Mustansar Hussain Tarar

Mustansar Hussain Tarar (Urdu: مستنصر حسين تارڑ‎; Mustanṣar Ḥusẹ̄n Tāraṙ) (born 1 March 1939) is a Pakistani author, travel enthusiast, writer, novelist, columnist, TV host.^[1]

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Early life[edit]

Mustansar Hussain Tarar was born at Jokalian village of District MandiBahauddin in 1939. When he was still young, his father, Rehmat Tarar, operated a small agricultural seed store by the name of "Kisan & company" that later flourished to become a major business in that field.^[2]

Tarar was educated at Rang Mahal Mission High School and Muslim Model High School, both in Lahore, Pakistan.^[3] He did further studies at the Government College, Lahore and in London.^[3] While abroad he spent much of his time watching movies, hanging out with friends and reading books. In 1958, he attended the World Youth Festival in Moscow and wrote a book named Fakhta (Dove) which was based on that experience.^[3][4]

Career[edit]

He has written more than 50 books including novels and a collection of short stories in his career.^[5] His first book was Nikley Teri Talaash Main (1970), dedicated to his youngest brother, Mobashir Hussain Tarar, a travelogue of Europe published in 1971.^[5] This followed a period during which he travelled in seventeen European countries, and it led to a new trend in Urdu literature. As 'Safar Nama', (travelogue) he has so far over forty titles to his credit.^[5]

He also became a television actor and was, for many years, a host of Pakistan Television Corporation's (PTV) live morning show Subah Bakhair (1988) (Good Morning).^[1] His unconventional and down-to-earth style of hosting earned him great popularity among people from all circles of life. He is one of the most recognised personality among children as he spent a big part of transmission time addressing children exclusively. He called himself the chacha jee (paternal uncle) of all Pakistani children and soon became known by this title.

Tarar has been an active mountaineer for many years and has been to the base camp of the famous mountain K2 and the Chitti Buoi Glacier.^[3]

Columns as a journalist and books[edit]

During his long career, he has been a newspaper columnist and a contributor in Pakistani newspapers including Dawn newspaper, Daily Aaj newspaper and used to write a weekly column for Akhbar-e-Jahan.^[6]

His books include:

• Andulus Mayn Ajnabi (اندلس میں اجنبی) (Stranger in Spain) (ISBN No:9693515471, Publisher:SMP, Language:URDU, Category: SAFAR NAMA Year: 2009) First published in 1972
• Bahhao (بہاؤ) (Flow of water)
• Bay Izti Kharab (بے عزتی خراب) (Insulting dishonor) – This phrase is deliberately wrong and commonly used this way in local communities, thus the book name.
• Berfeeli Bulandiyan (برفیلی بلندیاں) (Snowy Heights)
• Carvan Sarai (کارواں سرایےؑ) (Caravan Motel)
• Chikh Chuk (چک چک) (Remove the curtain)
• Chitral Daastan (چترال داستان) (Tale of Chitral)
• Dais Huwaa Perdais (دیس ہوے پردیس) (Homeland becomes foreign land)
• Deosai (دیوسائی)- First published in 2003
• Dakia aur Jolaha (ڈاکیا اور جولاھا) (Postman and cloth-maker)^[2]
• Gadhay Hamaray Bhai Hain (گدھے ہمارے بھایی ھیں) (Donkeys are our brothers)
• Ghar-e-Hira Mien Ek Raat (نغار حراء میں ایک رات)(a night in cave Hira)
• Guzara Naheen Hota (گزارا نہیں ہوتا) (Hard to get by)
• Gypsy (جپسی)
• Hazaron Hain Shikway (ہزاروں ھیں شکوے) (Have thousands of complaints)
• Hazaron Raastay (ہزاروں راستے) (Thousands of paths)
• Hunza Dastaan (ہنزہ داستان) (Tale of Hunza)
• K-2 Kahani (کے ٹو کہانی) (K2 Story)- First published in 1994
• Kaalaash (کالاش) (Kafiristan)
• Khana Badosh (خانہ بدوش) (Gypsi)- First published in 1983
• Moorat (مورت) (Idol)
• Moscow Ki Sufaid Raatein.ماسکو کی سفید راتیں ( White nights of Moscow)
• Munh Wal Kabbey Shariff Dey (منہ ول کعبے شریف دے) (Face towards Qibla) [Experience of performing HAJJ]- First published in 2006
• Nanga Parbat (نانگاپربت) (book named after the mountain of the same name)
• Nepal Nagri (نیپال نگری) (Land of Nepal)- First published in 1999
• Niklay Teri Talash Main (نکلے تیری تلاش میں) (Out in your search)- First published in 1971^[5]
• Pakhairoo (پکھیرو) (Birds)- A book in the Punjabi language
• Parinday (پرندے) (Birds)
• Parwaz (پرواز) (Flight)
• Payar Ka Pehla Shehr (پیار کا پہلا شہر) (Love's first city)
• Putli Peking Ki (پتلی پیکنگ کی) (Monument from Peking)- First published in 2009
• Qilaa Jangi (قلعہ جنگی) (Fortified war)
• Qurbat-e-Marg Main Mohabbat (قربت مرگ میں محبت) (Love, when you are near death)^[2]
• Raakh (راکھ) (Ash)
• Ratti Gali- First published in 2005
• Safar Shumal Kay (سفر شمال کے) (Journeys of the north)- First published in 1991
• Shamshaal Baimesaal (شمشال بیمثال) (Extraordinary Shamshaal) First published in 2000
• Shehpar (شہپر) (Wings)
• Shuter Murgh Riasat (شتر مرغ ریاست) (Ostrich State)^[2]
• Snow Lake (سنو لیک) First published in 2000
• Sunehri Ullo Ka Shaher (سنہری الو کا شھر) (The city of golden owl)
• Yaak Saraey (یاک سرائے) (Yaak Inn)- First published in 1997
• Khas-o-Khashak Zamane (خس و خاشاک زمانے) (Novel)
• Alaska Highway – (ISBN 9693524446 Publisher: SMP Language: URDU Subject: TRAVELOGUE Year: 2011)
• Australia Awargi (آسٹریلیا آوارگی) (Travelogue, 2015)
• 15-Kahaniyan (15 کہانیاں) (Short Stories, 2015)
• Rakaposhi Nagar (راکاپوشی نگر) (Travelogue, 2015)
• America Key Sou Rang (امریکا کے سو رنگ) (Travelogue of America, 2015)
• Aur Sindh Behta Raha (اور سندھ بہتا رہا) (Travelogue of Sindh, 2016)
• Lahore Awargi
• Pyar ka Pehla Punjab
• Siyah Aankh Mein Tasveer
• Tarar Nama

Drama[edit]

He is also the author of many famous drama series for Pakistan Television Corporation or PTV.

• Hazaron Raastey (Thousands of Paths)^[2]
• Parinda (Bird)
• Shehpar (Wings)
• Sooraj Ke Sath Sath (staying along with the Sun)
• Keilash (Name of a tribe in northern areas of Pakistan)
• Fareb (illusion)

Travelogue writer[edit]

As a mountaineer and a travelogue writer himself, Tarar has long promoted the cause of tourism projects in the northern areas of Pakistan.^[2]

Awards and recognition[edit]

• Pride of Performance Awards- Awarded in Literature in 1992