Many a time, when I read a poem or even free verse in someone’s blog, I’m reminded of some urdu couplet or another. I grew up in a family where quoting such things was common practice. I have, at times, posted what occurred to me in the comments. Most people reply with a polite click of the “like” button.
Urdu shayari used to be at the acme of court culture in the days of emperors and nawabs. During the Independence movement, it was another way to teach sedition. Post independence it became a tool for social commentary and critique. Over the years, it has lost its sheen and become pedestrian. And cheap. A form of poetry that started as a most beautiful way of expression has become an alternative for pervs to throw at women, in between hoots and whistles and cat calls. Hardly anyone reads or appreciates shayari anymore
Which makes me wonder if I should write those couplets in comments anymore? I’ve seen how few people even read the odd couplet I quote in my blog. I might love the art, but it’s nowhere near as popular or acceptable in “cultured society” anymore….
I think I’ll stop doing that.
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About hbhatnagar
I need to fill this up with much better content than I had populated it with earlier. Why I write a blog maybe? I started blogging in 2009 or thereabouts. I was a newly turned atheist and wanted to converse with others of the same persuasion. We're not exactly a big population group in India! It didn't go very well and I sort of lost interest, posting a few things now and then.
I got a lot more regular over the last few months and have been posting almost daily since February '15. There were many reasons why I gradually became more regular in posting, but one way or the other, here I am! So this blog has taken shape, being at different points in time my showcase, my comedy club, my art gallery, my book club, my therapist, my close friend, my innermost self....but always my little corner of the world. You are all welcome to visit and I hope you stay awhile!
A few points about me because I don't want to lead anyone on(and trust me this does become an issue more often than I'd care to admit).
I'm Indian, the brown-skinned variety; if race, ethnicity or skin colour is an issue, you don't have to get to know me any more than what you see on my blog.
I'm 40, so if age is an issue, please be informed accordingly.
I was a doctor, an ophthalmic surgeon for 10 years before I quit practice.
hbhatnagar 
I think you should continue with urdu shayari, and posting couplets. Following the national movement the right wing Hindu groups aimed to sanitise Hindawi by Sanscritising it, in the same way as Right wing Muslims tried to Persianise Urdu.The result was two languages and two nations where there was one. And despite the difference in script they are same in spirit. I love Urdu poetry, my cousins are trained Ghazal singers (I was the Jackal of the family sadly) So Urdu has been a part and parcle of growing up. It is a beautiful language and I would encourage you to use it. Don’t let your love for it be submerged under popular culture’s ignorance. People need to be made aware of the good things in life. 🙂
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Posted by Fictionatrix | 17/05/2015, 11:04 PMI don;t intend to stop reading it! I grew up in a family where couplets were quoted at the slightest opportunity. My grandfather always used to say we lost a great opportunity to unite this nation by not declaring Hindustani, rather than Hindi the official tongue of the nation. I just wonder if it’s my crusade to fight, quoting poetry to people who don’t appreciate it. 🙂
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 17/05/2015, 11:29 PMI agree totally with your grandfather on that. If only people weren’t that narrow minded. As for crusade, I think it is a worthy cause. One shouldn’t stop making or quoteing art because there aren’t admirers. Even the dumb can learn to appretiate the good things. :p
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Posted by Fictionatrix | 18/05/2015, 12:23 AMI don’t know if it’s narrow minded-ness per se, maybe people aren’t interested in certain things. I used to find that hard to believe, I mean there’s hardly anything I’m not interested in, but I guess it’s true..
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 18/05/2015, 6:16 AMIt is your blog, do what you want to do with it. I do. I even read my comments and I know lots don’t.
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Posted by Tessa | 16/05/2015, 7:49 AMNah, I was referring to commenting on other people’s blogs. 🙂
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 16/05/2015, 8:19 AMBoy I read that wrong. Time for bed LOL!
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Posted by Tessa | 16/05/2015, 8:23 AM😀
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 16/05/2015, 8:30 AMOkay, now I’m jealous 😦
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Posted by story teller | 14/05/2015, 9:37 PMOf what? Honestly?
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 14/05/2015, 9:39 PMOf not yet having received a shayari waala comment 😛
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Posted by story teller | 14/05/2015, 9:51 PM😀
Ask and you shall receive! Fair warning though, you might get bored! 😀
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 14/05/2015, 9:57 PMArre I can never get bored 😀
Though for the complex words you will have to give me the meanings…
So, new job slight jitters?
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Posted by story teller | 14/05/2015, 10:09 PMNah, I know I can handle it. 🙂
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 14/05/2015, 10:44 PMArre waah!
Iss baat par ek sher hojaaye!
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Posted by story teller | 14/05/2015, 10:48 PM🙂
Humko mita sakey yeh zamaane mein dum nahin
Humse zamaana hai, zamaane se hum nahin.
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 15/05/2015, 8:00 AMArre Wah! 😀
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Posted by story teller | 15/05/2015, 8:25 PMI love reading those couplets…. Urdu sher-o-shayari…. rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam is my another favourite. So many thoughts and philosophy impregnated in so few words….
Never stop writing such comments…. 🙂
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Posted by Maniparna Sengupta Majumder | 14/05/2015, 8:08 PMWell, I’ll make sure to write on your posts, most of the rest have politely ignored this post! 😀
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 14/05/2015, 9:38 PMSure…It will be an honour…. 🙂
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Posted by Maniparna Sengupta Majumder | 16/05/2015, 12:16 AMPlease, it’ll be a pleasure to post to someone who appreciates urdu. 🙂
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 16/05/2015, 5:06 AMI surely can see I ll get Urdu poetry 😀
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Posted by izza ifzaal | 14/05/2015, 1:06 PMNah, why would I want to torture you? 😛 😀
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 14/05/2015, 1:08 PMHahahah ! That highfi alien language at time does :p no not this!
Cmon! You can share your insights like writing from now onwards “My daily shaiyari ” 😀
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Posted by izza ifzaal | 14/05/2015, 1:11 PMI wish I was good at urdu shayari. Just the one ghazal though. I just remember so many ghazals that couplets fitting any occasion keep popping up in my head at the most inopportune moments. I’ve seen people to their eyes and sigh at hearing poetry so I don’t quote IRL encounters anymore. I’ll stop doing that online as well. 🙂
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 14/05/2015, 1:16 PMYou need to see some more postive people then 😀
And by more like often and Aren’t some mehfils arranged there, maybe you can use your Saturdays in these sheningans :p?
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Posted by izza ifzaal | 14/05/2015, 1:18 PMHow does that matter?
Don’t stop reading or writing something that “others”( who really don’t matter) find outdated, local or unpopular.
I’d want you to keep doing that. I would not have known few artist if you haven’t told me 🙂
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Posted by Kritika Vashist | 14/05/2015, 12:52 PMOh I can’t stop reading poetry! Or reading in general. I just meant that I think I should bothering other people with random verses that they would not enjoy or appreciate.
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 14/05/2015, 12:56 PMYou would know if one feels that it was uninvited. You may avoid to write on specific blogs, but some are happy to read the quotes they haven’t read. Choose your blogs for sharing them. Just don’t stop it 😀 It is certainly not the case where everyone is being bothered.
I was about to share a poetry by Ghalib with you, which I loved.
PS. I don’t believe in writing without learning. 🙂
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Posted by Kritika Vashist | 14/05/2015, 1:02 PMGhalib is always welcome. His diwaan is also available with a translation by Ali Sardar Jafri, if you’re interested.
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Posted by hbhatnagar | 14/05/2015, 1:08 PM“Teri yaad kahi rakh kar bhool gaya hu.” I read it few days back.
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Posted by Kritika Vashist | 14/05/2015, 1:11 PM