Kallu

ISMAT CHUGHTAI

Introduction to 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.
The story takes on a critical view of the
typical North Indian middle class Muslim
families during the 1950s.

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

excellently by the author.

highlighted

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

She also wrote for films and 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.

Characteristics of Kallu

Kallu was a nice boy, 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 comes to visit him and even she

put him in to works. And he likes salima bi
and he had some love for her inside him.

When he to visit their family as a deputy

collector he was so kind and he completely
forgot what have happened in the past.

when mumani bi was not interested to talk

with kallu when in came all of a sudden to
meet their family.

He

was so gentle and he started talking to

mumani bi and by time passes she became
fine and everything was normal.

So

bottom of line is that kallu knows how

to be a gentle person and he respected his
elders and he never forgets who he is.

Characteristic of chacha
mian
He

is a relation to the family, uncle for

the girls and he had the responsibility of
finding a bridegroom for the girls.

He

tried a lot around the city and finally

he got a kallu deputy collector and a
past servant of their family.

He

was took interested in him and he

wants him to marry their gilrl.

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
confused Personality.

As a child Kallu was bitten very badly by

Mumani Jan just to ask Salima for
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 realizes her short comings
towards Kallu as a child and approves for
marriage. This explains that somewhere
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 cannot 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.

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 working small she sent

him to Mamuni Jan in order of his
betterment, as she understood with such
a small income she cannot 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.

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 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 is none other than Kallu
himself.

He

asks for Salima bis hand. 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 to
which Mumani again refuses as he calls
him Dulhan bi.

To

this Kalim says Amma bi.. in a

tearful voice and Mumanis eyes filled
wit tears.

Significance of the story

Love- The first and the most important thing that

the story tells is love, love which amma had for
Kallu. Love, which drives her to do any sort of
hardship for her child. She sewed clothes, washed
utensils in order to raise Kallu to the sky. 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 choosed as a child.

 Hard

work- This story also symbolizes

the hard word done both by Kallu and
his mother to achieve things which
are beyond expected. From working in
a house as a servant to becoming a
Deputy collector Kallu shows the
dedication and hard work to achieve
the place he is in.

Sacrifice-

The story also enchants the

sacrifice done by Kallus mother. First
she left her in Mamuni Jans place for
the betterment of Kallu. When Kallu