Quiz A collection of interesting questions related to Urdu poetry, prose and literary history. Play Rekhta Quiz and check your knowledge about Urdu!
aaj ik aur baras biit gayā us ke baġhair
jis ke hote hue hote the zamāne mere
Compilation of top 20 hand-picked Urdu shayari on the most sought-after subjects and poets
Rekhta's online crossword puzzle - the world's first Urdu online crossword for free. Developed in collaboration with Amuse Labs, these puzzles are specially designed to improve your knowledge of Urdu language, literature, and culture. Challenge yourself with new crosswords and engage in playful learning.
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tū hai muhīt-e-be-karāñ maiñ huuñ zarā sī aabjū
yā mujhe ham-kanār kar yā mujhe be-kanār kar
tu hai muhit-e-be-karan main hun zara si aabju
ya mujhe ham-kanar kar ya mujhe be-kanar kar
from the Ghazal "gesu-e-tabdar ko aur bhi tabdar kar" by Allama Iqbal
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Browse Rekhtabooks.comQuiz A collection of interesting questions related to Urdu poetry, prose and literary history. Play Rekhta Quiz and check your knowledge about Urdu!
The earliest dissension between Josh Malihabadi and Shahid Dehlvi took place in the 1960s by way of Urdu magazines. The famous Josh-special edition of the monthly ‘Afkar’, issued in 1961 by Sahba Lakhnavi, included Shahid Ahmad Dehlavi's article ‘Josh Malihabadi Deeda-o-Shunida.’ Responsively, Josh, who took this article to be an attack on his pride, wrote an article in 1962, titled ‘Zarb-e-Shahid ba-Farq-e-Shahid Baaz.’ In this article, Josh not only smeared Shahid’s literary standing but also outdid his father, Deputy Nazir Ahmad.
In response to this, Shahid Dehlavi issued a voluminous Josh-edition in the monthly Saqi in 1963, comprising of columns against Josh from all over the country. All its copies were sold out in a flash. Readers were even ready to give Rs 3,500 for this Rs 6-magazine, but could not find one. Moreover, despite the repeated insistence of readers, Shahid Dehlvi never published its second edition.
The word ‘Afshan’ refers to golden flakes or filings that women sprinkle in the parting of their hair or foreheads as adornment. Afshan is especially graced upon, or “etched (Chuna Jaana)” into, a bride’s parting of hair. A couplet of Qamar Jalalvi’s reads:
'qamar' afshaa.n chunii hai ruKH pe us ne is saliiqe se
sitaare aasmaa.n se dekhne ko aa.e jaate hai.n
In Urdu, the word Afshan is also used as a suffix in the sense of sprinkling, shedding, or scattering. Girls are commonly named "Mehr Afshan" (She who spreads love) and “Noor Afshan”. In couplets, we see the heavens scattering dew (Shabnam-Afshani) on somebody’s grave, or someone shedding flowers (Gul-Afshani) from their eloquent conversation. Like Ghalib, in this following couplet:
phir dekhiye andaaz-e-gul-afshaanii-e-guftaar
rakh de ko.ii paimaana-e-sahbaa mere aage
In Urdu, another idiom is present for the expression ‘gul-afshaanii-e-guftaar’, namely ‘Phuul JhaDna’. A famous verse by Ahmad Faraz reads:
sunaa hai bole to baato.n se phuul jha.Dte hai.n
ye baat hai to chalo baat kar ke dekhte hai.n
Another Urdu word ‘Ifsha’, means to reveal a secret. In thousands of Urdu couplets, the secret of love is revealed through eyes. Also, interrogation done by the police to solve a crime is called ‘Taftish Karna’.
Urdu has adopted many Arabic and Persian words but they are used in different meanings. One of these words is ‘Latifa’, which in Urdu means a small humorous story, or a joke. Conversely, in Arabic, it means a delicate and excellent thing. Also, in Arab countries, Latifa is used as a proper name for girls. However, the phrase ‘fine arts’ is known in Urdu as ‘Funuun-e-Latifa’. Originally, the word ‘Latifa’ stems out of the word ‘Lutf’, which is used in different ways in Urdu, and ranges from meaning taste (lazzat) to kindness (Mihrbaani). Ameer Minai is one of his famous couplets says:
lutf aane lagaa jafaa.o.n me.n
vo kahii.n mehrbaa.n na ho jaa.e
While Hafeez Jalandhari says:
ham se ye baar-e-lutf uThaayaa na jaa.egaa
ehsaa.n ye kiijiye ki ye ehsaa.n na kiijiye
Majaz's revolutionary poems were very popular in his time. Once in Bombay a laborer asked him “Aap apni wo waali Nazm sunaiye jisme aapne kahaa hai- Rahbarii Chaluu rahii, Paighambari Chaluu rahii, Zar-garii Chaluu rahii.”
It was his Nazm “Khwab-e-Sahar”. Majaz recited the entire Nazm smilingly and read the above couplet with the refrain of “Chaluu Rahii”, instead of reading the original verse which was:The word Haram means something that is sacred, worthy of respect, honorable. This word is used in many ways.
Haram-e-Zanaan is the part of the house where women live.
Mecca, Medina and a few miles around it is also called Haram.
In Urdu poetry, the theme of ‘Dair-o-Haram’ is often taken up. ‘Dair’ means an idol-house, while Haram, a mosque. The disputes and bickering between those associated with Dair and Haram go back along way. Poets, however, are beyond these issues.
bujh rahe hai.n charaaG-e-dair-o-haram
dil jalaa.o ki raushnii kam hai
Poetry is a world that is expanded, open, and full of life. In Urdu, those who are set in the confines of ‘Dair-o-Haram’ are always made an object of satire. You can come across countless such couplets.
BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
One of the most fiery progressive poets who is known as Shayar-e-Inquilab (revolutionary poet)
qadam insāñ kā rāh-e-dahr meñ tharrā hī jaatā hai
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qadam insan ka rah-e-dahr mein tharra hi jata hai
chale kitna hi koi bach ke Thokar kha hi jata hai
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