Jagran group’s Inquilab conferred with KN Katju Award for promoting Urdu

New Delhi:

 In order to spread Urdu language among the masses, a campaign called, Urdu Heritage Caravan, was launched on Wednesday. Chairman of Press Council of India, Markandey Katju, announced this at a function organised at India International Centre.

Jagran group’s Urdu news daily, Inquilab, was conferred with Dr Kailash Nath Katju Award on this occasion for promoting Urdu language.

Kapil Sibal, Union HRD Minister, presented a citation to Sanjay Gupta, CEO-cum-editor of Dainik Jagran Group. The speakers present on the occasion also appreciated the efforts of Inquilab in ensuring the reach of Urdu language to the people. They said that publication of Urdu newspaper by Jagran group symbolises the significance of this language for the society.

Emerging Urdu poet Ajeem Nabeel was conferred with Firaq Gorakhpuri Award whereas Akthar Azad from Jharkhand received Saadat Hasan Manto Award on this occasion.

Underlining the importance of this language, Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said that reach of Urdu is not confined to any particular religion or caste. He said that Urdu is a language of common people. He appreciated the initiative to launch Urdu Heritage Caravan for its promotion. He emphasised on making this language able to earn livelihood for the people.

Speaking on this occasion Justice Markandey Katju said, “Urdu and Sanskrit are two main languages of India.”

The Urdu Heritage Caravan will pass through prominent centers of Urdu language- Hyderabad, Mumbai and Lucknow. This mission is being assisted by Delhi Urdu Academy. After this, a Sanskrit mission on the same line will be launched.

The event was marked by the presence of Rajiv Shukla, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, and German Ambassador to India, Michael Steiner.

(Agencies)

source: http://www.post.jagran.com / Home> India News / September 20th, 2012

On the trail of freedom

It is interesting that translations of three Urdu poets have been taken up by women


Bettale Rasteya Kanasina Deepa, Kaifi Azmi, Translated by Vibha, Ladayi Prakashana,


Bettale Fakeera, Ali Sardar Jafri, Translated by Ja.Na. Tejashri, Abhinava Prakashana


Preethi mattu Kranthi, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Translated by Bageshree S. Lankesh Prakashana

As a cultural phenomenon, translation provides a fascinating window into the inner compulsions and dynamics of the receiving culture. The publication of four volumes of poetry in quick succession, translated to Kannada from Urdu and the fact that all its translators are young women gives rise to some important questions. Modern Kannada poetry, in general is dominated by an attitude, which prevents women from giving full vent to their inner yearnings. The cultural mores adopted by the dominating middle class in South India, denies a cultural space to women of domestic calling. Their creativity gets submerged in a plethora of restrictions. It is to be noted that the poets chosen for translation are at once die-hard progressives and incurable romantics. An element of melody inherent in Persian and Arabic poetry is interwoven into the fabric of their poetry. This unique combination of non-traditional attributes has liberated poets such as Kaifi Azmi, Ali Sardar Jafri and Faiz Ahmed Faiz from the shackles of convention and their poetry treats women as much more than their corporeal realities. These poems are suffused with a combination of ecstasy and anguish that has resulted in poetry of enduring charm.

These translators are serious students of Kannada and English literatures and they have exhibited genuine creative capacities. Vibha who has published an entire volume of Kaifi Azmi’s poems and a small anthology of other Urdu poets was herself a vibrant poet. Ja. Na. Tejashri who has published four collections of her own poetry has created a niche for herself by choosing unexplored regions of experience and by the artistic intensity with which she handles them. She has translated Pablo Neruda also. Bageshree is an author and journalist. All of them have made genuine efforts to negotiate the Urdu originals and have used multiple translations in English. It is not our intension to make a comparative assessment or analysis of these ventures. However, an attempt is made to look at some common features and try to put them in a cultural perspective.

These poets were deeply concerned with ideas of nationalism and were hugely influenced by progressive-Marxist ideology. Many poems that are translated in these collections carry the burden of such fervour and enthusiasm. However, the translators are by and large not overtly interested in such poems, even though they are committed to such values, in varying degrees. Their focus is on the emotional and romantic aspects of human relations. This is reflected in the choice of poems for translation whenever such a choice exists.

Another salient feature of these translations is the treatment meted out to songs. Many of these poems were originally composed as songs. Some of them are extremely popular as film songs. Even otherwise, the celebrated Mushaira tradition in Urdu facilitates musical compositions. However, all the translators have converted them into poems bereft of their melody. This leads us to an intriguing phenomenon. Women poets in Kannada have hardly written poems that could be rendered as songs. We have female singers but not songsters. As K.S. Narasimhaswamy, one of our foremost poets pointed out, sad hearts cannot create songs. Does this point an accusing finger at the male dominated society which has relegated its women in abysmal depths of misery? This negation of the song-mode could be perceived also as a consequence of the modernist phase in Kannada poetry. ‘Sugama Sangeetha’ which found stringent critics among the modernists has not garnered the support of women poets either.

Yet another facet of almost all these poems is that they depict the oneness of human psyche and aspirations even though it is concealed in apparently heterogeneous cultural details. The poets and the translators have struck the right balance between cultural uniqueness and universal appeal in terms of content as well as stylistic choices.

The translators deserve accolades for a well accomplished task. They have recreated the nuances of the original poems and tried their best to cater to the sensibilities of the modern reader who is neither overtly romantic nor blatantly progressive. All of them have provided ample supplementary material and written competent introductions. An insularity to external influences leads to inbreeding and monotony.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> Arts> Books / by Raghavendra Rao / July 26th, 2012

Masnavi to be read in different languages

The famous work Masnavi has been translated into 20 languages and is currently being translated intoRussian and Malaysian.

                                  Masnavi has been translated into 20 languages and ibeing translated into Russian.

Konya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tahir Akyürek told Anatolia news agency the Persian text was first translated into Turkish, and currently they are supporting other translation projects.
The work has been translated into French, Spanish, English, Chinese and Greek and translation projects are still continuing, said Akyürek. 

Half of the world’s population can read Masnavi, Akyürek said. “We have also presented the work to state presidents and officials.”

Masnavi is an epic poem written in Persian by Mevlana Celaddiin-i Rumi, the celebrated Persian Sufi saint and poet. It is one of the best known and most influential works of both Sufism and Persian literature. The Masnavi is a series of six books of poetry that each amount to about 25,000 verses or 50,000 lines. It is a spiritual writing that teaches Sufis how to reach their goal of being in true love with God.

July/30/2012

source: http://www. http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com /Sub- categories: Home Page> Arts-Culture> Books /KONYA - Anatolia News Agency / July 30th, 2012

Indexes of literary magazines

INDEX of a literary magazine is prepared to facilitate research scholars and students to go through its entire editions in a compendium.

Looking up each edition is not only time consuming but no library holds the entire file of a literary magazine. Seeing the entire editions of a literary magazine, a research scholar has to visit a number of libraries in and outside of his or her city. The index of quarterly Sahifa, Lahore, has been prepared covering all its editions spanning from its beginning in ss1957, to 2007.

The very indexical data gathered in the index of Sahifa enables the research scholars to see what has so far been published pertaining to his or her research topic.

Rifaqat Ali Shahid has done a tremendous job in this regard. He has carried out a research to inform how many indexes of Urdu literary magazines and research journals have so far been published.

The very research was published in a quarterly Mayaar, Islamabad, which is the most cited research journal, a couple of years ago.

Sadly, there are hundreds of Urdu literary magazines left to be indexed. Monthly Nigar, Karachi, founded by Niaz Fatehpuri, and presently edited by Dr Farman Fatehpuri is still without an index.

It has been a much cited source for students and researchers. I, being a research student, want to see its entire file to benefit from it. I asked Mr Muhammed Zubair, the chief librarian of the Bedil library, Shafabad, Karachi, where I have been visiting for a couple of years. I was surprised to know that the Bedil library contains its entire photocopy index from its first edition published in February 1922 to 2012.

The chief librarian of Bedil library has arranged these photocopy indexes in his own right for around 60 to 70 most cited Urdu literary magazines, helping the students and research scholars a lot.

I request the research institutions in Pakistan and the research supervisors to motivate their research students not only to index the indexless literary magazines, some dating back to the nineteenth century, but also to digitalise this source of knowledge which is now rusting as no library in Pakistan maintains proper temperature as the Congress library, America has.

I hope that librarians of other libraries holding the corpus of literary magazines would follow the example set by the Bedil library, Karachi, for providing photocopy indexes of those indexless literary magazines to its visitors.

JAWED AHMED KHURSHEED 
Karachi


source: http://www.dawn.com / Home> News> From the Newspapers / June 28th, 2012

Indo- Bangla Nazrul celebration

The first ever Bangladesh-India joint programme celebrating the birth anniversary of Kazi Nazrul Islam was inaugurated on Friday at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.

The two-day event marking the 113rd birth anniversary of the national poet of Bangladesh was inaugurated by prime minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina amidst much enthusiasm while Salman Khurshid, law and justice and minority affairs minister of India, was present as the guest of honour.

A discussion session and a cultural programme featuring prominent and promising artistes of both the countries were held at the inauguration ceremony of the programme which also celebrates the 90th anniversary of the publication of the Nazrul’s classic poem ‘Bidrohi’ (The Rebel).

The cultural show featured music renditions, recitations and dance recitals based on the legendary poet’s literary creations.

A group of singers of Nazrul Institute, Dhaka rendered a chorus of Mora jhanjar mato udyam.

Noted Bangladeshi singer Khairul Anam Shakil with his wonderful voice modulation mesmerised audiences by rendering Keu bhole na keu bhole, the song which narrates the sweet memories of a heart-broken lover.

Veteran Indian artiste Pradip Ghosh recited Nazrul’s poem Fariyad. With great passion the artiste perfectly articulated the emotion of the poet which depicts a prayer to the almighty remove the pain of the oppressed and seeks strength for the exploited people in overcoming all sorts of repressions.

Indian singer Sushmita Goshswami rendered Nazrul’s romantic track Abar bhaloshar sadh jage.

Around twenty artistes of local cultural organisation Nrityalak Sangskritik Kendra, led by Kabirul Islam Ratan, delighted the audiences with a dance recital based on Nazrul’s poem ‘The Rebel.’ Through the performance, the group also celebrated the 12 years of successful staging of the dance recital.

Poet and recitation artiste Kazi Abu Zafar Siddiqui was bestowed with ‘Kazi Shabbyashachi Award’ at the programme for his immense contributions in reciting Nazrul poems. Sheikh Hasina handed over the crest while Nazrul Institute executive director Rashid Haider read out the life sketch of Abu Zafar Siddiqui.

Earlier at the discussion session, Nazrul exponent, professor emeritus Rafiqul Islam presented commemorative lecture on Nazrul. Mentioning the joint celebration as unique tribute to the poem The Rebel, in his speech, Rafiqul Islam explored the background of the poem and its tremendous influence in the history of Bengali literature.

Mentioning Nazrul as a social reformer Salman Khurshid said, ‘Nationalists still draw inspiration from Nazrul’s songs and poetry, leftists portray him as their comrade and secularists always quote Nazrul as their idol.’

Cultural affairs minister Abul Kalam Azad, state minister for cultural affairs Pramod Mankin, cultural secretary Suraiya Begum, Nazrul’s granddaughter Khilkhil Kazi, among others, spoke at the function.

Another cultural programme, as part of the two-day event, was held in the evening at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Friday.

Earlier, in the morning, people of all-walks of life, members of the poet's family placed wraths at the grave of Nazrul at Dhaka University.

News Source: 

 The New Age
source: http://www.news.priyo.com / by Lutphea.tory / Saturday, May 26th, 2012

Urdu Bard’s play in town

A SHAKESPEARE play performed in Urdu is the latest production showcased by a theatre company.

The Taming of the Shrew, as created by Theatre Walley from Lahore which features TV stars, will come to Rotherham this month.

Open Minds Theatre Company in the town has accomplished a major coup in bringing the production to the area.

Actors will lead school workshops as well as starring on stage at the Old Market Gallery on Tuesday, May 29, and in Clifton Park walled garden on May 31.

Theatre Walley are part of the Cultural Olympiad’s Globe to Globe Festival to see all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays performed in London by companies from around the world in their own languages.

For tickets to the productions call 07541 485 139.

source: http://www.thestar.co.uk / The Star, United Kingdom / Home> News / Wednesday, May 02nd, 2012

Its all in the Shayari

Being a Hyderabadi, one for sure encounters many instances, where the Dakhni dialect is not just used for a normal conversation. It has been a tradition among the Hyderabadis, to use the Dakhni dialect in the shayari form, known as the Dakhni Shayari. Branded Hyderabadi words like ‘Nakko’, ‘Kaiku’, form the base of this shayari. Apart from sharing a laugh, many great scholars of Urdu, have used this form to touch upon issues affecting the society and try and bring about a change in the thought-process of people.

But, the past few decades have brought in a drastic change in the writing style and presentation of Dakhini Shayari.

The present day Dakhini shayari revolves only around a funny, humorous but offensive way of presenting the loopholes of household matters in a shayari form. For example, the very popular “Nai bole toh sunti nai” (She won’t listen, till I tell her) series. Intentionally used to refer to their wives, the shayars (reciters) give into the shayari to describe their marital livelihood and woes.

Lately, the scholars in the city have been discouraging this form of shayari as the shayari has taken a different avatar altogether, and the youngsters these days laugh at it, or are unaware of its existence, or are very disrespectful about it.

“Dakhini sounds like some yummy dish or dessert, I never heard about it. Is it tasty?” says Satish Kumar, a student. Don’t be too surprised at the response.

According to Dr.Naseemudin Farees, head and associate professor, Department of Urdu, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, “Dakhini Shayari is an interesting form of shayari. As an individual I believe that it is an integral part of our Hyderabadi culture, literature and heritage. Famous shayars like Mohd.Quli Qutub Shah IV conveyed their messages through Dakhini shayari.”

He then adds, “They wrote about the social issues, rituals and customs. So that the housewives back then, who were only confined to home, get to read these shayaris and sing while doing their daily house chores. But, today this has turned out to be a mere pathetic humour art form, which is entertaining but offensive too. We do not encourage this anymore.”

Agreeing with him was Mohammad Ali Asar, an Urdu professor from Osmania University. He opines, “Dakhini was once upon a time a respectful and meaningful art form, but with the changes made by the modern shayars, it has become a matter of pointing out the mistakes and making fun of wives and in-laws. This form of shayari has lost its essence.”

Explaining his view, Deepak Jain, a BBM student, says “I think Dakhini shayari recited today is only about entertainment. Considering the development rate, there is a high possibility of Dakhini Shayari becoming extinct.”

However, the University of Hyderabad (UoH) has a new plan. They are planning on introducing Dakhni as a full-fledged course. Explaining more on this, Dr Hakeem Raees Fatima, faculty member, Department of Urdu, UoH says, “We are introducing teaching and learning of Dakhini language as an academic course now. This is going to be a useful step in bringing back the actual essence of the existence of the language again.”


Source: http://www.ibnlive.in.com / Home> South> Southern News> Hyderabad / The New Indian Express / by Sana Parveen / April 29th, 2012