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Ishqnaama: The love-life of Quli Qutub Shah

Quli Qutub Shah loved his flora and fauna, his people, and himself; he adored his romantic icons and eulogised them in his poetry.

By Anisur Rahman May 17, 2018
Shaam Ka Pehla Taara(On cover)+ Title Zehra Nigah: Cheerfully Towards Eighty One (Sub-title) Urdu poetry is often appropriated to eulogize female beauty and grace. This notion about women has been reiterated by ghazal that literally translates to amatory conversation with women. In times when women were not encouraged as poets and were presented only as a subject of poetry, Zehra Nigah distinguished herself both as a poet and a woman and became, in turn, an inspiration for women. apna har andaaz aankhon ko tar-o-taza laga kitne din ke baad mujh ko aa’ina achchha laga jo dil ne kahi lab pe kahan aayi hai dekho ab mehfil-e-yaaraan mein bhi tanhaayi hai dekho koi hangama sar-e-bazm uthaya jaye kuch kiya jaye charaGon ko bujhaya jaye iss ummeed per roz charaG jalate hain aane waale barson baad bhi aate hain Zehra Nigah was a young petite girl when she first started to appear in mushairas. At her maiden mushaira, she shared the stage with many a legend including Jigar Moradabadi. Zehra has herself acknowledged at various occasions that it was Jigar who taught her the etiquettes of a mushaira. She fondly recalls an incident where Jigar had asked her not to bow down too humbly when accepting praise for her poetry, as women are above that: “sar ki KHafeef jumbish se bhi ye farz adaa kiya ja sakta hai.” Hawwa ki kahani Tumhein seb khaaney ki targheeb main ney naheen dee Wo genhoon ka daana meri dastras mein naheen thhaa Meri saanp sey dosti bhi naheen thhee Agar dosti thhee kisi se, wo tum they Agar koyi achchaa lagaa thha, wo tum they Zehra Nigah’s work is exemplary because she has been a voice of resistance against the atrocities of her times. Her hard hitting nazms still echo in our memories. Justifiably enough, they will continue to pass the message to the future generations. She once said in an interview, “A poet can never write poetry if s/he is not affected by his/her surroundings.” Main bach gayi maa Main bach gayi maa Tere kachche khoon ki mehendi Mere por por mein rach gayi maa Main bach gayi maa Gar mere naqsh ubhar aate Wo tab bhi lahu se bhar jaate Mera qad jo thoda sa badhta Mere baap ka qad chhota padta Meri chunni sar se dhalak jaati Mere bhai ki bagDi gir jaati Meri aankhein raushan ho jaati Tezaab ka surma lag jaata Satte watte mein bat jaati har khwab adhoore reh jaate teri lori sunne se pehle khud apni neend mein so gyi maan anjaan nagar se aayi thi anjaan nagar mein kho gyi maa main bach gayi maa Today on May 14, we celebrate the ever-graceful poet Zehra Nigah’s 81st birthday. A woman of substance, courage and resilience, she is an ideal example of how a woman may play different roles all through her life. She once expressed that life gave her the material for poetry in all its variety as a mother, observer, traveler and learner. Video of a London Mushaira https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7t3mm1h3Po Another video for consideration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSnawcBzwUw

Shaam Ka Pehla Taara

A woman of substance, courage and resilience, she is an ideal example of how a woman may play different roles all through her life. She once expressed that life gave her the material for poetry in all its variety as a mother, observer, traveller and learner.

By Aman Ali May 14, 2018
Shankara consumed poison to save humanity as Manto did to salvage life from its ugliness and literature from its sweet sermons. Manto was indeed the Neelkanth of Urdu fiction.

Manto Manto Manto: Then why shouldn’t this man stay on

Shankara consumed poison to save humanity as Manto did to salvage life from its ugliness and literature from its sweet sermons. Manto was indeed the Neelkanth of Urdu fiction.

By Anisur Rahman May 11, 2018
Dilli is a generic and archetypal name for a city of many fates and fortunes. It has been called variously and treated unevenly. There are many tales of power-play and politics behind each name it got during the course of its grand survival from period to period. Whatever incarnation it acquired through different periods of its history, Dilli served as a dehleez, or an entrance for many rulers—the Sultanas, the Mughals, the Marathas, and the British. Dilli has been a seat of political power through ages; a base of literary cultures through eons, especially since the Medieval period of Indian history. While it offered a stage for rehearsing the onslaughts of rulers, it gave its people a way with language and a hug with culture. The language it nourished came to be known as Urdu; the culture it established came to be associated with a way of life and letters. The patterns of Dilli’s grand existence and impressive survival changed with time. With time, Dilli acquired a comprehensive identity of its own kind. As it transformed itself from age to age, so did its locational and cultural icons. Its architectural wonders--Quwat-ul-Islam and Jama Masjid--found yet other manifestations in Akshardham and Bahai temples; its Grand Trunk Road gave way to National Highways. Its older icons--Qutub Minar, Old Fort, and Red Fort--stood re-imagined as India Gate, Parliament House, and President House; its bazaars of the earlier periods got succeeded by Dilli Haat and Trade Fairs. Its Phool Walon Ki Sair manifested itself afresh into Crafts festivals; its Diwan-e-Khas got a makeover as India Habitat Centre. Some state of the art icons--Garden of Five Senses and Hauz Khas Village--stand as the modern days’ re-configured marvels of cultural transformation.

Dilli jo aik shehr hai

Kaun jaaye Zauq par Dilli ki galiyaan chod kar

By Anisur Rahman May 3, 2018
We have said it all Nothing left to say Let’s go for a drink The night is here to stay

Abhi Raat Kuch Hai Baaqi

Poets have often represented night- now as an image, now as a metaphor, now as a symbol. And the way Urdu poets signify different dimensions of the night will definitely leave you spellbound. Here we present a constellation of seven couplets from the mesmerising galaxy of Urdu poetry.

By Faisal Fehmi April 26, 2018

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