Existentialism: A case Study of Mustansar Hussain Tarar’s “Mantiq-ul-Tayr Jadeed for the search of Identity in Sub-continent

Abstract

“Humanity is a pivot to personal and collective life of human being. God has blessed him with remarkable gift of essence. Soul is not only a reflection of spiritual aura but also an intellectual aspect which furbish excellence in man. So, that a man could prove himself a reasonable social being among the quagmire of oscillating being demands of society and flourish literature. Knowledge is a stimulus for intellect and reasoning in human being. Life is an eternal reality. The quest for identity has been a significant theme in the cultural and historical evolution of the Subcontinent. This research explores philosophical lens of existentialism through Mustansar Hussain Tarar’s novel Mantiq-ul-Tayr Jadeed. By blending metaphysical and existential themes with the region’s socio-cultural history, this study seeks to understand the profound layers of identity construction amidst colonial legacies, religious diversity, and cultural syncretism. The paper analyzes how the storyline rooted in Fariduddin Attar’s ‘The Conference of the Birds”, which provides a modern reinterpretation that resonates with the Subcontinent's struggles for meaning, individuality, and spiritual awakening.