Celebrating Urdu culture

Celebrating the quintessential spirit of Urdu, Rekhta foundation had organised a three-day festival ‘Jashn-e-Rekhta’ that was inaugurated on Friday by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung.

The event, which was graced by Javed Akhtar, Shaban Azmi, Gulzar and Irrfan Khan among other eminent personalities, was held at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts on Sunday. 

The governor narrated a few shers including Ayina kyu na dun ki tamasha kahen jise, aisa kahan se laun ki tujhsa kahen jise…, (by Ghalib) and declared the festival open.

Followed by the inauguration was a mesmerising performance of voice drama 'Kaifi aur Main’ by Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar. The play is based on the courtship between Shabana Azmi’s parents Kaifi Azmi and Shaukat Kaifi. The play has been created by Javed Akhtar with contents from Shaukat Kaifi’s book Yaad ki Rehguzar and from various interviews of poet Kaifi Azmi. The songs have been added by Jaswinder Singh and Kuldeep Singh.

The second edition of the three-day festival had lots to offer, apart from Mushaira, Qawwali, Dastangoi, Drama, Discussions, Dance, Ghazal and much more for Urdu lovers. 

Immense variety of food was ready for gourmets in various stalls, along with a calligraphy corner, Urdu bazaar and book exhibition. 

Founded by Sanjiv Saraf, Rekhta foundation is known for curating an online portal for Urdu poetry and prose. Famous personalities who attended the Jashan include literary critics, poets and actors like Gopi Chand Narang, Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, Jeelani Bano, Tom Alter and Namvar Singh and several others.