At a literary gathering, I expressed my disappointment with Hindi. Instead of positive engagement, my views caused a furore.
Many Muslims think Urdu is their jagir, though they know little of this great language.
[Book extract] In his autobiography Khwab Baqi Hain, abba has given a good account of the literary environment which existed in the houses of shaurfa in the early decades of Biswin Sadi.
After having criticised Urdu, and its speakers, the BJP seems eager to use the familiar language in its own slogans. Ye kaisa insaaf?
It takes centuries to undo the damage.
It has roots in the war poetry of Arabia.
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The Other | 3-minute read
Urdu was born as a language of the commoner in India, but today, like the Taj Mahal, it has become Muslim.
[Book extract] Not until Premchand did it develop into a discrete genre and a major landmark of literary topography.
Even today the Urdu poet's couplets are recited by the common man with great elan.
Fouzia believes we need to stop giving native languages the second-grade citizen treatment.