Urdupoetry is a rich tradition of poetry and has many different forms. Today, it is an important part of the cultures of South Asia. According to Naseer Turabi there are five major poets of Urdu which are Mir Taqi Mir, Mirza Ghalib, Mir Anees, Allama Iqbal and Josh Malihabadi. The language of Urdu reached its pinnacle under the British Raj, and it received official status. All famous writers of Urdu language including Ghalib and Iqbal were given British scholarships. Following the Partition of India in 1947, it found major poets and scholars were divided along the nationalistic lines. However, Urdu poetry is cherished in both the nations. Both the Muslims and Hindus from across the border continue the tradition. It is fundamentally performative poetry and its recital, sometimes impromptu, is held in Mushairas. Although its tarannum saaz has undergone major changes in recent decades, its popularity among the masses remains unaltered. Mushairas are today held in metropolitan areas worldwide because of the cultural influence of South Asian diaspora. Ghazal singing and Qawwali are also important expository forms of Urdu poetry.
Forms
The principal forms of Urdu poetry are:
Ghazal غزل,s a set of two liner couplets, which strictly should end with the same rhyme and should be within one of the predefined meters of ghazals. There has to be a minimum of five couplets to form a ghazal. Couplets may or may not have the same thought. It is one of the most difficult forms of poetry as there are many strict parameters that one needs to abide by while writing ghazal. It is important to think about the topic as well as the theme of a ghazal before starting to write it. The first line of a ghazal must include a refrain, which is a word or a phrase that can be easily fitted into the other couplets. Each couplet of a ghazal is known as Sher. The first Sher is called Matla'. The last Sher is called Maqta', but only if the poet uses his "Takhalus ".
Hamd حمّد is a poem in praise of Allah. The word "hamd" is derived from the Qur'an, its English translation is "Praise".
Marsiya مرثیہ is an elegy typically composed about the death of Hasan, Husain, or their relatives. Each stanza has six lines, with the rhyme scheme AAAABB. The famous marsia writers who inherited the tradition of Mir Anis among his successive generations are MirNawab Ali 'Munis', Dulaha Sahab 'Uruj', Syed Mohammed Mohsin, Mustafa Meerza urf Piyare Sahab 'Rasheed', Syed Muhammad Mirza Uns, Ali Nawab 'Qadeem', Syed Sajjad Hussain "Shadeed" Lucknavi, Allama, Dr.Syed Ali Imam Zaidi, "Gauher" Luckhnavi the great-grandson of Mir Babber Ali Anis, Syed Karrar Hyder and Syed Yadullah Haider.
Masnavi مثنوی is a poem written in couplets in bacchictetrameter with an iambus for last foot. The topic is often romance. Mir Taqi Mir and Sauda wrote some of this kind. The Religious Masnavi History of Islam written by Dr Syed Ali Imam Zaidi Gauher Lucknavi.
Qasidaقصیدہ, usually an ode to a benefactor, a satire, or an account of an event. It uses the same rhyme system as the ghazal, but is usually longer.
Ruba'i رُباعی, is a poetry style, the Arabic term for "quatrain". The plural form of the word, rubāʿiyāt, often anglicised rubaiyat, is used to describe a collection of such quatrains.
Ghazal, as practiced by many poets in the Arab tradition. Mir, Ghalib, Dagh are well-known composers of ghazal.
Hamd
Hazal
Hijv
Kafi
Madah
Manqabat
Marsia
Masnavi
Munajat
Musaddas
Mukhammas
Na`at
Nazm
Noha
Qasida
Qat'ã
Qawwali
Rubai
Sehra
Shehr a'ashob
Soz
Wasokht
Pen names
In the Urdu poetic tradition, most poets use a pen name called the Takhallus. This can be either a part of a poet's given name or something else adopted as an identity. The traditional convention in identifying Urdu poets is to mention the takhallus at the end of the name. The word takhallus is derived from Arabic, meaning "ending". This is because in the Ghazal form, the poet would usually incorporate his or her pen name into the final couplet of each poem.
