Urdu poetry set to enthral SIBF crowd

More Urduspeaking people need to come forward and take initiative in reviving it. Don’t orphan your language, learn it, use it, and encourage it.”

Dr Zubair Farooq, first Emirati Urdu poet

sharjah — After a gap of almost two decades, the Sharjah International Book Fair 2018 will be hosting one of the most popular Urdu poetry sessions known as Mushairah Zinda Dillan — a Mazahiya Mushaira (comic poetry session) on November 9.

Organised by the UAE-based non-profit organisation Bazm-eUrdu that strives to promote Urdu globally, the session will be held under the mentorship of Dr Syed Azhar Ali Zaidi, the first to introduce this kind of sessions in the Middle East.

The event will see world-famous poets who have mastered the genre of humour and satire from India and Pakistan. King of comedy Anwar Maqsood will be the highlight of the programme, besides other celebrated poets like Anwar Masood, Meeruthi, Khalid Masood, Sarfaraz Shahid, Nashtar Amrohvi, Dr Zubair Farooq, Kaleem Samar, Abdul Hakim Naseef, and Anas Faizi.

Speaking ahead of the session, Emirati Dr Zubair Farooq, a dermatologist who has become the first Emirati Urdu poet, said: “From the age of 11, I have been writing and reciting poetry in Arabic and English, but since I did my MBBS from Karachi, I developed an interest in Urdu. Nothing compares to Urdu, it is the sweetest and an a very expressive language.

“Unfortunately Urdu is a dying language and needs to be revived. More Urdu-speaking people need to come forward and take initiative in reviving it. Don’t orphan your language, learn it, use it, and encourage it.”

The Mazahiya Mushaira will be held on Friday, November 9, at Sharjah Expo from 7.30pm onwards. People can download the passes directly from the website www.bazmeurdu.org.