These questions will help kick off your Urdu conversations at Jashn-e Urdu on November 9.
Tag: translation
Noor-Un ‘Ala Noor: Light Upon Light
“Noor-Un ‘Ala Noor” is a poetic Sufi song about divine light and union from the 2004 Bollywood movie Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities. Renowned Indian painter M.F. Hussain (1915-2011 CE) penned the lyrics of this song, and he also wrote and directed the film.
Teri Soorat + Main Sharaabi: The Divine Intoxication
There is no doubt that “Teri Soorat / Main Sharaabi” is Aziz Mian’s signature piece and one of the masterpieces of qawwali. It centers around two works: the Urdu ghazal “Teri Soorat Nigaahon Men” by Tabhish Kanpuri which transitions into the takraar (refrain/chorus) “Main Sharaabi” which was penned by Aziz Mian himself.
Ehl-e Dair-o Haram: Life Remains Incomplete
“Ehl-e Dair-o Haram” is a melancholic ghazal written by Fana Nizami Kanpuri (1922-1988) that has been performed by several notable artists, though the poem is relatively underrated.
Sab Maaya Hai: It’s All an Illusion
“Sab Maaya Hai” is an Urdu nazm written by the Pakistani poet Ibn-e-Insha (1927-1978). In it, the poet describes his disillusionment from the world, declaring love and loyalty to be false pretenses.
Ya Husain: The Tragedy of Karbala
Purnam Allahabadi (1948-1997), a notable Pakistani poet, penned a salaam in honor of the sacrifice of Husayn that opens with the line “Salaami Karbala Men Kya”. This poem was sung beautifully by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (1948-1997) as a qawwali titled “Ya Husain”.
Ashkon Ke Le Ke Dhaare: In a Torrent of Tears
“Ashkon Ke Le Ke Dhaare” is an Urdu nazm written by the Pakistani poet Ishrat Godharvi and sung by the folk singer Shahid Ali Khan. Although he is not a household name, Godharvi is a prolific contemporary poet.
Taajdaar-e Haram: Praying for Grace
“Taajdaar-e Haram” is a devotional qawwali famously performed by the late Sabri Brothers, Ghulam Farid Sabri (1930-1994) and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri (1945-2011), from Pakistan. Their live rendition of this hymn is rich and complex, containing excerpts from poems written by diverse authors in different languages and time periods.
Kisi Din: The Beloved in Nature
“Kisi Din” is an Urdu ghazal penned by the Pakistani poet Amjad Islam Amjad (1944-2023). It was set to music and reimagined as more of a pop song by the Indian singer and musician Adnan Sami (1971-present). Sami featured it as the title track of his album Kisi Din, released in 2007.
Gorakh Dhanda: The Puzzling Nature of God
“Tum Ik Gorakh Dhanda Ho” is a philosophically and spiritually rich poem that was written by Naz Khialvi (1947-2010), a Pakistani poet and radio broadcaster. It explores theological debates and paradoxes, such as the problem of evil, free will versus determinism, the validity of different religions, and selective divine intervention.