AN ODE TO URDU

The eighth edition of the annual Jashn-e-Rekhta festival includes a stellar line-up with four stages, 60-plus events and 150-plus artists

- Geetika Sachdev

For most people, a love affair with Urdu is linked with their fascination for shayari or poetry. After all, poets like Mirza Ghalib, Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Mir Taqi Mir were instrumental in contributing to the literary richness of the language.

However, beyond the romanticism of couplets lies a treasure trove of several other art forms that showcase the beauty and richness of Urdu. This is the philosophy behind Jashn-e-Rekhta, an annual festival hosted by the Rekhta Foundation in Delhi that witnesses high footfalls for its thoughtful curation of ghazals, Sufi music, qawwali, dastangoi, panel discussions, celebrity conversations, masterclasses, and more.