An Analytical Study of Historical and Cultural Dimensions in Salma Awan’s Travelogue Hairat Bhari Aankh Mein Cheen

Abstract

Salma Awan possesses a multifaceted literary personality; however, in the realm of travel writing, she holds a distinct and prominent position in Urdu literature. Her travelogues are not merely accounts of journeys but vivid portrayals of the history and culture of the regions she visits. Her travelogue Hairat Bhari Aankh Mein Cheen presents a comprehensive depiction of China’s historical and cultural significance. In this work, Salma Awan reflects contemporary China through the lens of its past, illustrating its social, political, economic, cultural, and civilizational conditions in earlier times and comparing them with its present status. She examines these transformations from a critical perspective. To highlight China’s historical and cultural importance, her observations are supported by historical evidence and enriched with cultural insights. Salma Awan not only observes China with a sense of wonder herself but also enables the reader to experience both its past and present through a similar lens of amazement. In her travelogue, she discusses China’s past and present challenges, political system, the status of women in ancient Chinese civilization, the Communist Revolution, colonial influences, significant historical figures, and important landmarks such as the Great Wall of China, Lao She Teahouse, and the Silk Road. She presents these elements within their historical and cultural contexts. Furthermore, she critically analyzes China’s civilization, culture, customs, family system, discipline, architecture, literature, and poetry. Thus, Salma Awan’s travelogue transcends the conventional boundaries of travel writing and emerges as a work that presents her journey through China from a historical, cultural, and intellectual perspective.