Qurat ul ain haider in urdu

Aag Ka Darya / ??? ?? ???? by Qurratulain Hyder

The most important novel of twentieth-century Urdu fiction.
First published in 1959, Aag ka Darya encompasses the fates of four recurring characters over two and a half millennia: Gautam, Champa, Kamal, and Cyril—Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian. In different eras different relations form and reform among the four: romance and war, possession and dispossession. Interweaving parables, legends, dreams, diaries, and letters, Hyders prose is lyrical and witty. And she argues for a culture that is inclusive: Aag ka Darya is a book that questions the relevance of religion in defining Indian identity.

Reviews for the English translation:

A glorious tapestry of Indias history....Brilliant and thought-provoking...this book is fascinating! -- India Edghill, Historical Novels Review, February 2004

A rich and ancient tapestry, interweaving the tiny threads of individual human experience into a panoramic spread of cultural diversity. -- Linda B. Osborne, WorldView, November/December 2004

An Urdu classic with a breathtakingly vast canvas. -- Outlook

Hyder is a wonderful writer. Hers is one of the most important Indian voices of the twentieth century. -- Amitov Ghosh

To Urdu fiction what A Hundred Years of Solitude is to Hispanic Literature. -- Times Literary Supplement