An Introduction to Urdu Poetry

Kentucky-based physician Ali Azam Farooqui works with patients in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Louisville. Outside of his work as a medical professional, Dr. Ali Azam Farooqui maintains an interest in a variety of topics, including Urdu poetry. 

Developed in central Asia in the 12th century, Urdu is a hybrid language that is widely spoken in Pakistan and India. Many Urdu speakers are also in urban areas of Afghanistan as well as Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries. 

Urdu poetry, which had become well developed by the 18th century, features many different forms, including masnavi, long narrative poems, and marsia, elegiac-type poems. Urdu poetry also includes humorous and satirical verse as well as devotional poems directed toward secular and religious leaders. 

One of the most popular forms of Urdu poetry is ghazal, a form of romantic poetry written in stanzas that often move freely from one topic to the next. Although modern literary movements have changed some forms of Urdu literature, ghazal and other Urdu poetry remain popular.