Urdu Poetry
Humorist Yusuf Nazim is no more
Eminent Urdu litterateur Yusuf Nazim passed away at his residence in Mumbai. He was 88. His wife and four children survive him.
Yusuf Nazim, one of the foremost Urdu humorist in India, was a prolific writer and wrote over two dozen books. He penned popular columns for newspapers like Inquilab.
His initial articles were published way back [...]
Poetry in praise of Hazrat Fatima Zahra
A poetic meet was organised in the historic town of Amroha where the poets recited their couplets in praise of the daughter of Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him.
The event was known as Jashn-e-Fatma Zehra. Poetry and Urdu couplets praising Fatima [RH] were recited at the Urdu poetry recital session. Other than literary meets, [...]
Sajid Sajni: The last poet of Rekhti
First an astonishing Urdu couplet:
talaaq de to rahe ho ataab-o-qahar ke saath
meraa shabaab bhii lauTaa do mere meher ke saath
[Sajid Sajni]
While Classical Urdu ghazal was called ‘Rekhta’, the poetry written in woman’s voice by men was termed as ‘Rekhti’. In the late 18th and early 19th century, in a deadent sultanate of Oudh, poetry [...]
Eminent Urdu poet Mazhar Imam’s literary journey
rashk karte haiN jeetne vaale
hamne is taraH maat khaaii hai
[Mazhar Imam]
Here is a selection of some of the couplets of eminent Poet Mazhar Imam:
Renowned poet Mazhar Imam has been one of the leading Urdu poets of the sub-continent for over half-a-century.
He was born in 1928 in Bihar’s Darbhanga district. His father Syed Amir Ali was [...]
Renowned Urdu poet Adil Mansuri is no more
Adil Mansuri, the leading Urdu poet, passed away in America recently. He was the most promient of modernist poets along side Zafar Iqbal, Nida Fazli, Mohammad Alvi and Ameeq Hanafi.
He was 72. Mansuri is survived by his wife and five children. He was born in Ahmedabad in 1936. Though his mother tongue was Gujarati, Mansuri [...]
Urdu Poetry: 200 Ghazals and Nazms
Urdu poetry transcends geographical boundaries and is understood and loved by millions who can’t read a word written in Urdu script. I am happy that my other blog now has a collection of 200 selected ghazals and Nazms, each in Urdu, Hindi and Roman English scripts, for the benefit of readers. Read.
Due to the linguistic [...]
Bashir Badr, an embarrassment for Urdu fraternity
Bashir Badr, a fine poet, has lately become an embarrassment for the entire Urdu fraternity.
His excessive bragging and boastful statements suggest that he is bordering megalomania.
In a recent interview published in a prominent Hindi daily newspaper, Badr, said that if Mir and Ghalib were alive even they would be jealous of his popularity. [...]
Dr Aafia Siddiqui: The screams of prisoner number 650
Read this post in Urdu. It is an excerpt from Ahmed Javed’s article that was published in Hindustan Express Urdu daily recently. The text may be a bit taxing for your eyes but do read it. The plight of Dr Aafia Siddiqui and the criminal silence of the society that remained almost indifferent to her, [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 9 so far )Shugoofa: Humour magazine from Hyderabad
Shugoofa is a rare magazine dedicated to humour and satire, which is published from Hyderabad Deccan (India).
In an era when magazines are finding it tough to survive, Shagoofa has completed 40 years of publication and is now in its 41st year. What distinguishes it from other magazines is the fact that all the articles and [...]
Rafia Manzoorul Ameen passes away in Hyderabad
Eminent Urdu writer Rafia Manzoorul Ameen passed away in Hyderabad Deccan recently. She was 78.
Her first novel ‘Saare jahaan ka dard’ that was set in Kashmir was published by Naseem Anhonvi’s publication from Lucknow. She wrote Yeh Raste and later Aalampanah which got her immense popularity as TV serial Farmaan was based on it. [...]
Azad Hind editor gets Rajya Sabha berth
Ahmad Saeed Malihabadi, the editor of Urdu daily Azad Hind (Calcutta) is all set to get elected to the Upper House. The Left Front and the Congress, both bitter rivals in West Bengal politics, have supported his nomination.
He had filed his nomination as an independent candidate. It is quite clear that he will easily sail [...]
Kaifi Azmi’s nazm on Hazrat Imam Husain
Hazrat Imam Husain
On the occasion of Yaum-e-Ashura, here is Kaifi Azmi’s Nazm
in the praise of Hazrat Imam Husain.
hurriyat ko aaj phir hai ibn-e-Haider kii talaash
vaqt ko phir hai karoRoN meN behtar kii talaash
zindagi ko phir ek jaaN-baaz rahbar kii talaash
phir javaanii khone ko hai voh nishaan-e-hurriyat
phir huii hai dosh-e-Abbas dilaavar kii talaash
phir hummiyat uThi [...]
Jolt to Urdu-lovers in Mumbai: Closure of Maktaba Jamia
Urdu lovers are shocked with the news that the Maktaba Jamia’s Mumbai branch will be finally closed on November 30. For six decades Maktab that had a vast treasure of books, was a centre for Urdu-lovers and had become an institution under Shahid Ali Khan.
Reacting to the decision, Nida Fazli said that Government should take [...]
How to speak English fluently?
In a way this post doesn’t conform with this blog that focuses on poetry and literature. But in another way it does, as people from South Asia, especially India and Pakistan who speak Urdu and want to improve their fluency in spoken English, pose this question at most websites and forums.
It’s true that spoken [...]
Unique Mushaira: Non-Muslim Urdu poets enchant audience at historic Sholapur mushaira
A unique Mushaira was organised in Sholapur in Maharashtra recently where only the non-Muslim poets of Urdu recited their poetry.
Mahendra ‘Ashk’ presided over the Mushaira and gave an introductory speech about Urdu language, literature and the tradition of Mushairas. Shyama Singh Saba, a poetess, recited the Naat.
She read out a few ghazals also [...]
A non-Muslim poet’s collection of Naat
The collection of ‘Naat’s by Urdu poet Shiv Bahadur Singh ‘Dilbar’ has received wide acclaim within months of the publication.
Though non-Muslim Urdu poets have written Naats (poetry in praise of Prophet Muhammad), such collections have become a rarity in recent times. However, the collection ‘Aqeedat ke Phool’ has drawn the attention of Urdu-lovers.
It is [...]
Remembering Qurratulain Hyder (1927-2007)
For several centuries Urdu was a language of poetry. We had great poets like Meer, Ghalib and Iqbal, but we had no major work of prose to be kept alongside the novels of West. Ainee changed this forever and Urdu world will always be indebted to her for penning ‘Aag ka Darya’.
Her name meant ‘the [...]
Non-Muslim Urdu poets and writers
One of the oldest surviving literary magazine, Shair, which is published from Mumbai, has come out with a special edition on the non-Muslim Urdu litterateurs of the language.
The editor Iftikhar Imam Siddiqui has raised the issue of non-Muslim Urdu writers who are disappearing fast and young Hindu/Sikh writers not appearing on the literary scene [...]
Uski gali ki khaak uRane ka jee kare
Prakash Fikri’s ghazal and especially the couplets:
woh shaKhs jis-se ruuTh ke tanhaa boh’t hu’e
uskii galii kii Khaak uRaane ko jii kare
bujhne lagii hai shaam andheroN kii god meN
har simt ek aag lagaane ko jii kare
Fikri yeh iKhtesaar to be-lutf saa rahaa
qissa ko’ii taviil sunaane ko jii kare
Prakash Fikri (or shall I write, Parkash) [...]
Remembering Mohsin Bhopali
munhasir ahl-e-sitam par hii nahiiN hai Mohsin
log apnoN kii inaayat se bhii mar jaate haiN
jurrat-e-fuGhaaN kaisii, aapse shikaayat kyaa
saaNs le rahe haiN hum, aapkii navaazish hai
unke vaa’de takallufan hii sahiiH
phir bhii ham etbaar karte haiN
(Mohsin Bhopali)
(This is a tribute to the poet published in an Indian newspaper, Inquilab).
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