BETWEEN FIDELITY AND FREEDOM: TRANSCREATION AND CULTURAL REINSCRIPTION IN UDAAS NASLAIN

Abstract

This research explores Abdullah Hussain’s Udaas Naslain (1963), a seminal Urdu novel that captures the socio-political upheavals of colonial and post-colonial India through the life of an ordinary Punjabi soldier. Set against the backdrop of British rule, the World Wars, and the Partition of the Indian subcontinent, the novel reflects the complexities of identity, displacement, and historical consciousness. Through qualitative analysis, this study examines how Hussain intertwines personal and national narratives, offering a postcolonial critique of history and memory. The findings highlight the novel’s enduring relevance in South Asian literature and its contribution to understanding the human dimension of historical trauma. The research also opens pathways for further study in comparative translation and cultural transference.