Hyderabad to host world Urdu editors conference

Hyderabad: 


Editors of Urdu newspapers from India, Pakistan and other countries will participate in the World Urdu Editors Conference to be held here Dec 30-31.

The two-day event, being organised by Urdu daily Siasat, will discuss the problems faced by Urdu newspapers and Urdu journalists.

"It is the first conference of its kind aimed at bringing Urdu newspapers to a common platform," Siasat editor Zahid Ali Khan told a news conference here Monday.

To be inaugurated by Vice President Hamid Ansari, the conference will be attended by editors and other journalists of 40 newspapers.

Editors from Pakistan, Middle East, Britain and Canada would also participate in the conference, which will discuss the challenges faced by Urdu newspapers.

It will discuss the idea of bringing Urdu newspapers under one umbrella, efforts to promote the readership and to take up various problems with the authorities.

Siasat, which is working to promote Urdu and is also engaged in social activities like helping poor students, providing relief to cancer patients and guiding students and youth in obtaining jobs, is also working on a project to link Urdu newspapers across the country.

"Under the project launched on experimental basis, 12 Urdu newspapers have joined hands with us. We are providing them content in Urdu from here," said Khan, who plans to rope in many others.

According to conference convenor Aijaz Farrukh, four editors from Pakistan have confirmed their participation. Mehmood Sham, group editor, ARY, Sohail Waraich of daily Jung, Tanveer Qaiser of Express group and Ayaz Badshah of Mashriq would be among the delegates.

Khan said the editors conference was part of the efforts initiated by Siasat with World Urdu Conference in 2006 to unite people who speak, read or write Urdu.

As part of the conference, an exhibition would also be organized. The organisers said 160-year-old Urdu newspapers would also be displayed.


source: http://www.ummid.com/ Home> National / by IANS / December 26th, 2011

Permanent Ghalib showcase opened on poet's birth anniversary

New Delhi:

The legacy of Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib got a permanent niche in the capital with the inauguration of a showcase of memorabilia connected to the poet and his work at his house in old Delhi to coincide with his 214thbirth anniversary Tuesday.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit inaugurated the exhibition at Ghalib's restored "haveli" at Gali Qasim Jaan near Ballimaran, one of the alleys of Chandni Chowk, in the old city.

An august gathering of poets, writers and fans of Mirza Ghalib, led by Dikshit, Tuesday marched from the Town Hall to Ballimaran where the chief minister unveiled the Ghalib collection.

The participants included poet Gulzar, author and diplomat Pavan K. Varma, Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan, a musician from the Delhi Gharana, musicians and several leading artists.

Ghalib, born in Agra in 1797, stayed at the house in the last years of life between 1856 to 1869.

The permanent exhibition, a collaboration between the Ghalib Memorial Movement, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, the Delhi government and the India Islamic Cultural Centre, coincided with a three-day cultural fest "Yaadgar-e-Ghalib" Dec 26-28.

The celebrations began with a mushaira Dec 26. On Dec 28, the Peirrots Troupe will present "Ghalib in New Delhi", a comic Urdu play at the India Islamic Centre.

"The highlight of this year's celebrations is the remarkable transformation of Ghalib's haveli with a new permanent exhibition," ICCR director general Suresh Goel said.

"The objective was to make the haveli an important marker on the heritage tourism trail," he said.

"Special care was taken to put together historic letters and other memorabilia of the legendary poet," said Uma Sharma, founder of the Ghalib Memorial Movement.

Last year, the chief minister had installed a bust of Mirza Ghalib, sculpted by Ram Sutar, at the haveli.

source: http://www.TwoCircles.net / by IANS / December 27th, 2011

In Agra, Ghalib is a fading memory

On his 215th birth anniversary, Urdu literature's famous 
personality seems forgotten in his birthplace

Agra:

As his immortal poems and couplets continue to draw aficionados of Urdu literature to Mirza Ghalib even 215 years after he was born, the bard's beginnings in Agra are being sadly ignored.

The city of the Taj Mahal celebrated the poet's 215th birth anniversary yesterday but the haveli (mansion) in Agra where Ghalib was born is now a junior college for girls. The people of the Kala Mahal locality of inner Agra where the mansion is located have no knowledge that the great poet was born there.

"The whole world may revere Ghalib and hold him in awe and admiration but the locals seem to have no regard for him," lamented television personality Kartar Singh, who is from Agra.

For the past two weeks, Singh had been practising hard to present Ghalib's choicest ghazals (lyrical compositions) at a programme to mark the day.

For years, admirers of Ghalib and lovers of Urdu shayari (poetry) have demanded a fitting memorial to the poet in Agra, but the culture departments in Lucknow and New Delhi have not responded.

"When foreign tourists ask to be taken to Ghalib's birthplace, we feel apologetic and embarrassed," said Sandip Arora, former president of the Agra Hotels and Restaurants Association.

"The central and state governments should jointly build a fitting memorial and a library in Agra where Urdu poetry lovers can spend time and enlighten themselves," he said.

Mirza Asadullah Khan "Ghalib" was born in Agra in 1797. He moved to Delhi where his poetic talent blossomed and found new expression at the time of the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, himself a poet of no mean standing.

"Surely, Agra should have a fitting memorial and the Agra University should establish a Mirza Ghalib Chair for research into Urdu literature," said Surendra Sharma, president of Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society which yesterday celebrated Ghalib's birthday with the lyrics and poetry programme Jashn-e-Ghalib.

Syed Jaffrey, director of the Mirza Ghalib Academy in Agra, said: "Agra has given so much to Urdu culture. It should have a decent memorial for the poet.

source: http://www.GulfNews.com / by IANS /  December 28th, 2011

No longer a wedding venue, Ghalib haveli now houses his memories

New Delhi       “Puchte hain woh ki Ghalib kaun hai, Koi batlao ki hum batayen kya.”

The narrow bylanes of Chandni Chowk in 19th century, leading to a narrower Gali Qasim Jaan, the lane full of bangle and sweatmeat shops in Ballimaran, housed a two-room ‘haveli’ of Asadullah Baig Khan. For the man, who was known to the world as Mirza Ghalib, the traditional shama would be placed in the courtyard — the place where the then not-so-famous poet recited this nazm expressing his life’s dilemma.

Over the years, the Ghalib haveli fell into neglect, so much so that it was rented out for marriange ceremonies by the caretakers till a couple of year ago. It was then that Indian Council for Cultural Relations along with Delhi governmentt, filmmaker and poet Gulzar and Kathak danseuse Uma Sharma made efforts to preserve it and started the Ghalib Memorial Movement.

On Tuesday, to mark the 214th birth anniversary of Ghalib, Gulzar led a candlelight procession from the Town Hall to Ghalib haveli — amid much chaos and traffic congestion. The refurbished haveli was opened as a museum and the shama, fuscia in colour with a faux antique look, was placed.

“Hum har saal yahan itna dhakkampel kar ke pahuchte hai (Every year we reach this place after so much chaos). Once the people of this country realise the importance of its heritage, the government will come forward for conservation,” said Gulzar.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshitt, who also attended the event, said, “I had visited this place many years ago and then there was nothing here except for some wooden pillars. But I am glad that some memorabilia has been added. However, the next time, such programmes should be organised elsewhere, at a more open space, where it is not this crowded and is easier to reach.”

But the memorabilia — which is being touted as “priceless exhibits” and includes old clothes, utensils, letters, compilations of Ghalib’s ghazals and nazms — are all replicas. Nothing in the museum is “real”, and nothing belongs to Ghalib.

“All of the Ghalib’s personal belongings and original works are at Ghalib Academy or National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language. The original ones can’t be brought here because of security reasons,” said Suresh K Goel, Director of ICCR. He said there are plans to make the haveli an important marker on the heritage tourism trail.

The three-day celebrations, which began with a mushaira at India Islamic Research Centre on Monday, will conclude with an Urdu comedy titled Ghalib in New Delhi produced by Peirrot’s Troupe on Wednesday.

source: http://www.ExpressIndia.com / by Suanshu Khurana 

posted: December 28th, 2011

Shakespeare In Kashmiri

Translating classics from any language to any other language not just enriches the realm of language but the culture of a people speaking that particular language. Majid Maqbool meets the septuagenarian Ghulam Ali Salmani who has recently translated Shakespeare into Kashmiri. 

Ghulam Ali Salmani, 74, wears a constant smile listening patiently to teachers and parents trickling in his office in a small middle school in Sir  Syed Abad, Bemina. Spotting a free flowing white beard and a prayer cap, Salmani is a veteran teacher and a school administrator, with years of teaching experience. Everyone knows that part of his life. But very few people know that Salmani is probably the first Kashmiri writer who recently translated twelve works of William Shakespeare into Kashmiri language.  

Salmani’s love for western classical literature began at an early age. When he was pursuing his graduation from SP College in the 1950s, he immersed himself in western literature, especially the classics. He says he always wanted to read such classic literary works in Kashmiri language. 

In college, he became friends with his classmate and well-known poet Dr Hamidi Kashmiri. In his company he began writing in Urdu, Kashmiri and English. But writing in Kashmiri language came naturally to him. It was his first love. After graduating from SP College in 1952, he began his teaching career in 1953. He also did an honors course in Persian while he was in college. Besides teaching, he completed his MA in English Literature from Kashmir University as a private candidate.

When Salmani was pursuing MA in English Literature, he was highly impressed by an Athenian tragedy, Oedipus, written by Sophocles. Considered to be one of the greatest playwrights of the world, Sophocle’s Oedipus has been translated into almost all languages of the world. “I was fascinated by this play and I liked it so much that I thought of translating it into Kashmiri language,” saidSalmani who translated the play into Kashmiri language a few years back. Titled “Azelechhankel” (the chain of destiny), the Kashmiri translation was published as a 110-page book.

This was his first work of Kashmiri translation of a major literary work. “Though it is a three thousand year old drama, but even today it is relevant and has lessons for all of us,” the septuagenarian Salmani says. “The plot is weaved in such a brilliant way, and there are so many surprising twists and turns, that you can’t help but admire the writer.”

Salmani says this brilliant play is unparalleled in western literature. It’s an intricate drama that grapples with questions of identity as the main character at the end of the play comes to know that he was in fact married to his own mother. “The drama is about how he comes to know about this fact and how the character deals with questions like what he should call his sons now,” explains Salmani.

In order to translate the Greek tragedy into Kashmiri, Salmani searched for a writer who was equally proficient in Greek and English literature. “I was looking for the English translation of the play by a writer who knew Greek as well as English literature.”  Then he found Gilbert Murray. “His translation of the play is the best. He knows Greek as well as English. He is the master of Greek. Other English writers could not do justice with the play,” says Salmani who translated the play from Murray’s English translation, as it is considered more faithful to the original Greek play. 

Salmani did not stop at the translation of the Greek tragedy. While he was writing in Kashmiri, he was also at work on a dream project— translating great plays by Shakespeare into Kashmiri language. After ten years of labour, Salmani was able to finish Kashmiri translation of twelve best plays of Shakespeare recently. The book is being published locally soon.

Titled “Tarkenhiund safer” in Kashmiri, the book, in 210 pages, is a summary translation of twelve best dramas of Shakespeare. The works chosen for Kashmiri translation include plays like Othello, As you like it, The Winter’s Tale, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet.The foreword for the book has been written by Dr Hamidi Kashmiri in whichhe says that the text does not feel like a translation. 

Salmani, who writes under the penname “Shaheed Salmani”, says he wanted Kashmiris to know the great works of Shakespeare. “When I would talk to educated people here about Shakespeare, I felt they had a superficial knowledge of Shakespeare and were unaware of his great works,” he says. “I wanted the common man to know and read the great works of Shakespeare in his own language.” 

It took Salmani ten years to translate twelve plays of Shakespeare into Kashmiri. “I don’t think anyone else has translated the great works of Shakespeare into Kashmiri language,” he says. “I wanted to fill this vacuum.”

Salmani translated the plays into Kashmiri prose so that the translated work read easy. “While translating the plays, I kept the Kashmiri background so that people could relate to it culturally. I did not change the name of characters and retained the essence of plays,” he explains.

Salamani says Kashmiri literature is in dire need of prose writing. “A lot of Kashmiri poetry has been written but we need more Kashmiri prose writers,” he says.

In his illustrious career, besides being a teacher, Salami worked in the education department on various administrative posts. He rose to many positions from head master to district education officer and finally retired as Deputy Director of Education in 1986. Before setting up the Alfalah middle school in 1998 (which he presently heads), Salmani worked as principal of Iqbal Memorial School for 12 years from1986 to 1998. 

He feels the government institutes like Cultural Academy and department of libraries is not doing enough to market books written in Kashmiri language and says the state institutes like Cultural Academy has laid out strict conditions for writers, making it difficult to get a book published there. “They put too many rules and hurdles for the writer, and they also interfere with the manuscript,” he says. He feels marketing facilities must be made available by institutes like the Academy, School education department, libraries department, and by Kashmir University. “If they don’t encourage writers, who will do it?” he asks. 

“I did not approach the cultural academy with my books,” he says. “I had to spend my own money to get my books published by local publishers. And then there is no money to be made. Most of the time I give out my books to people for free,”Salmani said. “Besides, there are no takers for books written in Kashmiri language as people find them difficult to read.” 

He is also unhappy with the new script brought out for the Kashmiri language. It has made the reading and writing of Kashmir more difficult than it was earlier when it was written in Urdu or Persian script. “Even I as a Kashmiri writer find the new script difficult,” he says. “Although it’s a good attempt, but on the whole Kashmiri reading and writing has become difficult.” 

Recently, Salmani also published his collection of Kashmiri poetry titled “Haetharetal”. He is now working on translating the work of Sheikh Syed Abdul  Qadir Jeelani  RA (Dasgeerseab), “Fatuhul Gaib”, originally in Arabic, into Kashmiri language. “I am translating it into Kashmiri because I think it holds great lessons for us. His teachings are still relevant to us,” says Salmani. “In this book he also talks about how to resolve various issues in life and it should be read widely by all Kashmiris.”

Another tragedy, says Salmani, is that writers here are remembered only after they die. “Then they publish their books posthumously,” he says with an ironic smile. “But why do they neglect them while they are alive?


source: http://www.kashmirlife.net / Potpourri

Farukh Dhondy unravels Rumi’s Sufi verse

Farukh Dhondy unravels Rumi’s Sufi verse

Indo-British writer Farukh Dhondy hadn’t read Persion Sufi poet Rumi, until he was given a translated anthology of Rumi on a flight to Australia., “After reading the translation, I realized that this was all junk! It was just random writing by people – it was neither poetry nor Sufism.”

Rumi was one of the greatest Sufi mystic widely read across the world. He was recently named the “most popular poet in America”.

Quite disheartened by what he read, Dhondy took it on himself to present a more accurate transalation of his poetry. I went to an uncle who reads Sufism in Persian,  and asked him to interpret Rumi for me. I also picked up the devanagiri and urdu versions, during my search for the right meaning. Translating the verse into lyrical English was a learning curve for me because I learnt the history of Sufism, about Rumi in depth.”

While most people have heard about Sufi music, Kabir’s dohas, Meerabai’s bhajans, Dhondy feels that there’s a vague idea floating around about Sufism.

He illustrates further, “I have tried to bring out the philosophy of Sufism in the book. Though I have used a modern language, I haven’t tried to give it a modern context – I  have stuck with the philosophical idea of Sufism  that humans should be in the service of the higher  being who is actually inside you. In India, the same idea comes to me in the Bhagwad Gita –you’re a drop in the ocean and our consciousness has distorted  reality…if you lose this consciousness you can merge with the reality.”

The author, who is a staunch atheist, had an almost divine experience while translating the poems, “The first time I read the poems, I was stuck by their beauty and meaning. I have taken random bits from Rumi’s main works, Masnavi and Diwan-e Shams-e Tabrizi and translated them into English lyrical renditions. You can classify them as biblical and philosophical love poems – not the love of teenager but love of human beings for Gods, he says about his translation of Rumi’s poems.

After this divine rendezvous with poetry, does he see himself penning verses, “Hmmm… I have never written poetry as such, it’s even presumptuous to call your verse poetry, except love letters to girls in sonnet forms.  Though, I can see myself writing translations of other Indian poets.”

source: http://www.books.hindustantimes.com / by Sonakshi Babbar / November 28th, 2011

Whither multiculturalism... or wither multiculturalism?

A BOOK OF GHAZALS IN ENGLISH by CANADIAN POET SHENIZ JANMOHAMED


Multiculturalism is, of course, very important, for all things in Canada.


Among other things, it calls attention to a Canadian South Asian literary identity, and affords Canadian authors of a South Asian heritage a specific place in the sun, said participants at the recent Festival of South Asian Literature and the Arts.

But in recent times, despite considerable advancement in what is called "diasporic literature", multiculturalism itself has receded into old stereotypes - and these negatives are on the ascendancy, several writers felt.
"It's like the beggar sitting outside the temple," Winnipeg-based novelist Uma Parameswaran told Focus. "The beggar's given alms, even as he's told: 'But you can't enter!'"

So is there an equity issue here? For instance, if all the writers insist they're all mainstream Canadian writers, why have a South Asian literary festival?
Observed Toronto-based poet Priscila Uppal: "As Aristotle said, it's good to have some categories - but to limit to that category is also dangerous.

"Further, we should also be aware that 'multiculturalism' itself is a social construct," the York U academician added.
The event, backed by Scotiabank and Toronto-based non-profit Tsar Publications, headed by celebrated author M.G. Vassanji, attracted an A-list of writers from all across Canada, as well as several reputed authors and theatre personalities from India, including respected playwright and film actor Girish Karnad and rising theatre personality Mahesh Dattani.

Calgary-based writer Ashok Mathur felt events like FSALA offer Canadian writers of a South Asian heritage an opportunity to have a critical engagement of their works.
But on the wider topic of multiculturalism he wondered: "Whither multiculturalismâ?¦ or should that be wither multiculturalism, minus the 'h'?"

Seminal 'South Asian' character elusive

Montreal-based playwright and session moderator Rana Bose noted: "I'm not nostalgic about the India I left behind, but I am nostalgic about the Canada of 30 years ago that I left behind. I'm concerned at the way multiculturalism is moving in Canada - a reversal is happening."

Quebec City based writer Nalini Warriar noted she's been difficult to docket for those in her neighbourhood since she's a Canadian of South Asian origin writing in English in a French-speaking world.

But docket us they will, said poet Sheniz Janmohamed: "I was born in Canada, my parents are from East Africa, we're of Indian (Gujarati) ancestry, I'm young, a woman, and a Muslim to boot. But I don't even speak Gujarati. How do you connect to your ancestry if you can't speak in that language? Yet Canada says, 'Choose!' And if I don't choose my identity, they choose it for us!"

So we're all South Asian - which, while it means many things to us, places us all in a convenient docket in multiculturally obsessed Canada.

With Janmohamed, this search of her identity has carried her down her quest of her identity perhaps more than many others.
"Since I knew neither Gujarati nor Urdu, I decided to write in a language in which I am proficient." The result? A book of ghazalsâ?¦ and yes, it's in English.

Visiting star playwright from Bangalore Mahesh Dattani perhaps placed the diaspora's struggle with the concept of multiculturalism best when he responded to a query from Focus - about what Canada's diaspora's relevance was to South Asian literature and the arts - with: "But who are we talking about? Are we talking about the diaspora talking about themselves? Or about the area or country they live in? Or are they South Asians writing about the world? From their cultural perspective, or from that of a global citizenâ?¦?

source: http://www.southasianfocus.com / by Sunil Rao/ Tuesday, October 11th, 2011

JRF giving free tutorials to students

Allahabad: 
URDU DEPARTMENT OF ALLAHABAD UNIVERSITY INTRODUCED FREE TUTORIALS.


To make up for the shortage of teachers, Urdu department of the Allahabad University has introduced free tutorials from Junior Research Fellows for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

The initiative has been taken by the head of Urdu department, Prof Shabnam Hameed. These scholars get a stipend under the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) of the University Grants Commission and this teaching experience will prove beneficial to them as well. The JRF scholars, besides guiding the students in making notes on the syllabus, also take extra classes to clear their doubts.

Out of 852 sanctioned posts of teachers, AU presently has 327 teachers for about 25,000 students.Eight teachers will retire by June 30 next year. Thus, more than 500 teaching posts are vacant in the university. In medieval history and ancient history departments, there are only 15 teachers for 3000 students.

AU has also failed to fill 243 teaching posts, sanctioned to it for implementation of the other backward class (OBC) reservation wherein like other central universities, the university was asked to increase the student intake by 54% in three years beginning 2008. For the purpose, the empowered committee of the ministry of human resource development sanctioned 243 teaching posts and told AU to recruit 81 teachers every year from 2008. A sum of Rs 232 crores for three years for upgrading the infrastructure was also sanctioned. Besides, five teaching positions were sanctioned for GB Pant Institute of Social Sciences, Jhunsi.

In this situation, the initiative of the Urdu department can set an example for the other departments too."Though research scholars take classes, most of the time it is on the behalf of the teachers who are absent. But now these scholars would be taking regular classes. They have command over the subject and provide good guidance," said Amir, a student of the Urdu department. The JRFs of the department are friendly and we are more frank with them in asking our doubts again, he added.

"The JRFs are given six classes every week as per the UGC norms. But given the shortage of teachers I requested the seven JRFs of the department to teach the students and now we are getting immense help from them. They are also taking extra classes in undergraduate and postgraduate courses," said Prof Shabnam Hameed. I have told the students that rather then wasting their time, they should attend the free tutorials, she added.


source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home>City>Allahabad / by Rajiv Mani /TNN / October 12eth, 2011

Don't shy away from 'hinglish' in offices: MHA

New Delhi: Do Hindi words like 'misil', 'pratyabhuti', 'kunjipatal', 'sanganak' leave you puzzled?

Noting that such puritan use of Hindi generates disinterest among masses, the Home Ministry has recommended that such words can be replaced with English alternatives in devnagari script for official work.

So, 'misil' can be replaced with file, 'pratyabhuti' with guarantee, 'kunjipatal' with keyboard and 'sanganak' with omnipresent 'computer'.

These were some examples cited by Veena Upadhyay, Secretary, Department of Official Language at Home Ministry in a circular.

The circular advocates use of popular Hindi words and English alternatives to make the language more attractive and popular in offices and masses.

"Whenever, during the official work, Hindi is used as translating language, it becomes difficult and complex. There is an urgent need to make changes in the process of English to Hindi translations. Translations should carry expression of the original text rather than word-by-word Hindi substitute," the circular said.

It said use of popular words of Urdu, English, and other regional languages should be promoted in official correspondence. Pure Hindi should be for literary purposes while practical 'mixed' version for work purposes.

"Foreign words which are now popular in Hindi like ticket, signal, lift, station, police, bureau, button, fee...and Arabian, Turkish, Farsi words like Adalat, Kanoon, Muqadma, Kagaz, Daftar...should be used as it is in Hindi correspondences," it said.

The Ministry said it is better to use popular English terms in Devnagri script than to translate them in pure Hindi.


source: http://www.zeenews.india.com / PTI / Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

Book on Faiz Ahmed Faiz to be launched in London on 18 September 2011

Remembering Faiz Ahmed Faiz

            Book Launch   by   Salima Hashmi /  Daughter of Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Sunday, 18 September 2011 at 2.00-3.00pm / Venue: The Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA

`Elusive Dawn – Faiz Ahmed Faiz – A peoples Poet` is published to remember, honour and mark the end of centenary celebrations of Faiz Ahmed Faiz across the globe during 2011. The book will be launched by Faiz`s daughter Salima Hashmi in London on Sunday the 18th September 2011 between 2 and 3 pm at The Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA. Entry is free for all.

Elusive Dawn offers kaleidoscopic reflections and heartfelt reminisces on Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Poets, friends, admirers, academics and activists fondly remember an ordinary loving and peaceful human through whom greatness lived passionately. There are fascinating and new understandings of the man in this book.

This publication is a manifestation of the collective respect to Faiz by organizations and individuals. Organisations’ include the Progressive Writers Association, Faiz Ghar, Faiz Centenary National Organising Committee UK, South Asian People`s Forum, Communist Party of Britain, Indian Workers Association and Kala Sangam. The individuals include well known poets, friends, admirers, academics, filmmakers, politicians, writers and activists amongst others.

The book spans over six sections.

Section One consists of published and unpublished articles that give the reader an insight into Faiz as a poet and person. Contributors include Progressive Writers Association, Afsan Chowdhry, Helen Goodway, Ikramul Haq and Huzima Bokhari, Rakhshanda Jalil, Javaid Ahmad Lone, Ali Mir and Raza Mir, Gopi Chand Narang and Gauher Raza.

Section Two contains Faiz`s biographical material.

Section Three presents a European dimension to understanding Faiz in his `self-exile` times. Contributors include M.H. Askari, Syed Baddruddin Beider, George Fischer, Fabbeh Husein and Mohsin Zulfiqar.

Section Four offers the reader a selection of 100 Urdu poems with translations in English to allow access to a wider community.

Section Five outlines a fascinating chronology of Faiz`s life.

Section Six includes a comprehensive bibliography to enable the reader to undertake further inquiry into Faiz and his contributions to humanity.

Elusive Dawn, the book, asks us all to re-assess and re-evaluate Faiz in the present political milieu in order to mainstream his vision. He is as relevant today as he was in the past. What can be more relevant than love, peace and solidarity! We appreciate that many left intellectuals in the world, including Faiz, looked in the 1930s and 1940s toward the Soviet Union as a source of human progress, virtue, and human rights. The demise of Soviet Union in the 1990s had disillusioned many with the idea of Communism. However, the economic exploitation of vast masses of humanity has not stopped yet. Therefore the struggle against oppression is bound to continue and Faiz will live through the engagement of others now and beyond.

The book asserts the need to continue to humanize rather than deify Faiz to enroll the ordinary. We need to see Faiz paradoxically as both an ordinary and a great human being to anthemise his vision for freedom, equality, solidarity and justice. We say long live to the struggle and to the memory of Faiz.

source: http://www.GroundReport.com / News> Politics / by Salima Hashmi > by Pervezfateh / September 10th, 2011

Row Over Nawayath Script Continues

State government appeals against earlier high court ruling in favour of English script, court says decision will be taken after Supreme Court issues verdict on language policy

The state government has challenged a recent High Court order allowing Al Iman Social and Rural Education Trust, which runs a school in Murudeshwar, Bhatkal, to use English script for Nawayath language spoken by a minority community in Uttara Kannada district. The trust maintained that it wanted to use English script to teach the students because the language does not have a script of its own. However, it is learnt that the Nawayaths use Persian script to write their language. People of the community are also found in smaller numbers in Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh and they also use Persian script to write the language. Another minority community, Beary of the undivided Dakshina Kannada, however, use Kannada script for the traditional language spoken by them. The state government’s appeal was heard by the division bench comprising chief justice J S Khehar and justice Ashok B Hinchigeri last week. The counsel for the trust stressed that the language does not have a script of its own and the single judge bench had upheld this contention. The government counsel, Veerappa, said languages spoken in Karnataka like Tulu and Kodava, which did not have their own script, used Kannada script for writing. He said that Nawayath also used the Kannada script. However, both the sides could not prove their contentions. SC WILL DECIDE After hearing both sides, the court observed that since the problem arose out of the new language policy of the state government, which itself has been challenged in the Supreme Court, the outcome of that case will decide this one as well. The Language Policy 2009 of the Karnataka government makes it mandatory that the medium of instruction in primary classes is Kannada or the mother tongue of the student. Advocate K V Dhananjay, who is representing the Karnataka Unaided Schools Management Association (KUSMA) which got the language policy struck down by the apex court, said, “The Supreme Court has maintained that the state cannot close any unrecognised English medium schools. The last time the case came up for hearing was in April 2010. Unless the state has any other contention, like shortage of infrastructure, it cannot stop Nawayath school from using English script for the language. They do not even need to convince anyone why they want English medium. It is their prerogative to choose the medium of instruction.” source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / by S. Shyam Prasad / August 16th, 2011

Ghalib made easy for all

For those who always thought the poetry of Mirza Ghalib was too difficult to understand, help is at hand. Professors from the Academy of Professional Development of Urdu Medium Teachers, Jamia Millia Islamia, Urdu Teaching and Research Centre, Lucknow, and Central Institute of Indian 

Languages Mysore, have prepared a dictionary on Ghalib's poetry, which will make it easier for Urdu and non-Urdu speakers to understand the intricate meaning of his words.

"Ghalib used a lot of compound words in his poetry and it is because of these words that his poetry is difficult to understand. While other poets, such as Iqbal, have also used compound words, Ghalib's are the most complicated," said Ghazansar Ali, professor at Jamia Millia Islamia.

Compound words add a musical element to poetry and also help economize words, Ali said.

The dictionary will have 2,500 compound words under different categories and the meaning of each explained using examples from Ghalib's poetry.

The dictionary is expected to be on the stands in the coming three months

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / by HT Correspondent / New Delhi / Aug 03rd, 2011

National Workshop on Urdu Translation of Science Books held at AMU

Aligarh:

 “Science books should be translated at a large scale so that a large number of Urdu knowing people may be able to access to the science education with ease. The science books in Urdu are available in very small number while in other Indian languages there is no dearth of science literature,” said Prof. Anis Ahmad Ansari, former Advisor, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and former Dean, Faculty of Unani Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

He was addressing as the Chief Guest at the ‘National Workshop on Urdu Translation of Science Books’ organized by the Vigyan Prasar, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India in collaboration with the Centre for Promotion of Science, Aligarh Muslim University.

Dr. Irfana Begum addressing the workshop

He observed that education must be imparted in mother tongue. He urged the translators to use simple language while translating keeping in mind children’s need.

In his speech, Dr. Hisamuddin, Director, Centre for Promotion of Science, AMU, said that the objectives of the Centre are to propagate science education at elementary levels especially in madrasas and Muslim managed educational institutions.

He said that the Centre from its inception in 1985 has been working for the training of science teachers of madrasas and regular Muslim managed schools in order to make them able to teach with better results.

“Science education among Muslims is a matter of concern and the Centre is working to bring the large chunk of Muslim students getting education in seminaries into the national mainstream” he added.

Dr. Irfana Begum of Vigyan Prasar presented the comprehensive report of the workshop and apprised of the accomplishment of the target. She said that six books and thirty popular articles on science were translated from English or Hindi into Urdu.

Earlier, Professor Naheed Banu, former Director of the Centre for Promotion of Science, highlighted the aims and objectives of the Centre and its role in the development of science literature in Urdu.

Professor M. Shamim Jairajpuri, former Vice Chancellor, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, highlighted the work of Muslim Scientists in the medieval period who laid down the foundation of modem sciences.

Dr. Subodh Mohanti, Academic Head, Vigyan Prasar, drew attention of the participants and the audience towards the requirement of the work as it is felt that most of the Urdu literate persons are unaware of the development in the field of science, the basic requirement for the growth of the country.
The academicians who were invited by Vigyan Prasar to achieve the target of translation of various books and articles in the workshop include Dr. Sabra Khatoon, Director, Career Planning Centre, Aligarh Muslim University, Mr. Nihal Saghar, PGT, Senior Secondary School (Boys), Dr. Jawed Hayat, Associate Professor, Head, Department of Urdu, Patna University, Mr. Syed Jawaid Hasan, Editor "Ek Pal" (Patna), Mr. Wahajuddin Mohammad Zurar, Kanpur, Mr. Syed Mahmood Ahmad, Kanpur, Mr. Mohd. Saleem Khan, AMU, Aligarh, Mr. Sareem Abbas, AMU Aligarh and Mr. Zubair Ahmad Hashmi, Kanpur.

source:http://www.twocircles.net /  TNN / May 28th, 2011

'Urdu is linguistic Taj Mahal of India'

Mohammed Wajihuddin, May 1, 2011, 03.05am IST

Meri is baat se sab log hum aahang bhi honge...

Jahan payenge Urdu ko wahan Narang bhi honge...

(Everybody will concur with me/Wherever they will find Urdu, there will be a Narang too)

— Urdu poet Chandrabhan Khayal

Though many of his peers have grudgingly come to accept that Urdu is essentially spoken by Muslims today, Professor Gopi Chand Narang still fights the good fight. Language, he tirelessly intones, has no religion, Urdu belongs neither to Muslim nor Hindu and it will survive so long as India remains multicultural.

Narang's steadfast belief is partly based on Urdu's role in India's freedom struggle. For a start, it gave us the slogan "Inquilab Zindabad" and contributed to our famed Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb or composite culture. Unsurprisingly, the Delhi Urdu Academy acknowledges Narang's role in giving Urdu a broad contextual placement, rather than a religious one.

Just weeks ago, it gave him the Bahadur Shah Zafar Award. Akhtarul Wasey, vice-chairman of the Academy, says it was well deserved because the Award is named after the last Mughal emperor, who symbolized India's secular, syncretic ethos.

Fortunately, Narang does not share yet another of the deposed poet-emperor's traits – melancholy. Instead, he is optimistic about the future of Urdu and is so well known as an ambassador for it that Hindi writer Kamleshwar once said every language needed a Narang.

"There are three hallmarks of the Mughal era — the Taj Mahal, Ghalib's poetry, and Urdu. A common spirit of aesthetic excellence and elegance runs through all three. Although every language is beautiful, Urdu's sophistication and charm captivate everyone. That's why I call Urdu India's linguistic Taj Mahal," explains the 82-year-old scholar-critic.

To those who call Urdu a videshi language, he retorts: "It is a hybrid, but Urdu's base is indigenous and its essence lies in Indian soil." He warns against continuing to deny Urdu its rightful place in the secular education system. It might then be pushed into the madrassas and will lose its secular character, he laments.

Narang is severe when asked about the great language paradox — Urdu couplets are quoted by everyone, including politicians, but almost no one is prepared to champion it otherwise. Is Urdu being punished for its apparent association with the Muslim community? Narang says, "If Urdu is the language of the Muslims, then how come non-Muslim writer-poets like Gulzar, Pavan K Varma, Sheen Kaaf Nizam (Shiv Kumar), Chandrabhan Khayal and Jayant Parmar are thriving?"

Born in Baluchistan, Narang is a partition refugee who insisted on studying Urdu rather than agricultural science, as his father wanted him to. Later in life, Delhi's Jamia Millia proved to be the perfect lab for Narang and he even served as acting vice-chancellor for a year.

Source: Times of India , May 01st, 2011

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
picture courtesy: http://www.gopichandnarang.com