Poetry that’s recited without a Tarannum (tune) is known as ‘Taht-ul-Lafz’, or differently, ‘Taht Mein Padhna’. If read in Tarannum, the reciter’s tone and voice largely draw the attention of the audiences. However, in Taht-ul-Lafz, one enjoys the full effect of poetry with the grandeur of words and the crescendo of the rise and fall of the reciter’s voice. Although Taht-ul Lafz recitation is common in Mushairas, but those who recited Marsiyas (elegies) in this manner in mourning assemblies, turned it into a dramatic artform. A contemporary of famous Marsiya-reciter Meer Anis, and who didn’t find favor with Anis’s Marsiya composition, wrote:
“Ek martaba Ittefaqan Anis Ki Majlis mein shirkat hui. Marsiye Ke doosre hi band ki Bait…
Saato.n Jahannum Atish-e-Furqat mein jalte hain
Sho’le tirii talaash mein baahar nikalte hain
… Anis ne is andaz se paDhi ki mujhe sho’le bhadakte hue dikhai dene lage aur main un ka padhna-sunna mein aisa mahv hua ki tan-badan kaa hosh na rahaa.”
When new poetry appeared in the form Azad Nazm, it found no takers as no one seemed willing to listen to it. Then, Famous actor and broadcaster Zia Mohiuddin experimented with reciting Noon Meem Rashid's poems at various events. He recited some of these poems in such a way that the listeners, for whom these poems were ambiguous, meaningless and far from poetry, they too became enchanted by them; even managing to discover in those poems a bit of poetry.

You must have heard the proverb ‘dhobi ka kutta na ghar ka na ghat ka’, and thought, what is the connection between a washerman and a dog? And how did this proverb came into existence? 
Well, in the proverb, the word kutta i.e. dog, crept in unnecessarily. The real proverb is ‘dhobi ka katta, na ghar ka na ghat ka’. 
Now you must be wondering what a katta is? ‘Katta’ refers to the thick stick used by washermen to beat clothes on the washing stone (ghat) to clean them. It is also called a 'katka.' 
For washermen, carrying this weighted stick to and from the washing area was difficult, and leaving it on the washing stone was also not ideal. Therefore, washermen used to hide the stick along the way and retrieve it the next day for use.
Well, we wonder when and how this 'katta' transitioned into 'kutta' and replaced it in the proverb!

Ever wondered what’s the connection between the word ‘Pahar’ and ‘Pahre-Daar’? In ancient India, ‘Pahar’ used to be the unit of keeping time - with each day consisting of 8 Pahars, and each Pahar as long as 3 hours.

During each Pahar, a ‘Pahre-Daar’ would be performing watchmanship, and at the end of each hour, he would strike a metal bell and announce that he was on guard; besides, it was also the way to know what time it was. ‘Pahar’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Prahar’.

The word ‘Pahre-Daar’, however, has now been limited to meanings such as watchman, guard, or sentry. In Urdu poetry, the phrases ‘Aath Pahar’, ‘Raat Ke Pichhle Pahar’, and ‘Sih-Pahar’ are abundantly found. Like:
sih-pahar hī se koī shakl banātī hai ye shaam
ḳhud jo rotī hai mujhe bhī to rulātī hai ye shaam

In Persian, ‘Sih’ means three. And, the third Pahar of a day is also known as ‘Sih-Pahar’.

Chacha Chhakkan, an unforgettable comic character created by Syed Imtiyaz Ali Taj, is etched deep into our collective consciousness. It all started with English writer Jerome K. Jerome’s famous novel ‘Three Men in A Boat’ in which a character named ‘Uncle Podger’ humorously struggles to hang a portrait on the wall. Later, in 1944, the editor of the magazine ‘Nairang-e-Khayaal’ requested Imtiyaz Ali Taj to translate this section of the book for the magazine’s Eid issue. Instead of translating the section, Imtiyaz Ali rewrote it afresh, and Uncle Podger came to be known in Urdu as Chacha Chhakan. Owning to the great reception of Urdu readers, more such columns were demanded, and thus, about ten such articles came to being in which facets of Chacha Chhakkan's private life are humorously depicted, too. It’s also noteworthy, that recently Danish Iqbal wrote a play with Chacha Chhakkan as the central character, which has been staged well several times.

The word Eid means the day of happiness that returns again and again. Eid-ul-Fitr, an important Islamic festival, is often referred to as “MiThi Eid” in India. This festival is celebrated all over the world on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal after the fasting of Ramazan. On this day Muslims also give away ‘Fitrah’ or alms to the poor, and that’s why the occasion is called Eid-ul-Fitr.
In Urdu poetry, there is such an abundance of couplets that center around “Eid ka Chand dikhna” and “Eid Ke Din Gale Milna” that an entire book could be compiled around them.
Eid Ka Chand tum ne dekh liyaa
Chand Ki Eid ho gayi hogii
“Eid Ka Chand Hona” is a proverb quite common in everyday parlance that means to meet after a long time.
Wonder what “Eidi” is all about? Well, the bounties or gifts offered by the elders of the house or relatives to children are known as Eidi. Additionally, a Nazm or couplet that Ustads wrote on fancy-pages and presented to their students just a day before Eid as greetings of this auspicious event in exchange of a tutelage was also known as Eidi. Moreover, the fancy-pages upon which these verses were written were called Eidi as well. Also, fruits, sweets, and cash offerings that are exchanged among in-laws are known as Eidi, too.