Love Longing Loss in Urdu Poetry

by Sanjiv Saraf

A journey of LOVE through the lens of Urdu poetry based on over 1200 of the best couplets of great poets.

The flowing narrative and rhymed transcreations in English by Sanjiv Saraf, founder of Rekhta Foundation, brings alive Urdu love poetry for non-Urdu readers.

The exquisite journey of love passes through numerous twists and turns, bringing different experiences to each individual.
In Urdu poetry, poets have penned down these diverse experiences in rhyme with a sheer eloquence that aptly expresses the exceptional bond between the lover and the beloved. Meer, Ghalib, Momin, Dagh, Faiz and hundreds of Urdu poets have voices to the emotions of lovers going through stages such as longing, interplay, loving, possessiveness, rivalry, separation, breaking-up and frenzy.

This eloquence makes every reader share this thought, as was inimitably expressed by Mirza Ghalib:

Dekhna taqreer ki lazzat ki jo us ne kahaa
Maine ye jaanaa ki goyaa ye bhi mere dil men hai

‘Love Longing Loss in Urdu Poetry’ offers a lyrical English transcreation of these experiences woven in the web of an enchanting tale that includes the subtle nuances and the beauty of Urdu poetry with all its beauty.

Genres: Poetry

480 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 20, 2022

Reviews

[Archita Mitra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book, and think it is a great read for all desi lovers of poetry.
The format is unique in the way it knits different couplets, by different Urdu poets together; not by the poet or the century it was written in (as is popular in most poetry anthologies) but by themes. In this manner, the curator, Sanjiv Saraf, helps us gain not only an appreciation for the poems but also an understanding of the common themes in Urdu literature, especially how love is construed in Urdu literature.
The poems are written in Urdu in the roman script (with a handy pronunciation guide) and each poem is followed by an English translation. This makes this volume very accessible to non-Urdu speakers like me, and also helps readers understand Urdu better.
If you're fond of Bollywood lyrics, like I am, you will love learning the meanings of some popular words frequently used in current Hindustani romantic songs. I also appreciated the author putting in cultural context for some poems, especially the witty and sarcastic ones.

ishq par zor nahin, hai ye wo atish 'Ghalib'
jo lagaye na lage aur bujhaye na bane

While this couplet is quite popular till date, even used by many contemporary lyricists, Saraf tells us that the emotion conveyed through this poem, is also behind the origin of the word mohabbat.

"...the root word is 'hubba'. 'Hubba' is a seed which when sprinkled on the ground immediately gets embedded in it. No amount of sunlight, rain, or change in season can fertilize it before its time, and this time is as unpredictable and as intriguing as love itself."

Or consider how Ghalib's couplet shares a common tonality with Hamid Jalandhari's poem:

sine mein raaz-e-ishq chhupaya na jayega
ye aag vo hai jis ko dabaya na jayega

To conclude I would say this book exceeded my expectations brilliantly, and I loved reading it.

[Sufyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book by Sanjiv Saraf.
Every poetry made me pause and feel something deep. His words beautifully capture emotions that linger long after reading.