The Rich History of Urdu

Where it all began … Urdu has a deeply rooted rich history stemming from an amalgamation of cultures that once co-existed within the same territory. Urdu holds a profound beauty and significance to its existence in the 21st century. It is a language of depth and discernment. Urdu is a projection of the Hindustani language that was once the official language of the subcontinent. Sanskrit, Persian, Turkish, Arabic and Prakrit are the main inspiration behind the Urdu we speak today. Despite the inspiration that may have led to Urdu coming into being, it now stands as a completely self-ruling language. It has a rich collection of poetry and prose under its belt. It is the language that made famous the names like Faiz, Iqbal, Mir, Manto and a plethora of others. Having originated between the 6-13th centuries, Urdu has become a benchmark on its own. It was a century after its initiation as a language that prose and poetry found its unmatchable depth. Poets and writers began their explorations. Not only was it the official language in India, it also became the official language in Pakistan. However, in the 21st century, it even became one of those languages that are fluently spoken in the UK, US, Canada, India and the Middle East. It is a language that marked the division between two religions. Urdu represented the social construction between Muslims and Hindus – Urdu united the Muslims for the dream that eventually became Pakistan. Urdu Today Today, living in a country with Urdu as one of two official languages, a lot has changed to demean it. There is no denying the practicality of the notion that English being the medium of instruction is imperative to raise a society that can exist and hold their own at international forums. However, this has also translated into ignorance towards a language far richer and deeper than any other. While English now resonates with the elites as a social status and symbol of the “ Parhi likhi class ,” Urdu has become the symbol of the exact opposite. Though these numbers are only applicable to a certain class of people, the distaste and disgust towards Urdu have trickled down to the youth to a grave extent. Reduced is its understanding. As a result, those that are fluent in the language are not less than “ paindo. ” Urdu’s fluency has lost charm unless it is spoken at prestigious forums by renowned names. Schools often overlook and ignore this language. It has become a tool only to be used on days that celebrate Allama Iqbal.

A slight movement can still be witnessed, despite the above. Platforms like the Lahore and Karachi Literary festivals have begun to allocate thorough slots to discussing the language. The likes of Zia Moheyuddin and Anwar Maqsood have been invited to shed light on a language that represents more than what people nowadays live to believe. Names like Fitzgerald, Shakespeare, Yeats, Blake, Keats and others can’t hold a candle to Ashfaq Ahmad, Waheed Akhtar, Patras Bokhari, Faiz, Ghalib and many others.

Why do we need to embrace our language?

Once I attended Zia Moheyuddin’s lecture at LLF. In his articulate and crisp manner, he pointed out the irony of the topic provided to him by the team: “The growing significance and relevance of the Urdu Language.” He stopped and pondered and then questioned; why would I introduce my desire to speak of a language, in another language? The irony, palpable. Urdu is the language of love and refinement. It is the epitome of cultural growth and poise. It is a language that we owe our existence to. The only identity we need to embrace is that of Urdu. Its words must be pried through to understand the deeper meaning of philosophy, psychology and life. Consequently, every time the tongue hits the palate of the mouth, every time the tongue rolls a new meaning is born. Urdu – Ur-Du – Urdū – اُردُو. Therefore, the word itself is a social and cultural heritage of Pakistan. Urdu Afsana, dastan, mazmoon, khud navvisht, sarguzhist, safenama – these are all unexplored genres of a language we speak on a daily basis. In conclusion, it is tragic that we are the generation unaware of the philosophical and psychological depths of a masnavi, a marsia, a ghazal, a nazam and a Qasida.  Seems like we are a nation subversive towards a language that makes us who we are.

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