Presentation of Lucknow Culture and Society in Anees Ashfaq's Novel "Dokhyaray"

Abstract

Anees Ashfaq belongs to Urdu school in Lucknow. The role of this school in the promotion of Urdu language and literature is significant and unique. Anees Ashfaq has been associated with teaching for a long time. He has the honor of working as the head of the Urdu department at Lucknow University. As a critic, Urdu Ghazal has been an important subject of his study. Along with teaching activities, his writings and services have been the field of criticism and research. For the past few years, he has made fiction his subject and has established his status in the field of novel writing. Thus, his three important novels "Dokhyaray", "Pari Naz" and "Parinday aur Khwab Sarab" have brought Anees Ashfaq to the ranks of the most important novelists due to their themes, artistic and intellectual trends. "Dokhyaray" is the first novel of the famous novelist, critic and poet Anees Ashfaq, which was published in 2014. Due to its size, it would be more appropriate to call it a novella. This novel consisting of 154 pages has been published by various publishing houses. The main motivation for the creation of this novel was the disappearance of a beautiful, rich and luxurious civilization and the emergence of a miserable, dying society on its ruins. Lucknow civilization was a center of cultural, civilized and social activities during its heyday. It was a period of prosperity and leisure. This society was a haven of luxury and color in every respect. Literature, culture, architecture, music, fairs, competitions, etc. were different forms of social manifestations.