scorecardresearch
Saturday, September 6, 2025
TopicUrdu Literature

Topic: Urdu Literature

When Mirza Ghalib was told to his face that his verse was meaningless

In 'The Essential Ghalib’, Anisur Rahman presents an exemplary selection of Mirza Ghalib’s Urdu couplets, translated in English along with critical commentaries.

This is how an Urdu weekly ‘punched’ Sir Syed’s Muslim reformist movement

While Sir Syed’s advocacy for realism and scientific thinking drew attacks such as being labelled a ‘satan’ and ‘a leader of thieves,’ Altaf Hussain Hali’s poetry, which promoted reason and advised moving away from artificial metaphors, was largely deemed un-Islamic.

A Moradabad-born hakim’s love for Sherlock Holmes and English gave birth to Urdu crime fiction

In 'Urdu Crime Fiction 1890–1950’, author CM Naim writes how Urdu readers in India were introduced to the adventurous tales of Sherlock Holmes by Muhammad Muhsin Faruqi.

Urdu literature has ignored Dalit Muslims. Pasmandas must own the language

Ashraaf Muslims never truly included Pasmandas in Urdu literature. It's still the language of the elite.

Imtiaz Ali Taj gave Urdu literature Anarkali, Chacha Chakkan. But the world forgot him

It was Imtiaz Ali Taj’s 1931 play that helped K. Asif create magic with Mughal-e-Azam in 1960.

On Camera

Kolkata’s silencing of Javed Akhtar exposes India’s secular vacuum

Even those parties that wear the label of secular and progressive often bow to the pressures of fundamentalist groups within the Muslim community.

GST 2.0: India streamlines indirect tax regime amid Trump tariffs & what it means for consumers

Goods and Services Tax Council paves way for a broad two-slab structure of 5% and 18% with a demerit rate of 40% for super luxury and 'sin' goods.

Dassault Aviation takes majority control of joint venture with Anil Ambani’s Reliance

Following the transaction which is expected to be completed by November, Dassault Reliance Aerospace Ltd will become an associate company, with Reliance retaining a 49% stake.

For Indian Mercedes, Asim Munir’s dumper truck in mirror is closer than it appears

From Munir’s point of view, a few bumps here and there is par for the course. He isn’t going to drive his dumper truck to its doom. He wants to use it as a weapon.