Basti is a narrative of remembrance and memories. During turbulent times of war, Zakir remembers his childhood days more frequently. In order to survive in the present, the narrator relives and retires to his past experience. The idyll city of Rupnagar, its seasons, markets, temples and karbalas and Zakir's beloved Sabirah always surface in his memories. The meaning and significance of the title Basti indicate a permanent settlement, and the word Zakir means one who remembers. Zakir searches for a balance between two different worlds; he is nothing but a mere observer in the outside world, and within the interior world, he is lonely. Despite suffering and disillusionment, the text emphasizes the values of carrying a cultural past and seeking solace from it.

Keywords: Nostalgia, Reintegration, Cultural Past, Hizarat, Trust.