Like the world’s thinkers, Alibaba was very simple in nature and rich in ideas. His writings are true reflection of the lives of ordinary and downtrodden people.
The thirteenth in a series of online scholarly literary events launched by social activists Ramesh Raja and Manzoor Ujjan due to Corona was held to pay tribute to the unique novelist Ali Baba, which included poets and writers from all over the world.
Mr Ali Ahmed Rind; famous with Ali Baba as pen name; was born in 1940 in Kotri Hyderabad and died on 08 August 2016 at the age of 76. He was unique prose writer of Sindh who picked the characters from Indigenous people (marginalized communities) of Indus valley civilization in his hundreds of short stories, novels, dramas and radio monologs. Dharti Dhikana (Uprooted people), Mohen Jo Daro, and Dungi Manjh Darya (Boat sailing in river) are his master piece and counted in world class classical literature. His TV play ‘Dungi-a manjh darya’ won a prize in a drama festival in Munich in 1981 and he was graced with Pride of Performance.
In the introductory remarks of the program, Ramesh Raja said that Alibaba had a simple nature and high ideals; he always hated artifacts. His unique style, unparalleled imagination and poetic diction were well evident in his stories, novels and plays. The world-class prose writer Ali Baba was found far from official patronage and writer’s groupings; he just penned a living character. He further said that due to the contradiction between the writing and the character of the writer, literature, instead of bringing about change in the society, leads to mental luxury, which reduces the number of readers. In today’s age of growing injustice and chaos, only public resistance literature can make its place.
Renowned poet and writer Ali Akash said that Ali Baba’s stories present a true picture of society. His written stories are a confluence of social realism and existence. The storyteller may die, but his stories live on.
Renowned novelist Munir Chandio said that Alibaba was one of the foremost storytellers of the post-partition period – and that his play Dangi Manjh Darya had gained worldwide acclaim.
Ahmar Nadeem Memon from Canada said that Alibaba proudly described the original inhabitants of the earth as heirs and gave a blunt answer to all those who spread hatred. He said that the character of today’s writer does not show that resistance.
Rukhsana Ali, a PhD scholar from Finland, said that today’s writers have to remember that the scholarly status of classical writers is due to their resilient character and love for the land.
The host of the program, Manzoor Ujjan, said that Alibaba was a high-level writer and a wandering soul of Sindh. All of Asa’s characters are alive, including Hosho Shaidi, Mohan Jo Daro’s dancer. In addition, renowned Poets Abdul Ghaffar Tabassum and Dr. Khushal Kalani from USA, Danish Parmar from Hungary, Dr. Zeeshan Jatoi from Russia, Manzoor Sethar from Bahrain, Dodo Khan Khatian from Dubai and many from different cities of Pakistan participated online to pay rich tribute to Alibaba by giving their opinion on his art, thought, and demanded that government literary institutes translate his book into English and make the world aware of world-class writings.
