Dubai speaks 'language of love': How the city became world’s go-to hub for Urdu poetry

It's well past midnight, yet the Sheikh Rashid Auditorium in Dubai crackles with infectious energy. Renowned Pakistani poet Abbas Tabish commands the stage, reciting his verses as applause erupts like a tidal wave. The captivated audience clamours for an encore. “Irshad, irshad! (Once more, once more!),” they shout over the din of thunderous claps.

Just 24 hours earlier, on a Saturday night at the Movenpick Hotel's ballroom in Oud Metha, cheers reverberated at another Urdu soirée, a gathering known as mushaira.

The poetic rhythm of Dubai, it appears, never pauses. The upcoming week promises a feast of Urdu poetry at the India Club, featuring the illustrious Javed Akhtar from December 1-3, followed by Jashn-e-Urdu on December 9. Meanwhile, an international mushaira is set to grace neighbouring Sharjah on December 3.

Amidst Dubai's impressive array of world records, one might easily overlook a lesser-known achievement—the city proudly hosts more mushairas than any other on the globe. Each passing year transforms the Emirate into a poetic haven, welcoming gatherings that feature a constellation of revered Urdu poets and legends. These evenings draw thousands of Urdu enthusiasts, vividly showcasing the thriving vitality of the language of love in this desert metropolis. Dubai, with its insatiable appetite for literary brilliance, eagerly embraces these moments with unwavering enthusiasm.

Jashn-e-Rekhta to debut in Dubai

Now, the stage is set for Urdu’s grandest showcase—the much-anticipated debut of Jashn-e-Rekhta, India's renowned literary Urdu festival, taking place in Dubai next year.

Originally scheduled for February 2019, the cultural extravaganza faced an unexpected last-minute cancellation. However, it now promises a celebration of Urdu's quintessential spirit, featuring poetic mastery, talk shows, soulful ghazals, and captivating storytelling, adding another layer to the city's already vibrant cultural tapestry.

“The UAE and especially Dubai is a global events destination, and its cosmopolitan character has broadened the scope of Urdu as a popular medium of speech,” says Sanjiv Saraf, founder of Rekhta Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation working for the preservation and promotion of Urdu

“In choosing Dubai, we embrace the city's thriving Urdu-speaking community, a testament to the rich demographic diversity in the heart of the UAE. In the current geopolitical climate, Jashn-e-Rekhta in Dubai stands out as a beacon of cultural unity, transcending political divides and fostering connections through the universal language of poetry and shared cultural heritage.”

Urdu, a cultural cornerstone in India, thrived under Mughal patronage for centuries, influencing the nation's independence and socialist movements. However, in modern Indian society, it faces a stigma of being considered foreign, resulting in a decline in enrollment in favour of English and other languages

Yet, within the vibrant realm of Bollywood, Urdu not only survives but thrives. It has become the language of romantic expression in songs and cinema, encapsulating sentiments of angst, heartbreak, and celebration.

Surprisingly, it is in Dubai that Urdu has discovered its deepest affection. The city has emerged as the favoured host for mushairas, much like how it has become the world's top spot for family vacations and overseas homes. This prominence is owed to the UAE’s diverse mix of Indian and Pakistani expats, constituting over 40 per cent of the population.

UAE-based Urdu poet Ehya Bhojpuri, a chronicler of mushairas in the country, asserts that Dubai has consistently been a step ahead of others, and Urdu poetry gatherings are no exception. “That's why the oldest digital media of mushairas is from Dubai, dating back to the time of cassettes.”

Early days

Recalling the origins of mushairas, Ehya details how people from India and Pakistan, settling in the UAE, found unity through the Urdu language and their shared passion for poetry. In the Seventies, informal gatherings resembling mushairas or nashishts were common across the UAE, particularly in Abu Dhabi. Active participants at that time included Salamat Najmi and Dr Izhar Haider, says Ehya.

"Waseem Ahmad Waseem from Pakistan played a pivotal role in promoting Urdu. Beyond being a poet in these gatherings, he spearheaded the nurturing of young poets, founding the group Bazm-e-sher-o-adab in 1974.”

However, it wasn't until 1979 that the first mushaira was organised in the UAE, taking place not in Dubai but at the Central Hotel in Abu Dhabi. The inaugural international mushaira also occurred in the UAE capital, hosted at the Intercontinental Hotel in 1981.

During the early '80s, mushairas ventured into Dubai, featuring luminaries like Jaun Elia, Mehshar Badauyuni, Mohsin Bhopali, and Pirzada Qasim.

Ehya recalls a notable incident in 1984 when the Aligarh Old Boys Association (Pakistan chapter) organised a mushaira called 'Bayad-e-Faiz' in memory of the revolutionary Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz who had passed away that year.

The legendary Ali Sardar Jafri hosted the event. Faced with objections regarding the connection between Faiz and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Ali Sardar Jafri silenced dissenters from the stage, stating that while Faiz may not have studied in AMU, AMU certainly studied Faiz.

Magnet for top poets

In the Eighties, Dubai became a poetic magnet for top subcontinental poets, thanks to Saleem Jaffery from Pakistan, the visionary behind elevating mushairas to new heights. His team, including Waseem Chisti, Syed Salahuddin, and Musibur Rahman, played a pivotal role. Syed Salahuddin, currently the founder and chief organiser of the annual Indian Republic Kavi Sammelan and Mushaira, a mainstay of the Dubai Shopping Festival for over two decades, fondly recalls that era as the zenith of those poetic gatherings.

“We ran an annual series called 'Jashn' that alternated between Pakistani and Indian poets, celebrating greats like Khumar Barabankvi and Ahmed Faraz. The series ran for 12 years,” recounts Salahuddin.

In Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, Zahoor Islam Javed held the forte, hosting mushairas until last year when he moved to the USA. Sharjah has also witnessed numerous mushairas, including one at Expo Centre in 2001 where the chief guest was the bandit queen turned politician Phoolan Devi.

The mushaira scene in Dubai underwent a transformative evolution in the 21st century, thanks to figures such as Rehan Siddiqui, Shazia Kidwai, Rehan Khan, Syed Farhaan Wasti, and Imad Ul Malik. Hosting annual mushairas that often extend into the early hours, each of them brings a unique flair to the tradition.

Pushkin Agha, spearheading Vertex Events, curates the Aligarh mushaira. Meanwhile, Ehya Bhojpuri and their team organize intimate events, adding diversity to the poetic landscape. In Abu Dhabi, Syed Sarosh Arif, the driving force behind Cultural Carwaan, has been instrumental in puting together numerous Urdu poetry symposiums.

Despite being beyond the borders of the UAE, Tariq Faizi has orchestrated 10 mushairas in the region over the past two decades, showcasing the enduring appeal of these gatherings.

This raises the question: Is Dubai hosting one mushaira too many?

Syed Salahuddin, preparing to host his own annual mushaira on January 27 next year, says it is often difficult to keep pace.

(With additional reporting from Adeena Siddiqui)