Urdu enthusiasts must work to help language grow: Pak Poet

Fostering the growth of Urdu and encouraging its connect with the new generation lies with lovers of the language, who must take steps to ensure it does not die out, says noted poet Atta-ul-Haq Qasmi.
Qasmi, a poet from Pakistan was among acclaimed writers and poets participating in the fifth edition of the Jashn-e-Adab festival held here last evening.
The recipient of this year's Shahanshah-e-Tanz-o-Mizah award said that it was possible to restore the language to its earlier heights as its roots are deeply ingrained in both India and Pakistan.
"Urdu is a very strong language. Its foundations are very strong and in order to restore its beauty it is required that Urdu lovers retain and keep the connection of the language with the new generation," the 73-year-old poet said.

Meanwhile, veteran Indian filmmaker Muzaffar Ali, who also participated in the festival expressed his concern over films not allowing the time and space to bring linguistic finesse to the audience.
"Cinema has to be close to reality which brings us to the question if aesthetics is bigger than character or vice versa. We are going against the wind but we should not lose hope over the future of Urdu," Ali said.

"If you properly embed tehzeeb, it could be presented in any language," he said.
Another noted poet Asghar Nadeem Syed commented on the deteriorating condition of Urdu language in cinema adding that "since society is the reflection of the language of cinema, cinema shows what society wants to see."

Qasmi and Syed were among other prominent Urdu poets like Rakshanda Jalil, Gopaldas Neeraj, Bekal Utsahi, Anwar Shaoor, Mahmood Shaam, Asghar nadeem Syed and Uzzair Ahmad, Shariq Kaifi, Manish Shukla, Fayyaaz Farroqi, Neena Kumar, Moein Shadab and Vishal Bagh who recited poetry at the festival.
The event also saw a satirical prose recital by Qasmi. In the times where the art of satire seems to have lost to comedy, Qasmi's recital was a refreshing change which may help in bringing the culture of satire back to mainstream.
There was a detailed discussion on famous Urdu poet Intizaar Hussain and his contribution towards Urdu literature.

Hussain, who authored many books like 'The Seventh Door', 'Leaves' and 'Basti' passed away this year.
The day came to close with dastaangoi, the age old art of conventional story telling, with practicioners Darain Shahidi and Mahmod Farooqi mesmerised the audience with their craft.