Power, Protest & Poetry: Urdu Shayari, the Anatomy of ‘Ehtijaaj’

In this episode, hear some of the gems of resistance poetry of masters like Faiz Ahmad Faiz, and Kishwar Nahid.

Host, Writer, and Sound Designer: Fabeha Syed
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

Bohot barbaad hain lekin sadaa-e-inqalaab aaye
Wahin se vo pukaar utthega jo zarra jahaan hogaa

This couplet by Ali Sardar Jafri points out the essence of the individual struggles in a revolution that brings people together who desire to change the society, a corrupt system, and so on.

But every inquilaab comes only when there is the dissent that needs to be voiced. To celebrate this voice of resistance, Urdu shayari has given us gems in poets like Faiz’s, Jalib’s, and Kishwar Naheed’s poetry. For this episode, we have picked out some of the iconic nazms of these masters telling us the importance of dissent.

Also, for this podcast, The Quint's Fabeha Syed spoke with activist and poet, Nabiya Khan, who dedicates her poem 'aayega inquilaab, pehn ke choorhi, bindi, aur hijaab' to the women of Kisaan Andolan.