An Introduction to Urdu Poetry

Many of you may never have heard of Urdu Poetry before, and even fewer of you may know what Urdu Poetry actually is. This article is a humble attempt to give you some basic knowledge about Urdu Poetry.

An appropriate place to start at would be the Urdu language. Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language that is spoken by an estimated 250 million people in India, Pakistan and neighbouring South Asian countries. Urdu is the official language of Pakistan and is the major language in some Indian states. But the language is not confined to the sub-Indian continent; Britain has one of the biggest Urdu communities in the world today.

The Urdu language emerged in the 13th century in North India as a mixture of the Hindi language, other local languages, and the Persian language that was brought to the area by merchants and military men. Many Arabic and Turkish words have also been incorporated into Urdu. Its colourful mix of elements from many languages is the main reason for its highly poetic nature.

Urdu Poetry traditions are deeply rooted in time, but like with many other types of poetry, a firm starting point simply cannot be established. Some of the major literary influences for later Urdu Poetry can be traced as far back as Kabir (1440-1518) and Amir Khusro (1253-1325 AD).

Urdu Poetry is a melodic and elegant type of poetry whose major themes include human feelings, natures beauty, and the passion for love. A majority of Urdu Poetry is written in Nasta`liq calligraphy, a beautiful Perso-Arabic script. Since Urdu Poetry is very popular in India, where there are many people who can understand Urdu but are unable to read the Nasta`liq script, many of the poems have been translated into the Devanagari script that is used by Hindi speakers. With the advent of globalization, there are even some Urdu poems that have been written in Roman Urdu. Roman Urdu is simply the Urdu language written using the Roman alphabet.

Poets of Urdu Poetry use a pen name which is called a takhallus. The takhallus will normally become a part of a poets real name and is added at the end of it. In Urdu Poetry, the takhallus is incorporated into the last couplet of the poem to act as a sort of signature.

Mushairas, or Urdu Poetry recitals, are entertaining events where poets perform their works. The Mushaira is a deeply-loved and cherished part of the Pakistani and North Indian cultures. At a typical Mushaira, several invited guest poets will sit along a long table at the front of the room, just like you would expect with a panel of judges. There is one host who will invite each poet to perform his work. The audience participates by calling out va at the end of important couplets.

An Urdu Poem is essentially composed of couplets, or pairs of versed lines that rhyme and have similar meters. One couplet is called a Sher and many couplets are called Ashaar. Although Urdu Poetry is characterized by several basic ingredients, there are many different forms of Urdu poems.

The study of Urdu Poetry is an extremely intricate subject that simply cannot be covered in a single article. It has captured the interests of many people around the world and continues to thrive as a form of cultural expression. Hopefully, this article has given you some insight into that intricate world of Urdu Poetry.

The Author writes articles on urdu poetry. More articles written by the author related to Indian and Pakistani poets, Urdu Poetry & Shayari Books and Urdu Poet Forum & Community which can be found at http://www.urdupoet.net

Related Articles:

Outskirts Press Announces Wind in the Pages, the Latest Highly-Anticipated Poetry Book from Pahoa, HI Author Brett Brady
Outskirts Press, Inc. has published wind in the pages: haiku by brett brady, which is the author's most recent book to date. The 5.5 x 8.5 Paperback in the Poetry category is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $25.95. wind in the pages is also available in its 5.5 x 8.5 Hardback w/ Jacket edition for $37.95. The webpage at www.outskirtspress.com/brettbrady was launched simultaneously with the book's publication.

Undercurrent Blues Has A Rhythm of Its Own - Poetry Book Review
On July 17, 2005 Cahuenga Press released Undercurrent Blues by James Cushing (Cahuenga is a cooperative press and Undercurrent Blues is the 14th book they have published since their inception in 1989). The collection includes poems written from 1989 through 1991 and 1997 through 2002.

Winners Announced for Fourth Annual Margaret Reid Poetry Contest for Traditional Verse
Johnmichael Simon of Israel is the winner of the fourth annual Margaret Reid Poetry Contest for Traditional Verse sponsored by Tom Howard Books. $4,800 in cash prizes were awarded for the best original poems in traditional verse forms. Simon's poem "On the Border", a depiction of daily life in the war-torn Middle East, bested hundreds of entries from around the world to win the top prize of $1,000. The top three winners and ten High Distinction poems are published at www.winningwriters.com/margaret

On Writing and Poetry: Harry Calhoun in Conversation
"This is just brilliant. The whole interview is incredible.

How Do You Judge A Writing Contest?
Are writing contests worth your time and energy? If only there was a simple answer to this controversial question..

Want to Make More Money as a Freelance Writer? Here are 10 Reasons To Consider Copywriting
Looking to chuck that full-time job for a life of full-time writing? Or maybe you've already dumped the day job but aren't quite as busy as you'd like to be. Why not take a closer look at copywriting?Copywriting, also known as business or promotional writing, can do more than put a few extra bucks in your wallet – it can also help you develop as a writer.

How To Write Great Children's Poetry & Rhyming Stories
Children love rhyme The rhythm of the text, the way the words bounce off the tongue can be especially appealing to young children who are mastering language and reading

Poetry in Motion: Woody Allen's Spanish Film 'Midnight in Barcelona' Begins Filming in the Catalan Capital, Spain
Excitement is buzzing in Barcelona as Woody Allen begins filming for his next feature film in the beachside district, Barceloneta. As crowds gather hoping for a glimpse of cast members Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, local business are hopeful the A-list exposure will generate more interest in one of Europe's hottest summer holiday locations.

Poetry "Reborn" Emerges In Thriller Mystery Novel
Since Mohamed Ali–then Cassius Clay–announced that he had written "The world's shortest poem," I have known that I would be a poet. "ME? WHEE!" His triumphant proclamation evoking shivers within my troubled teenaged identity, for I reasoned in rhyme.

Article on Poetry and Two Poems
Writing Poetry for TomorrowWhat does a man need to be a poet, or tomorrow's literary giant? Questions many a student has asked, from Harvard all the way to the community college in one's hometown. What is the answer? Well, I can give you mine, and I'm sure if you asked a hundred writers, or a hundred scholars, you'd get two hundred different answers.

Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man, a New Poetry Book From Poet Harry Gilleland
Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man is the third published collection of poetry written by poet Harry E. Gilleland, Jr. This new collection of 81 storoems and poems offers hours of stimulating reading. Featured are both rhyming poems and storoems (a story-poem format pioneered by Gilleland) and free-verse poems. This book will entertain while provoking thought on a wide variety of subjects.

Facelift for Resumes Offers Hope for Job Seekers, says Resume Writing Service
Professional Pixie Dust from Resume Writing Service Can Help You Land a Job

Whimsical New Collection Proves that Poetry Can Be Fun
Love and Laugh: The Poetry of Alexander Frost by Alexander Frost is a witty exploration of nature and life.

Poetry in a Nutshell
Poetry is more than just rhyming and prose that is in meters and verse. It is an art form.

Start a Resume Writing Service for Profit
The resume writing service serves an important role in the economy. Many qualified candidates have a difficult time marketing themselves to employers and turn to a professional writing service for assistance.