A Strip of Land Two Yards Long: Sahitya Akademi Award Winning Urdu Novel

📚 Book Details

• Author: Abdus Samad
• Translator: Jai Ratan
• Publisher: Sahitya Akademi
• Language: English
• Edition: 2009
• ISBN: 812600259X
• Pages: 240
• Format: Hardcover
• Dimensions: 23 cm × 15 cm (9.0 × 6.0 inches)
• Weight: 430 gm

📝 Description

About the Book

A Strip of Land Two Yards Long (Do Gaz Zameen) by Abdus Samad is a powerful novel set across Bihar, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, exploring the complex realities of identity, belonging, and loyalty in the Indian subcontinent. Centered on a once-respectable family from Bihar with feudal roots, the story unfolds against the turbulent backdrop of pre-Partition politics involving the Congress and the Muslim League.

As riots, migration to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), the abolition of zamindari, and property confiscations reshape their lives, the family faces fragmentation, loss, and alienation from their homeland. The novel stands out for its lucid style, strong characterization, and sensitive portrayal of socio-political upheaval.

Recognized as a significant contribution to Indian literature in Urdu, the work received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1990 for its profound exploration of cultural identity shaped by historical and emotional forces.

About the Author

Abdus Samad (b. 1952), born in Nalanda, Bihar, is a distinguished writer proficient in Urdu, Hindi, and English. Holding a Ph.D. in Political Science, he has authored multiple novels, short story collections, and translations. He has been honored with several awards, including those from the Bihar and U.P. Urdu Academies, and has been actively associated with literary institutions such as the Bihar Urdu Academy and Magadh University. He also served as Convener of the Sahitya Akademi’s Urdu Advisory Board.

About the Translator

Jai Ratan (b. 1917) is an accomplished translator and editor who has translated extensively from Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi into English. With over three dozen translations to his credit, he has played a significant role in making regional literature accessible to a wider audience. He is a recipient of the Dwivagish Award (1991) and the Sahitya Akademi Prize for Translation.