It was a very Inspirational psycological and philosophical novel. It had a great message about the concept of Haraam (forbidden) and Halaal (granted) behind its story. For those who can interpret this message, its recommendation. For others it might be a common dull boring story. I read it around 5 years ago and still I feel this story is somewhere with me in my head, in my life. It is a great book. No doubt writers like Banu Qudsia, Ashfaq Ahmed are great assets for our youth's character-building. I bought this book at a literary festival that was held in Islamabad thinking I should start reading more Urdu books to improve linguistically in the language. I did not for a second believe that this book was going to be anything more than your average Urdu novel: an amalgam of religious philosophy and romance. I was horribly mistaken. “Raja Gidh” (Prince of the Vultures) is not a story but it is an experiment in philosophy. It is a journey through the minds of people all at differing levels of insanity. Some may even regard this novel as an experimental work raising important issues on the intricacies of human psychology. However, the genius of “Raja Gidh” lies in its usage of allegorical scenes at the beginning of each section which depict a congregation of birds holding a trial of all vultures accusing them of committing forbidden acts that are leading them along the path of madness. Our protagonist, Qayyum, is metaphorically the Prince of the Vultures for he too has fed on the dead soul of a woman who had lost her everything when the man she loved left her. It is interesting to note how Banu Qudsia takes a character and destroys him completely by throwing him in every situation deemed responsible for insanity. Although his madness increases as these conditions manifest themselves upon him time and time again, towards the end Qayyum is found to still be standing at the first stepping stone of insanity whilst unexpected characters are found at the very last. Banu Qudsia experiments with possibilities and impossibilities but she is not presumptuous. She does not attempt to answer the question that has plagued psychologists and philosophers for centuries. At the end, we realise that where Banu Qudsia’s ideas may be plausible, we are as far away from answering the questions on insanity as we are on discovering the purpose of life: as close as the blood that flows through our veins and as far as the galaxies in the sky. “Raja Gidh” is a gem of Urdu literature and a book worth reading at least once in your life.
What do You think about Raja Gidh (1981)?
For mature adults and for Urdu literature lovers.
—mrscobb
didnt get d exact theme ov ds book.....
—Krissybaby722
