Raza's 'Aadha Gaon' to Be Published in Original Urdu Script

Rahi Masoom Raza's centenary year celebrations will feature the publication of his debut novel *Aadha Gaon* in its original Urdu script, a significant step in recovering the writer's linguistic heritage. The manuscript, preserved in Raza's handwriting, was first published in Hindi in 1966 after facing rejection from Urdu publishers who objected to its Bhojpuri-influenced colloquial language and expletives.

Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu (Hind) aims to restore Raza to his central position in literary history and spark conversations about *the place of the Urdu script in the literary history of Khari Boli*. The organization emphasizes that reading Raza in the original Urdu is essential for *recovering the linguistic and cultural universe from which his literature emerged*.

The publication addresses a long-standing gap in preserving works written in Urdu script but published in Hindi transliteration, highlighting the complex relationship between script, language, and literary legacy in Indian writing.