The Café

Many of the geographical places in the novel have a very hazy image in our minds. Zakir’s house in Lahore is not clearly described and one cannot establish a concrete visual image of the place. The reader only associates the house with the domestic significance it has for Zakir’s parents. Similarly, our protagonist the flâneur walks on many roads but there is nothing distinct or defining about them and they serve as a means for Zakir to compare the crumbling city of the present with his idyllic past.

The only significant place that immediately strikes out of the novel is the cafe Shiraz. Visually, the cafe gives a clear picture of the geographical space to the reader. The crowd, Zakir and his friends, Abdul following his routine of bringing tea, Salaamat being very vocal about his opinions and making the other customers an audience for his political speeches, all this create an atmosphere that the reader enjoys. The scenes in Shiraz strike out as active and energetic which is why the narrator often uses the word Jazbaatiat to describe the fervour of the place.

Apart from the visual aspect of Shiraz, the cafe is also significant because it is dominated by the youth and gives them a sense of ownership of the place. There is a feeling of comfort experienced by Zakir and his friends who sit there and indulge in political rhetoric. In comparison, their fathers use the domestic household for the same purpose of discussing the war and country situation, and do so with the openness and ease that their sons enjoy at Shiraz. Moreover, this cafe is the only place where Zakir seems a relatively active character. His political opinion evolves from a position of ignorance saying “Pata nahi” to an admission of guilt with, “Iss shikast ka zimaidaar mein hoon.” His conversation with Irfan on “Shikast bhi aik amaanat hoti hai” (pg 197) takes place at Shiraz where Zakir finally discusses the present situation of his country rather than investing his time thinking about the past. Thus, the cafe can be seen as a positive grooming place for him as well.