Urdunama

If you have followed Urdunama so far, you must have figured by now the reasons for the shayar's angst and joy. It is usually the masla-e-hijr-o-visaal-e-yaar meaning the problems of separation and union with the beloved, that keeps the poet up at night and worries about his future with the one he feels to be in love with.  This desire of meeting the beloved sometimes gives him hope, but more often...

'Hijr' meaning separation, distance, judaai , is an ultimate nightmare for the shayar in Urdu poetry. In the four part series on the stages of love, Fabeha Syed explores the sufferings and pains induced by the separation-anxiety that the poet goes through. Tune in and find out why '...doori sahi jaaye na..' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The word 'Kashish' means attraction. The world of Urdu poetry looks at the art of attraction in different ways, from Wasim Barelvi to Sahir Ludhianvi to modern lyricists like Sameer, everyone has a unique way of understanding attraction.  February is considered to be the month of love. So, we decided to look at different stages of love in this 4-part series. In the previous episode about 'Nazar',...

'Nazar ke saame, jigar ke paas...' 'Pehli Nazar mei, aisa jaadu kar diya...' 'Akele na bazaar jaaya karo, Nazar lag jaaegi...' The idea of 'Nazar' is one of the most extensively used concepts in Bollywood songs. Nazar can mean vision, but it can also represent an opinion or an evil eye. February is considered to be the month of love. So, we decided to look at the different stages of love in a four...

Watan, meaning a country, also means home, a place of residence. In Urdu poetry, nazms like 'Bachhe ki dua', and 'Parinde ki Fariyad', beautifully capture 'Watan' as an emotion. Tune in as Fabeha Syed reads Allama Iqbal and Bismil Azeemabadi who fondly write about what Watan stands for them.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Qala's mesmerizing 'Shauq', written by Varun Grover is our song of the moment, because it points out the very need for various 'shauq', meaning desires and passions, in our lives. However, it also poses a question - are our desires killing us or building us?  In this episode of Urdunama, Fabeha Syed reads poets like Parveen Shakir, Faiz, and Sahir, among others, who help us figure out what our 'sh...

The movie and the soundtrack of Netflix's Qala is one to be counted among the OTT's finest productions. But what does the word 'qala' mean? When pronounced as kala which means art, it becomes an instant association as the movie is about art.  Qala, however, has its origins in Arabic which means a fortress or a castle which in Hindustani is called qila. With Amit Trivedi's painfully haunting soundt...

New year parties have always been a thing, and they should be so. In this new year special episode we try to figure out the degree of 'khumaar' that can hurt, and how much of that intoxication won't. Tune in as Fabeha Syed explores the 'khumaar' of Urdu poetry and some of its forms that are needed in matters of love and life. Enjoy and have safe fun.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph...

Born on 24th Dec 1924, legendary singer Mohammad Rafi became the golden voice of Hindi film music whose soulful numbers include romantic songs, qawwalis, shabad kirtans, and bhajans. In this episode, we remember the maestro through his soulful bhajans. In this episode, songwriter Saurabh Gupta performs 'Ishwar Allah' on guitar. Tune in.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...

It's that time of the year when everyone ushers in the new beginnings by taking year-end vacations with their families, or to meet them. But a journey holds meanings other than that of travelling and vacations. For the uninitiated, it also means reflections and going deeper into self understanding.  Tune in as Fabeha Syed reads poets like Javed Akhtar, Jigar Moradabadi, Nida Fazli, and Ahmad Faraz...

Syed Hussain Sibt-e-Anwar Naqvi aka Jaun Elia was a poet of many shades. His poetry emanates from his scholarly intellect that resonates with readers who can find politics, philosophy, and a heart pining for unrequited love, all coming from the pen of one person.  Tune in as Fabeha Syed reads some of his gems on heartbreak, loneliness, and despair. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...

As the winter season sets in, a cup of warm soup, blankets and some soothing music can make most chilly nights feel like warm hugs. To add to this feeling, I am back with another episode on 'Sardi'; with shayari, poetry and as always, some singing.  Tune in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Veteran actor Tabassum Govil passed away in Mumbai on 18th November at the age of 78. In this episode of Urdunama, we decided to give tribute to the legend by celebrating what she will always be remembered for - Tabassum meaning smile. Tune in as Fabeha Syed reads Sahir Ludhianvi and Josh Malihabadi among others.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the occasion of National Constitution Day, we thought of exploring the laws of nature that govern our survival. Is anarchism the very human nature, or the essence of the 'insaani-fitrat' lies in the balancing act to survive in a society? Tune in as Fabeha Syed reads nazms from poets like Rais Amrohvi, Hosh Jaunpuri and Farhat Ehsaas.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...

The Urdu language has a very sweet word for 'sweet', Shireen. Tune into this week's Urdunama with Fabeha, and add some sweetness to your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aasman meaning sky stands for hopes and possibilities, in Urdu poetry. Sometimes it is also used in the context of heartaches and tragedies. Tune in to know the many meanings and other contexts of the sky which is limitless.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Halloween is around the corner. So we thought, let's get spooky on this week's Urdunama. Fabeha talks about how evil spirits and the paranormal found its way in Urdu poetry. Listen till the end, warna bhoot aa jaaega!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India will be playing against Pakistan in the much-anticipated match of T20 World Cup 2022 which will be held at Melbourne Cricket Ground on 23 October. Since all the India-Pak matches are nothing short of a carnival, this match is also all set to celebrate these neighbors' coming together. To celebrate this spirit of this In this episode of Urdunama we look at some of the ways alliances and frien...

Ranjish meaning displeasure, or grief, is a powerful emotion. If used wisely, it can open wounds to healing, and strengthen us to the core enabling us to carry our love and grief. Tune in as we explore through the works of Ahmad Faraz, Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq, Akhtar Shirani, and others.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They say Law of Attraction works when you work toward your dreams. But what it is that makes you realise and get you started in the first place? Courage, to come face to face or ‘ru-ba-ru’ with the elephant in the room. After all, its the things that we feel are impossible, hold the most possibilities for us.  Tune in, as we get closer and ‘ru ba ru’ the idea of facing the ‘self’ and finding the u...

1 October is observed as the International Day For the Older People. So, we decided to explore buzurgi, meaning wisdom of an old person. Tune in as we, through the works of poets like Firaq Gorakhpuri, Ismail Merathi, among others, look at what it means to be a 'buzurg'. Tune in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Experts and film historians nod in agreement every time they remember Dev Anand and his love for Urdu. One of the stars of the DilipKumar-Raj Kapoor-Dev Anand triumvirate, Dev was known to enjoy his dialogues and songs written in Urdu. In this special episode of Urdunama we celebrate the legend's love for the language and what could possibly be attributed to his initial training in the language. ...

The longest reigning British Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II passed away on 8th September at the age of 96. Her funeral ceremony is set to be held on Monday, 19th September in Westminster Abbey. Hundreds of foreign royals and heads of state are expected to attend the funeral, and the event is said to be the biggest diplomatic gathering in decades. The British people are mourning the death of their que...

Every single death by suicide is a public health concern. So, to create awareness,10th September is observed as World Suicide Prevention Day. In this episode, we explore the theme of 'zindagi' meaning life through Urdu poetry. Tune in.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is no pleasure without pain, anxiety, uncertainties, insecurities, sadness, grief, and a whole bunch of other emotions. It's only when we are stricken with one or more of these unpleasant feelings that we long for emotions that are happy and can bring joy to our hearts. Once we are able to achieve these most cherished feelings is when we can experience pleasure. In Urdu, the word 'lutf' deno...