Some days ago, while having a tête a tête during tea break, with my “Lucknowi” friend, we were admiring the beauty of Urdu language. What I could I possibly add to compliment it.. when renowned poets themselves have presented testimonials in the honour of this language…for me..
Urdu is not what we speak with tongue… it’s sort of a sophisticated, melancholic yet incredibly sweet language that comes off straight from a soul burdened with a broken mad heart and a composed sane mind.
Urdu was my second language at school and it was generally perceived as the toughest course among the students. I still remember how scary were the syllabi spanning all categories- Ghazal, Doha, Nazm, Qasidah, Rubaiyat, etc. and most questions would pertain to give an explanation of what poets had summarized in two or three lines. For my Urdu home work, I always required guidance of Dad, funnily enough Physics, Mathematics never bothered me so much😅
After discussing the charm of this language with my friend, we concluded:-
How intricately poets wring the worldly miseries of indefinite time into countable word-string of pearls!!
Back at the school, we stressed more on the detailed accounts with extensive vocabulary and rarely attempted to imbibe the ‘Art of brevity’ which has been a literary treasure for years!
It reminds me of a spectacular poem by an eminent Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz…
Nazm: Mujh se pehli si Mohabbat mere Mehboob na maang*
Some struggles of the life are so aptly entwined into these amazing lines, a person undergoing such turbulent times may take scrolls to express but aren’t these few lines just the perfect swap??
*Picture courtesy: Scoopwhoop.com
The lines are from a famous poem (Nazm) Mujhse pehli si Mohabbat mere Mehboob na maang ( Don’t ask me for the Love I had once for you, my Love):-
My eyes tend to return to catch glimpses (of You) but what can be done now; I’m quite helpless
Even now, your Beauty enchants me, but what can be done…
There’re certainly other griefs in this world apart from the longing for one’s Beloved
There’re other reliefs in this world, not only the comfort of Union!
Ruminations 