Urdu kya hai kothe ki tawaif hai
Maza har ek leta hai mohabbat kaun karta hai
These disheartening lines are chosen to inform the reader of the status that Urdu enjoys in society today. An immensely quotable language has become just that - a collection of quotes. Everyone quotes Urdu poetry but few study it. I, unfortunately, fall in the first category.
I come from a family that prides itself on being able to recite reams and reams of Urdu and Hindi poetry from rote. Interest in poetry is practically a requirement. Until very recently I was bucking the family trend quite radically. For me, Khusrau and Ghalib were relegated to the background while the works of Shakespeare and e.e. cummings took centerstage. All that changed when I heard chap tilak sab cheeni.
No comments:
Post a Comment