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T2F hosts recital for emerging Urdu poets

T2F hosts recital for emerging Urdu poets

The project is part of T2F’s revival of Urdu poetry initiative
13 Mar, 2017

Young poets delighted the audience at the concluding ceremony of the two-day event held at The Second Floor on Sunday to celebrate the launch of its bookstore.

Titled, ‘Urdu ki Nayee Avazain’, a mushaira of emerging Urdu poets was organised where young poets, Urooj Zehra, Asad Alvi, Arif Ishtiaq, Hira Saeed and Shaheer Salal, recited poems in tarranum and were the stars of the evening.

The project is part of T2F’s revival of Urdu poetry initiative. Speaking about the project, T2F director Ellia Khan said the project was aimed to introduce young and emerging poets in the city.

Read on: Have we really forgotten Mirza Ghalib, the greatest Urdu poet of all time?

The verses were about different topics such as unrequited love, heartbreak, feminism and coming of age. Introduced by hosts Neel Ahmed and Hidayat Sahir, the poets, some as young as 17, read out their verses in front of literary stars such as Afzal Ahmed Saeed and Tanveer Anjum, who presided over the event.

Mushaerah featuring #Urdu's emerging voices #T2F #PeaceNiche #NewBookstore #poetry #weekend

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Shaheer Salal read out his poetry about accepting new cultures and the internal journey of an individual. Reading out from a piece of paper initially, his poetry went, ‘Yeh dyaar-i-ghair se ayi hai par, yeh saqafatein toh meri nahin, jo buzurg mujh ko dila gaye mujhe us rida ki talaash hai.’

Asad Alvi read out a qat’a about unrequited love and abandonment: ‘Hamare tumhare beech ek deewar hai, inhein ooncha karain ge nafraton se. Hum toh barbaad huay chhorain, aap ka kya hua mohabbat main?’

Similarly, young women such as Urooj Zehra, read out her poetry about friendship, animosity and love.

Hidayat Sahir and Neel Ahmed followed it up with poetry of their own about the increase of TV news channels and leaving behind ethics. Neel’s poetry delved into the designated roles for women and breaking stereotypes.


Originally published in Dawn, March 13th, 2017

Comments

Rizwan Shaikh Mar 13, 2017 09:52am
My mother is an Urdu Poet. She has a vast collection of her poetry written in notebooks. But due to financial constraints, we are unable to get her work published. On Facebook although I tried contacting people in the showbiz industry as her poetry is also on songs/lyrics, but couldn't actually get any response. I didn't know there is any platform like T2F. But surely, if anyone from T2F is reading my comment here may contact me. We will appreciate.
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SATT Mar 13, 2017 11:25am
A real "Shayer" never needs an advertisement.A real "Shayer" breaks into the society and society gets shaken up when the "Shayer" descent onto society,first the people oppose the "Shayer" but than the "Shayer" wins their heart.Otherwise these types of Shayeri is even done by truck painters.
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M. Emad Mar 13, 2017 05:07pm
T2F should hosts recital for emerging poets of other regional languages.
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Hassan (Karachi) Mar 13, 2017 05:27pm
@Rizwan Shaikh , Unless you make the initiative yourself nothing will happen. I encourage you to go to T2F (in DHA Phase 2 extension, Google maps have it labelled) and talk with the people there. Its a very open and accepting environment, Best of Luck.
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Alba Mar 13, 2017 10:01pm
Urdu poetry will never die.
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