Jaun Elia, the poet of poignant verses and bitter truths, wasn’t just a name scribbled on pages; he was a melody of anger woven into every couplet. His words weren’t mere express… Read More
Finding its soul in an embrace of melancholy and nurtured by ‘emotions recollected in tranquillity’, poetry has forever been a language of the heart and as Milan Kundera reminded… Read More
In 1977, a well-known journalist and writer late, Kushwant Singh, called Urdu a dying language. Decades later, and just a few months ago, while hearing the case of the Shiv Sena split, a cli… Read More
Urdu poetry is a realm where words transcend their literal meanings, weaving a tapestry of emotions, spirituality, and profound insights. At its heart lies a deep connection to mysticism and… Read More
Marsiya arabi lafz ‘Rasa’ se bana hai jis ka lughavi maani hota hai mayyat par rona. Marsiya ek aisi nazm hoti hai jis mein hum marne wale ke ausaaf bayan karte hain. Marsiya ki… Read More
In Urdu literature, the theme of love, separation, praising the beloved and living in agony found more recognition than the rest. But this does not denounce the reality that the horizons of… Read More
Few people would have heard what can possibly be classified as the first pseudo-rap song in Hindi films- the song “Dekhiye, Sahibo, Who koi, Aur thi”, from the 1966 musical suspe… Read More
Shayari is the favorite genre of poetry in the Urdu language and literature. And this is one of those actions where one feels at ease showing joy or sorrow. When it comes to the present, you… Read More
Today, we present a portrait from the ‘Auraq-e-Musawwar’, the sepia-toned artist’s sketchbook – Meer Baqar Ali, the last Daastaango (storyteller) from Old Delhi whose… Read More
Every woman’s day, Literati gather and pay tribute to the women of literature. Women’s “immeasurable” contribution is discussed. It is expressed how indebted this lit… Read More
2023 marks three hundred years of the legendary poet Meer Taqi Meer. A fresh wave of readers is turning to him, paying tribute to his poetic and linguistic legacy. In this festival of Meer&r&hell…Read More
Born in Delhi, in the year 1748, Yahya Aman, better known as the poet Jurat Qalandar Bakhsh was unlike any other poet of his time. Known for an artful portrayal of mischief, mirth and mocker… Read More
The year 2022 is over. Looking back, it was anything but usual. Won’t be interesting to turn the wheel of time and look back at your most loved bits of literature?
That’s prec… Read More
Bahadur Shah Zafar is recognised in our collective literary history for two main reasons, One is that he was the last light of the Mughal era, a lamp that was flickering under the overseeing… Read More
In order to amicably negotiate with the colonial powers and politics of the late nineteenth century India, certain individuals emerged as the forerunners of socio-cultural transformations in… Read More
Urdu Ghazal is considered to be one of the most exquisite genres of poetry in World literature. The special thing about Ghazal is that everything it comprises of has become a sub-genre; them… Read More
Aql goyad shash-jihat hadd-ast-o-bairuu.n raah niistIshq goyad raah hast-o-rafta’am man baar-haa
Intellect says, “The Cosmos is the limit and there’s no trail beyond&rdq&hell…Read More
“Maine Madam Noor Jahan se siikha ‘Muhabbat’ lafz kaise ada karte hain gaane mein”
Lata Ji remarked in one of her interviews.
One wonders how uncompromisingly d… Read More
Evidently Josh’s poetry would add unique dimensions to any literature, let alone Urdu. He had this very rare combination of a diversified and panoramic vision and profoundly intricate… Read More
Think, what first comes to your mind as you read a couplet?
Its idea, image, eloquence, assonance, or something else?
Barely are we drawn towards the sounds that envelope the syllables… Read More
Who is Meeraji? Alive, or dead? Poet, or lover? Iconoclast, or imposter? To answer: he is one and all of them—a curious being of many appearances. He sought meaning in silence and love… Read More
About the evening of 16th September 1992, an onlooker recounted, ‘A man stepped out of his office. He was eagerly pacing towards the railway station. Like many bygone evenings that he… Read More
Teacher’s day is quite a reminder as to why we should never forget what our teachers did for us. The same can be said for Urdu poetry where the tradition of Ustad and Shagird is both a… Read More