Jashn-e-Urdu festival at Sunder Nursery begins today

The Department of Art, Culture & Languages of Delhi government in collaboration with Urdu Academy Delhi is organising a four-day event- Jashn-e-Urdu (Urdu Heritage Festival) at Sunder Nursery near Humayun’s Tomb, Nizamuddin, Delhi.

Several musical performances, plays, poetry sessions, participation in debates and panel discussions will be held.

One of the events includes Dastaan-E-Ramayana: Ramleela in Urdu.

Shraddha Ramlila, a theatrical group from Faridabad will narrate the mythological tale of Rama’s victory over Ravana with a unique twist. Urdu Ramleela is a perfect linguistic blend that unites the beauty of Hindi and the sophistication of Urdu.  

This will be followed by a panel discussion on ‘Ramayana Urdu Ke Aaiine Mein’ where Prof Khalid Alvi, Prof Khalid Ashraf and Prof Mohd Kazim will explore Urdu’s perspective on Ramayana.

The audience will also get to witness the magical Sufi performances by the top ghazal singers including Talat Aziz, Anupama Srivastava, Indira Naik, Gayatri Asokan, Poorva Guru and Mehfil-E-Qawwali by Warsi Brothers from Hyderabad. Bollywood singer and winner of the Indian Idol 10 reality show, Salman Ali will enthral the audience with his mesmerizing performance.

Moreover, the festival will see Bait Bazi, a poetic flair of students in a captivating competition. Another performance named Chaar Bait, revitalises the 400-year-old tradition which is a delight in the harmonious blend of verses, melody and rhythmic ‘Daf”, as the talented team from Bhopal brings the refreshing female perspective to this timeless performing art.

This event aims to showcase the beauty and significance of the Urdu language. This language is a cultural treasure having a deep connection with the national capital and it deserves to be cherished and passed on to future generations.          

When: 12 pm onwards; February 22-25

Where: Sunder Nursery near Humayun’s Tomb, Nizamuddin