Jangloos: Vol. 1 / جانگلوس: جلد اول By Shaukat Siddiqui

First published in serialised form in a Pakistani Urdu language magazine and later issued in three volumes as a book.Also adapted by Pakistan Television as a drama series.

The writer Shaukat Siddiqui is known for his earlier series,Khuda Ki Basti.

Two prisoners escape from jail and try to find refuge in a number of houses,spending quite a few days in each of them.The inhabitants of each house have their own story,which is juxtaposed with that of the prisoners.

PTV has made many much better plays.This one bored me. Shaukat Siddiqui Jangloos not an ordinary read.
Shocking, Humiliating, Shameful, bitter realities written brilliantly.
Stories within a story.......................
The story is based on two prisoners, but actually it's not on two it's about three prisoners. Laali, Raheem daad and the reader......
Yes the reader, the way it's written there's no escape for the reader & one get imprisoned with these two. A very long story but not boring even a bit, you didn't get tired while reading but definitely by running. Did I write running? yes :) One feels like running with these two throughout the story and what an apt account about the village, characters & incidents, like a film going in your mind. Harsh bold but must read. Shaukat Siddiqui اس سال کی میری پہلی اردو کتاب جسے پڑھ کہ بہت مزا آیا۔ ذبردست کہانی Shaukat Siddiqui Combined review for voulme 1, 2, and 3
The story is about two people who escaped prison - Laali and Raheem Daad. After the initial few chapters, it becomes Laali's adventures.

I haven't finished the book yet. But I am ready to review.

I have read plenty of similar stories. I wouldn't name the authors here. I am not saying that others copied his style or whatever, but I wasn't amazed as I had hoped.

If the book surprized me towards the end, I will revisit the review and change the rating.

For now, 3/5. Shaukat Siddiqui Didn't have time to write it before but I heartily wanted it.
The category of Urdu Literature, this book falls in is called Dastaan.
There are few such writings which past under my eyes. Some of them are pure piece of beauty.
Baazigar by Shakeel Adilzada
Nakhuda by Asad Muhammad Khan.
There was also some commercial literature avialable in market which published in various magazines in parts including few marathon series by Ahmad Iqbal such as
Shikaari
Madaari
Khilaarri
Anaarri and
Juwaari.
A part from first one which is Skikaari, remaining work of Ahmad Iqbal can't be taken seriously.
Some others are
Saraab by Kashif Zubair (This was decent one)
Aatish Fishaan by Iqbal Kazmi
Tawaan &
Lalkaar by Tahir Javaid Mughal
and
Muat Kay Sodagar by Aqleem Aleem.
This loose fiction can't make its place among Urdu Literature as it contained unrealistic characters and unwanted length to make it more long and to entertain every casual reader.
Jangloos wasn't commercial literature to entertain but it dealt with major corruption and fidelities in our society.
It can be added with those two books of rich work which I mentioned above.
It didn't have focus on lives of two main characters. In fact this book is more examplatory and Allegoric. It's told in detail about corruption of Property claims, Inhumane situation of poor peasants under the reign of tyrranic feudals, corrupt politicians and Law and Order departments and Forced Labor.
Characters Laali and Raheem Daad are created to express all problems of common man after partition.
Being under the wings of Bhutto it was obvious for a writer like Shaukat Siddiqui to write for the sake of hate which he had for feudalism. On that time Bhutto had a charisma and that's why many youngsters were hopeful that whatever they tolerated is gonna come to an end. It's other story that he ended same after breaking my country in two parts.

Ironically Laali who's born crook but still possessed moral values and faithfulness but Raheem Daad who was respectful but small land owner originally kept going to steal which he didn't deserve.
It shows that its not what 're you with birth but what you do after your birth. Shaukat Siddiqui

Jangloos is a famous novel of Urdu language written by Shaukat Siddiqui. The novel tells the story of two prisoners, Lali and Raheem Dad who escaped from the jail. The story is created in the backdrop of central Punjab (Pakistan). Jangloos: Vol. 1 / جانگلوس: جلد اول

جانگلوس ،ایک طویل کہانی....
لالی اور رحیمداد، دو مفرور قیدیوں کی جیل سے فرار کے بعد کے واقعات پر مبنی ایک دلچسپ تحریر. لالی، جس کی پیدائش ایک گناہ کا نتیجہ تھا جبکہ رحیمداد ایک اوسط درجے کے زمین دار کی. کہانی کے کردار جاگیردار کے کل پرزے نظر آتے ہیں یا جاگیردار خود. وہیں دیہی پنجاب کے پسماندہ علاقوں میں مزارع پر ہونے والے ناروا سلوک کی ایک طویل داستان جس میں یکے بعد دیگرے، مرکزی کرداروں کو چھوڑ کر، نئے نئے کردار ابھر آتے ہیں. جو جو کہانی اگے بڑھ رہی ہے، لالی ایک کم تر حیثیت کا مجرم اپنے حسن کردار سے اچھی کی عکاسی کرتا جا رہا ہے جبکہ رحیمداد اگر چہ اس کی طبعی رجہان بھی اچھائی کی طرف ہے لیکن مصنف اسے برا کردار بنانے کی کوشش میں اسے تالی کا بینگن بنا چکا ہے. جو اچھائی اور برائی کے بیچ ایک مضحکہ خیز صورت حال اپنائے ہوئے ہیں .
کہانی کا ایک خوبصورت پہلو یہ بھی ہے کی اس میں بعد از تقسیم ہند پنجاب میں اغواء شدہ ہندو و سکھ عورتوں پر ہونے والے مظالم پر روشنی ڈالی گئی ہے. سکھ اور ہندو عورتوں کی عصمت دری کو موضوع بنایا گیا ہے. سکھ اور ہندوؤں کے جائدادوں کے بندر بانٹ پر قلم کشائی کی گئی ہے. وسطی پنجاب میں ربیع و خریف فصلوں کی پیداوار اور مزارع کے حقوق پر جاگیردار کے قبضے کی داستان اور بہت کچھ بھی ہے اس کے علاوہ.......
جاری Shaukat Siddiqui it is bit pre mature to review the book which is just 1/3 finished but since it is spread over 3 volumes and each volume is a tale completed in itself so one could discuss it.
To begin with I must admit that I am bit disappointed with this work; the reason is that after reading KHUDA KI BASTUI hopes were really high but some how I could not find 'JANGLOOS' as interesting as I was expecting. the pace is laborious and cycle of events becomes predictable despite some later shocks, the entire tale is quiet monotones. the length is too much to sustain the interest level .The events some times seem artificial and mention of historical facts along with the details of local clans feel uncalled for . Another aspect which also becomes visible is the non affiliation of writer with the culture of Punjab it seems that what ever he know how of the writer have is based in
the story telling is linear which is good as story line does not move back and forth in time or events which makes it a readable option. what I have felt so far is that in the previous work KHUDA KI BASTI by the same writer was much more interesting authentic and realistic, its compactness never left the reader off the hook but unfortunately this cant be said of JANGLOOS' so far; may be the remaining two volumes will compensate the first volume Shaukat Siddiqui I'm reading this masterpiece again and felt I should write something about it. This novel is similar to Don Quixote, in greatness and volume with totally a different story. This is one man's journey into the newly created country where the feudal roots are far more vigorous than the idea that changed the map of region. This tells the night life of Laali, the first and leading protagonist of the novel. In nights he seeks one place to another, travelling in nights and if finds any food feeds himself and sleeps in day time. He encounters a woman who killed her lover, a brutal feudal lord, his many minions and captive older brother, the gravedigger, a sacked policeman who's smuggling skeletons, and then swap parties' organiser the deputy commissioner. So there are countless characters, all meet with Laali in the first volume. These vignettes actually tell the entire picture of the society just after the partition, all but mostly those minions of British Empire who got lands upon fake claims and their way of governing the wretched masses.
A must read for everyone. Shaukat Siddiqui بہترین۔۔۔! ایسا لگا جیسے ناول حقیقت بن گیا ہے Shaukat Siddiqui Superb writing, superb characters and a story that is very much close to reality Shaukat Siddiqui

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