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Musings on Poetry

Thoughts, essays, and articles on the world of Urdu literature.

October 05, 2025

Qafiya Kya Hai? Understanding the Soul of Rhyme

Before the repeating echo of the radif, there is a consistent, soulful rhyme that ties the ghazal together. This is the qafiya...

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September 27, 2025

The Echo of Emotion: Exploring the Power of Radif

Imagine a haunting refrain that returns at the end of every couplet, reinforcing the central theme and emotion. That is the radif...

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September 19, 2025

Finding the Rhythm: An Introduction to Beher (Meter)

Every great poem has a heartbeat, a rhythm that carries the reader along. In Urdu poetry, this rhythmic structure is known as beher...

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September 12, 2025

The First and Last Word: Significance of Matla & Maqta

A ghazal begins and ends with special significance. The opening couplet, the matla, sets the entire pattern, while the final couplet, the maqta, holds the poet's signature...

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September 05, 2025

More Than a Name: The Tradition of Takhallus

In the final lines of many ghazals, the poet speaks directly to the reader using their takhallus, or pen name—'Ghalib', 'Faiz', 'Momin'...

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October 07, 2025

A Brief History of the Ghazal

Trace the journey of the Ghazal from its origins in the Arabic Qasida to its golden age in Persia and the Indian subcontinent with poets like Rumi, Hafiz, and Ghalib...

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October 07, 2025

Allama Iqbal - The Poet of the East

An introduction to the poet-philosopher who awakened the East with his powerful message of 'Khudi' (the Self) and the symbolism of the Shaheen (falcon)...

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October 07, 2025

Mirza Ghalib - The Enigmatic Master of Urdu Poetry

An introduction to the life, philosophy, and enduring legacy of Mirza Ghalib, one of the greatest poets in the history of Urdu and Persian literature...

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October 07, 2025

The Art of Comparison: Tashbeeh (Simile) vs. Istia'ara (Metaphor)

Learn the difference between Tashbeeh (simile) and Istia'ara (metaphor), two of the most beautiful literary devices in Urdu ghazals and poetry...

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October 07, 2025

The Two Faces of Love: Ishq-e-Haqiqi & Ishq-e-Majazi

Explore the profound concepts of Ishq-e-Haqiqi (divine love) and Ishq-e-Majazi (worldly love) and learn how poets use one to express the other...

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