The name, Saadat Hasan Manto, arouses curiosity in the minds of Indians and Pakistanis. He was a brilliant story-teller, particularly when it came to short stories. In his short stories, Manto consistently makes the point that due to mental differences arising from ethical and religious considerations, love ebbs away like air escaping from a pricked balloon.
Take Do Qaumien (Two Communities), for instance. In this story, written in Manto’s characteristic vein, Mukhtar and Sharda are in love with each other. In fact, they have crossed many hurdles in just one leap. It is like taking a leap into the volcano, though. To all purposes they are already husband and wife. Only the ritual of marriage remains to be gone through. This creates a problem, a big one at that. This is how the conversation goes between the two lovers.
“How can we marry?” Sharda asks.
“What is difficult about it?” Mukhtar smiles. “You become a Muslim.”
Sharda looks at him startled. “Why don’t you become a Hindu?” she says.
“How can I become a Hindu?” Mukhtar says. “And for that matter, do you call Hinduism a religion? And as for Islam- what a beautiful religion it is!”
Sharda gives him a contemptuous look. “Go away,” she says, “our Hindu religion is bad but you are a good Muslim, aren’t you?”
Mukhtar suddenly departs hugging Islam to his breast.
Kalampedia 