Thanda Gosht


Thanda Gosht is a short story written by Saadat Hasan Manto. The book was first published in a literary magazine in March 1950 in Pakistan. Later it was published by Sang-e-Meel Publications. Manto was charged with obscenity for this story and faced a trial in criminal court.

Storyline

The story is about the communal violence of 1947. Ishwar Singh, fails to make love to his mistress Kalwant. She suspects him of infidelity and in a fit of jealousy stabs him with his own dagger. While dying, Ishwar Singh admits his crime getting involved in riots which broke in his village killing a Muslim family with same dagger and abducting a Muslim girl after breaking in their house and attempting to rape her, who was actually dead. Hence the title "cold flesh".