Govt of India-supported meet admits: Urdu a language of interfaith bonds, syncretism

By Firoz Bakht Ahmed*
"Bari aristocracy hei zabaan mein
Nawabi ka maza deti hei Urdu faqiri mein!"
(The language is so rich in aristocratic ethos
To a pauper it gives a king’s royalty all across!)
The fragrance, candour and timelessness of Urdu, basically an Indo-Aryan language was stamped at the two-day International Urdu Webinar by the NCPUL (National Council for the Promotion of Urdu Language) recently in New Delhi. Indeed, since time immemorial, Urdu had been the lingua franca of Sindh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, undivided Bengal, Punjab, Doaba etc. besides being the language of the heart and soul.
The topic of a recent two-day webinar was the role and responsibility of Urdu writers in the age of electronic and social media. Organized by the NCPUL (National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language), the webinar began with the inaugural address by Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Union minister of education, who called Urdu a language of not only composite culture, syncretism and interfaith bonds but also of humaneness of heart and soul.
Participated by around 35 eminent Urdu litterateurs plus hundreds of connoisseurs of Urdu from all over the world, the webinar saw Prof Shahid Akhtar, vice chairman, NCPUL, insisting on the need to promote Urdu in these days of social media with smart phones, where the information is just a touch away.

Prof Zaman Azurdah said that writers, poets and authors are the eyes of the entire social, religious and political system and they have a huge responsibility towards their connoisseurs and the lovers of the language and literature and hence, have to be very positive sans all negetivity. He added, most powerful source of information is the social and electronic media. Like the authors, poets and journalists of other languages, Urdu writers too are toeing the line of the internet and are connecting globally via smart phones and laptops.

Sheikh Aquil Ahmed, director, NCPUL, stated that these are the days webinars and Wi-Fi technology where everything has been condensed into a smart phone via social networking and hence, Urdu too has to be techno-savvy to come at par with the other languages.

Dr Syed Taghi Hasan Abedi said that when the world has become a global village and in this situation, no language can establish a strong connection with its readers without the help of modern technology. He added, NCPUL must take lead in forming a centre for the Urdu writers who are techno-savvy in the way that a new generation must come up to manage the electronic and social media advancement of the language, like — "Tahaffuz-e-Urdu Board barai Barqui Media" (Board for the propagation and promotion of Urdu via electronic media).

Speaking about the progress of Urdu in Bangladesh, Prof Golam Rabbani said that the future of Urdu is bright and brilliant in the country. He differed with those who believe Urdu was drifting, adding,plethora of Urdu websites is testimony to its continuing popularity.

Dr Ahmad Mohammed Abdel Rahman of Egypt’s Al-Azhar University stated that the excellent work done by Urdu poets, authors and journalists should be processed and progressed to the global readers. For this, senior Urdu scholars and intellectuals must join heads together for putting Urdu on a fast track.

Opined Dr Humra Parveen of the Department of Mass Communication, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) that Urdu happens to be the language of the conglomerate tradition and culture of India that, after being acquired by the Khanqahs, educational institutions and the official world, also became th language of market. During the times of Mohammed Shah and Quli Qutub Shah, it became the government’s language. At that time, it was in fact the most popular language. Owing to its poetic exuberance and an easy language to learn (which it is even today), Urdu replaced Persian.

The cultural and artistic tone and tenure of Urdu has been depicted generously in multifarious forms, including the Mushaira (poetic gathering), Marsiahkhwani (elegy) Ghazal (poetry recitation), Qawwali (chorus), Dastangoi (story telling), Chahar Bait (poetry competition) Mujra (ballet) etc besides other art forms, like drama, she added.

Others who participated included Prof Shamim Hanafi, Prof Shehzad Anjum, Syed Zain Shamsi, Prof Azarmi Dukht Safawi, Dr Ataullah Khan Kak, Dr Afzal Misbahi, Dr Mohd Kazim, Prof Mushtaque Ahmed, Prof Eqbql Ahmad, Dr Imteyaz Ahmad and Prof Abuzar Usmani. They agreed with UK's Prof Fahim Akhtar that the world has changed in the days of Covid-19 and no one knows as to what would happen in the days to come. In such a scenario, webinars are the best that are going to be the in thing of the future.

Several speakers pointed out that the reason Urdu got proliferated and promoted was owing to its secular character and a universal base in India and abroad. Today Urdu happens to be one of the most popular of all international languages. Not only that Urdu is a language of the subcontinent but it has become an important South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) link language.

In India alone, it was suggested,as per the government records, more than 70 million people’s mother tongue is Urdu. An equal number of Urdu-knowing people are spread all over the nation. In the state of Kashmir, Urdu is the first language while in other states like — Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal -- it has been recognized as the second language of the second language, it was pointed out.

The webinar highlighted NCPUL's contribution in promoting Urdu on a pan India basis by conducting seminars, workshops on calligraphy, graphic designing, e-books, Urdu media and other topics besides teaching of Urdu, Persian and Arabic to their connoisseurs from all cross sections of society besides bringing out of Urdu magazines like, “Urdu Dunia” (monthly), “Bachchon ki Dunia” (children’s monthly) “Khawatin ki Dunia” (ladies’ monthly magazine) and “Fikr-o-Tehqeeq (research-based tri-monthly).
---

*Chancellor, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad; grandnephew, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Green Revolution’s reliance on chemical fertilizers, pesticides contributing to Punjab's health crisis

By Bharat Dogra, Jagmohan Singh* Punjab was once synonymous with robust health, particularly in its rural areas, where farmers were known for their strength and vitality. However, in recent years, reports from these villages tell a different story, with rising cases of serious health issues, including cancer. What led to this decline? The answer lies largely in the erosion of good nutrition, once a hallmark of Punjabi village life. The health of a population is closely tied to its nutrition, and Punjab's reputation as a provider of high-quality nutrition has suffered greatly. The loss of biodiversity in agriculture has led to a decrease in the variety and quality of crops, resulting in poorer nutrition. Pulses, a key source of protein, have seen a steep decline in cultivation due to the disruption of traditional farming practices by the Green Revolution. This has had a detrimental effect on both soil and human health. Although pulses are still available in the market, they are exp

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor* Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Search This Blog