For the love of Urdu
Poetry— from dohas and kavita to ghazals and nazm—has forever been an integral element of Indian literature. Home to festivals hosted in appreciation of films and books, Delhi also celebrates the love of poetry through Jashn-e-Rekhta, the world’s largest Urdu literature festival.
Back to the city of poets after a three-year break, the annual festival—it commenced on Friday and will continue till Sunday at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium near India Gate—is a feast for literary enthusiasts who enjoy Urdu poetry. Apart from this, one can also witness ghazal, Qawwali, and Sufi performances, panel discussions, debates, conversations on films, and participate in Islamic calligraphy workshops. The seventh edition of Jashn-e-Rekhta will also give Urdu aficionados a platform to share poetry and stories in a variety of public settings.
Sanjiv Saraf and
lyricist Javed Akhtar
inaugurating Jashn-e-Rekhta
The joy of festivities
As we entered the Stadium for the much-awaited festival on Friday, we saw people flocking to the venue, taking pictures, buying books of their favourite poets, and rushing to grab seats before the event started. Tanisha Sarkar (22) shared that the venue felt alive with poetry. She added, “This place speaks of culture and literature. This is my first time and I am happy to be here.”
Later in the evening, the festival was inaugurated in the presence of renowned lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar along with Sanjiv Saraf—founder of the Rekhta Foundation, a charitable trust for the promotion of Urdu. The latter expressed his delight at being able to conduct the festival’s seventh edition after three years—their first on-ground event post-COVID. He invited everyone to “come and join this celebration of Indian culture and unity and to make it an unforgettable experience”.
Over the course of three days, Jashn-e-Rekhta will bring to stage well-known performers such as Bollywood actors Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi, actor-poet Shailesh Lodha, singers Shilpa Rao and Rahgir, and music director Sheykhar Ravjiani. Prior to the event, Bollywood actor Dia Mirza expressed that she is “excited to be a part of Jashn-e-Rekhta because it brings Urdu closer to us and not only celebrates India's syncretic
Kathak dancer Shinjini Kulkarni
literature, poetry, and music but also rekindles a way of life and a certain refinement in the way we communicate and connect with each other”.
Alak Tripathi (20), a mass communication student and theatre artist, expressed his excitement about attending a session by Naseeruddin Shah on Sunday. “I admire Naseer sir and wish to get into NDS (National School of Drama) just like him. I am excited about attending his session. I have attended many literature festivals but Jashn-e-Rekhta feels different; this place is abuzz with energy and excitement.”
A celebration of poetry
In the crowd of excited faces, we spotted Arif Dehlvi—a poet who has performed at Jashn-e-Rekhta in a previous edition. Speaking to us about his experience as an artist, he shared, “This is a platform that every Urdu poet desires. Sanjiv Saraf is doing good work by giving a platform to the language—which is among one of the oldest languages of India—and cultural importance to poetry. This is a great opportunity for youngsters and artists to explore and learn more about the language.”
Meeting Yash Hari Dixit (23) later that evening was almost like a testament to Dehlvi’s statement. Yash, a Delhi University graduate—who came from Rajouri Garden to attend the event—mentioned he has been attending Jashn-e-Rekhta since 2017. “Since it is happening for the first time after COVID, I had to attend it as I missed the festival so much during the pandemic. Once you fall in love with poetry and Urdu, there is no going back.”