Nairang-e-Khayal, Lahore

In July 1924, Nairang-e-Khayal was launched from Lahore under the editorship of Hakim Muhammad Yusuf Hasan. The magazine introduced many new experiments in literary journalism, with the publication of annual special editions being one of its major achievements. Due to its diverse themes and content, Nairang-e-Khayal became highly popular. The magazine featured biographical accounts, profiles of notable personalities, as well as various poetic and prose works. Its special editions introduced readers to new perspectives and themes. Some of the most notable among these were the Short Story Edition, Chinese Short Story Edition, Mahiya (a poetic form) Edition, and Editor Edition. One of its special issues, Nigarish-e-Lateef, was published in June 1932 and was dedicated to women writers. It included contributions from prominent female authors such as Nazar Sajjad Haider, Sikandar Khanum, Zahra, Shiv Rani (Begum Premchand), Nikhat Sherwaniya, Khadija Begum, Khurshid Iqbal Haya Begum (Editor of Khatun-e-Mashriq, Meerut), Miss Hijab Ismail, and Yashoda Devi (Begum Kanhaiya Lal Kapoor). Remarkably, Nairang-e-Khayal was perhaps the only magazine to publish a special Iqbal Edition in 1932, during Allama Iqbal’s lifetime. Diwan Hanan Khan compiled a book titled Nairang-e-Khayal ka Mauzoo’ati Ishariya (The Thematic Index of Nairang-e-Khayal), which was published in 2007.