Urdu as a language, is not defined by or limited to a geographical location but gives wings to and touches the heart in its words and expressions of love, understanding and even, silence and solitude.
Talking to Everything Experiential, a 1992 batch Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS) Officer and currently posted as Principal Accountant General, Delhi and author of Urdu poetry, Aman Deep Chatha, on the occasion of the launch of her seventh book, Ahbaab, in the capital on 24 June, 2024, outlines that despite the digital revolution and technological innovations galore, Urdu as a language is here to stay.
“The type of Urdu that we speak is Hindustani and we use it in our daily life without even realising that it has an Arabic origin or a Persian origin, or it is adapted. So if we start segregating it and seeing it as a different language from Hindi, only then we see that as a clash – otherwise not. Urdu is widely spoken in Delhi; the only thing is that the script is slightly difficult to pick up, which is seen as the only hindrance.
But it is like a wheel, nothing dies. Art forms, literature, and languages – they are continual, and cannot be fixed in water-tight compartments saying that it is dead or it is not like what they used to be. Even if that is the case, it will be revived,” points out Chatha.
Today it’s the world of Insta and reels, and the attention spans have reduced considerably. Understanding that Urdu is a deep language and has its roots embedded profoundly in history, it was a normal question to ponder about whether Gen Z and millennials would develop an inclination towards the language and even towards Urdu poetry as a genre.
Pat came her reply, “Love is completely universal, it is ageless. And if the poetry is simple, I think it will reverberate wonderfully even with the generation of today. Poetry any which way does not ask for much of your time – these are couplets, and it is a myth that if one thinks otherwise. The generation of today feels that they don’t read enough because they have other forms of entertainment. But the fact remains that the younger generation will take to it – if they find the subject and reading interesting, they will keep coming back to it. There are also snippets – and as far as I can see, poetry can be converted into snippets too. It is going to touch the younger generation as well.”
Highlighting poetry events - Urdu, English, Hindi etc. – and their rising popularity in India, and even gaining prominence internationally, thanks to the digital medium, social media, technological innovations and even an increase in travel, Chatha believes that technology can be given credit for that.
“But if you go to see, in the 1960s–70s, there were Urdu events and programmes earlier as well. If we can keep the language simple and not be rigid about it, we’ll realise that because it would be understood by everyone, it will also grow in the true sense. And it is growing – sometimes one might feel as if there is a lull, but it is bound to spread and is percolating. It is touching lives.
Insta is also a medium and a form of expression and all forms of expression are welcome. Some find it through books, some through Insta and others,” she emphasises.
Chatha's previous six books are Ehsaas-aur-Bandigi, Inayat, Zarf-e-Nazar, Zaafraan, Rehnuma and Ifsha. Running across parallel themes, the central idea highlighting her work is ‘bandagi’ or devotion and love to the One.
The book unveiled at the India International Centre, New Delhi, was followed by a panel discussion. The panellists included Sanjeev Chopra, Author, Historian and Curator of the literary festival Value of Words (VOW), Dehradun and Navtej Johar, Bharatnatyam Expert, Yoga Acharya, Professor of Performing Arts and an activist. The conversation was moderated by Monika Dhami, who has a passion for Indian crafts and heritage.
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