Book: Tunn
Author: Nisar Ahmed
The tenderness of the land makes one go beyond all efforts to protect it.
Raahi had boundless love for his homeland running in his blood – the land he hailed from. His mission was to protect the soil from colonisers and awaken his people to the reality that the promises they believe in are false.
To fulfill his purpose, Raahi began a journey with nothing but a bottle of water, a rooster and a dog. He started on foot from Dasht, passing through various villages. Along the way, he spoke to his dog about the people he had met. How blindly they trusted the colonisers.
As his journey continued, the water ran out. Thirst overtook him, but he wouldn’t stop. His passion for the land never let him give up. In moments of desolation, he spoke to himself, to his loyal dog, and even to the mountains and the very soul of the land he wished to be free.
Struggles, hunger and thirst left him weak and still, nearly immobile – yet he pressed on. With thorn shoes, an empty stomach, and parched lips, he continued.
The hardships of his mother were always with him, and the dreams she had were never fulfilled, which Raahi thought his mother wished for him to be a revolutionary. He was so close to his destination – yet he died.
He fell into the lap of his beloved mother, the motherland, who took him with her arms and held him close to the heart. He could not live to see his land free, to own it with pride.
The lovers of the land suffer till their last breath, unconditionally devoted to the soil they came from.
