. What’s wrong with him, Hassan asks, why is he always lost? “I don’t know, Hassan, there’s no peace. There’s a restlessness, as if something is incomplete.” At home, Witr’s father gently warns her before her first day at university to take care of herself, because people’s intentions can’t be trusted; she promises never to break his trust. At university her childhood friend Fatima teases her about how lovely the weather is today and suggests skipping class for chai.

Samaa Chaudhary sets up two lives that are clearly about to collide, and the title – “my desires and you” – promises a story of longing and love.

You can read Mere Armaan Aur Tum online here or download the complete PDF for free. More by Samaa Chaudhary: One Day I Will Completely Forget You, Phiray Darbadar Teri Chah Liye and Tell Me Your Name, or see all Samaa Chaudhary novels.