Delhi is all set to host one of the biggest events for poetry lovers, Jashn-e-Rekhta, a festival celebrating Urdu.
This second edition of the three-day-long event, which begins from February 12, will witness participation by several renowned poets, artists, litterateurs, novelists and lyricists from both India and Pakistan.
Spurred by the success of its debut last year, that drew over 20,000 visitors and featured enrapturing performances, the Urdu festival this year has been extended by a day and will be held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
The festival aims to showcase the richness of Urdu through various forms like mushaira, qawwali, dastangoi and ghazals, besides numerous film screenings, dances, plays and much more. The Sabri Brothers from Rajasthan, who are famous for their qawwali, are set to open the festival with a performance on February 12.
“Gulzar, Mahesh Bhatt, Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi are some of the personalities who have given confirmation. A special highlight of the festival will be the birth centenary celebration of legendary Urdu writers Ismat Chugtai and Rajinder Singh Bedi, known as the pillars of Urdu fiction. The event has also planned a celebration for the birth centenary of Akhtar-ul-Iman, famed for his modern Urdu Nazms,” said Taruna Thadhani of the Rekhta foundation, which is the organiser of the event.
Famous Pakistani artists like Imran Abbas, Zehra Nigah and Tina Sani are slated to perform, besides a number of interactions on films, art and culture are also lined up, she added.
A treasure trove for the taste buds — a food court with authentic Kashmiri, Deccani, Hyderabadi, Lucknowi and Purani Dilli cuisines will be set up for food lovers during the festival. As a special focus, there will be a children’s corner complete with storytelling, dastangoi, audio installations, fun drawings and many other interesting activities aimed at reviving Urdu literature among children.
Another attraction at the festival will be Urdu bazaar, a special area dedicated to brass artefacts, a variety of ittars (fragrances), film posters and much more. Last year’s Jashn-e-Rekhta saw the participation of around 60 poets, artists, novelists, litterateurs, journalists and lyricists.
