Kallu

Kallu is a short story written by Ismat

Chughtai, an eminent Indian writer inUrdu,
known for her indomitable spirit and a fierce
feminist ideology
- DHRUVA KUMAR
SHREA COONDOO
SHREEYA SHERMA
PRAKRITI GOEL
KANIKA VERMA
CHANDANI
SECTION A SEM-4 B-ARCH ASAP

A NOTE ON THE AUTHOR

Ismat Chughtai led an unconventional life,

went in for higher education, took up a job,

lived alone, married a man of her choice and
was cremated, as she had desired, instead of
being buried.

 After Rasheed Jahan, she was the first Muslim

woman to write novels and short stories in

Urdu.
Chughtai wrote many stories before she was
actually published in 1939. With a keen eye
and an incisive intelligence she looked into
the lives of a whole range of Muslim women,
from the middle class in the suburban towns
of Uttar Pradesh. Her stories were often
controversial.

She also wrote for films, several of her stories

have been made into films. Of these,Garam

Hawa(1973) won a great deal of acclaim.
In 1975, she received the Padma Shri for her
contribution to Urdu Literature.

INTRODUCTION TO THE
STORY
Kallu is a very powerful story dealing with a

young boy labourer in a middle class Muslim

household.
The prejudice against people who are
financially weak or belong to lower caste has
been highlighted excellently by the author.
The story takes on a critical view of the
typical North Indian middle class Families
during the 1950s.

SUMMARY
The

story revolves around the life of

Kalimuddin aka Kallu. He is not even seven
but still he does work more than a 20 year
old man.
Starting his day with boiling water for the
morning tea and making innumerable trips to
kitchen and dinning table giving the cook all
the ingredients for the breakfast.
His next task involved taking care of small
errands of the house from washing Nanhis
diaper till fetching Abus cigarette.

His mother had entrusted the narrators

family to care of Kallu. She visited him on

Teej festival and bought him molasses
and fried corn.
As Maliha bis wedding was approaching,
Amma asked Kallu whom he would marry
in jest, and Kallu whispered Salima bis
name. And on another day Mumani heard
Kallu asking Salima to marry him; to her
surprise she said yes.

Mumani

thrashed Kallu and his nose

started bleeding. Kallus mother saw this
and took him away.
After many years, a particular Mr. Din
comes to the city as Deputy Collector and
this person was none other than Kallu
himself.
He asks for Salima bis hand in marriage.
Mumani refuses to let Salima marry him
despite Chacha jans repeated requests.

Kallu visits his childhood house and

recalls every funny incident of his time

spent there with them.
He gives a surprise visit and talks to
Mumani bi and asks for Salimas hand in
marriage, calling her Dulhan bi, to which
Mumani again refuses.
To this Kalim says Amma bi.. in a
tearful voice and Mumanis eyes fill with
tears.

Characteristics of Kallu
Kallu was a nice boy. He was quiet, obedient

and a faithful labour to Mumani aunty.

He did all household chores and he worked
so hard that he didnt have time to even play.
His mother visited him and even she put him
to work.
He had feelings for salima bi.
When he visited their family as a deputy
collector he was very kind and he completely
forgot what had happened in the past.

Mumani bi was not interested to talk with

kallu when he came all of a sudden to meet

their family. But he was so gentle and he
started talking to mumani bi in such a way
that as time passed she became fine and
everything was normal.
So bottom line is that kallu knew how to be
a gentle person and he respected his elders
and he never forgot who he was.

Characteristic of chacha
mian
He is a relation to the family, uncle to the

girls. He had the responsibility of finding a

bridegroom for the girls.
He tried looking a lot around the city and
finally he got kallu deputy collector
and a past servant of their family.
He took interest in him and he wanted
him to marry their girl.

Character sketch of Mumani Jan

Mumani Jans character shows variation

throughout the story. At times she is imposing, at

times she is generous. So one can conclude that
she has a confusing Personality.
As a child Kallu was beaten very badly by Mumani
Jan just for asking Salimas hand in marriage.
This shows the imposing side of her.

 After years when Kallu came back as

Kalim Saheb she refused the marriage
proposal given to Salima without
explaining any sort of reason. This shows
that she was confused and reluctant.
At the end she realized she was wrong
about Kallu as a child and gave approval
for marriage. This incident explains that
she was generous and kind.

Character sketch of Kallus amma

Kallus amma was exquisite and elegant just like

every amma in the world. She has very strong

character. She worked immensely hard in order to
raise Kallu.
When Kallu was small she sent him to Mamuni Jan

in order for his betterment, as she understood

with such a small income she would be unable
raise her child well. This shows her understanding
and sacrificing nature.

 She visited Kallu every week to see him. This

shows she was a loving and caring mother.
After Kallu was sent off by Mumani Jan from her
home she worked very hard, sewed clothes
washed dishes of people so as to raise Kallu to
heights. This shows her determined nature which
finally bore fruits when Kallu became The Deputy
Collector.

 She visited Kallu every week to see him.

This shows she was a loving and caring
mother.
After Kallu was sent off by Mumani Jan
from her home she worked very hard,
sewed clothes washed dishes of people so
as to raise Kallu to heights. This shows her
determined nature which finally bore fruits
when Kallu became The Deputy Collector.

Significance of the story

Love- The first and the most important thing that

the story tells us about is love. Love which amma

had for Kallu. Love, which drives her through any
sort of hardship for her child. She sewed clothes,
washed utensils in order to raise Kallu to proper
heights in life. Love, which Kallu had for Salima bi.
It enabled him to be attached with the family in
which he was deeply insulted. After becoming the
Deputy Collector also he married the girl he had
choosed as a child.

Hard work- This story also symbolizes

the hard word done both by Kallu and

his mother to achieve things which
were beyond expected from them
initially. From working in a house as a
servant to becoming a Deputy
collector Kallu showed a lot of
dedication and hard work in the
process.
Sacrifice- The story also tells us about
the sacrifices made by Kallus mother.
First, she left her in Mamuni Jans
place for the betterment of Kallu. And
when Kallu was sent off by Mamuni Jan