Between Clay And Dust

Usatd Ramzi was once the greatest Western the land, farmed for his enormous strength and unmatched technique. Young apprentices flocked to his akhara to learn the craft, fans adored him and rival wrestling clans feared him. The courtesan Gohar Jan was just as renowned. Celebrated throughout the country for her beauty and the power and melodiousness of her singing, her kotha was thronged by nobles, rich men and infatuated fans.

Musharraf Ali Farooqi's new novel opens with a glimpse of these extraordinary characters in the twilight of their lives. Their skills are no longer what they once were, new challengers to their eminence have now arisen, their followers