Urdu, the language of lovers and poets, still keeps Delhi connected with its glorious past and with qawwalis, gazal renditions, a mushaira and a play, the city is now gearing up for a Urdu Festival.
Beginning September 20, Delhi Government's Department of Art, Culture and Languages in conjugation with the Urdu Academy is set to celebrate Viraasat - the Urdu Heritage Festival at the Red Fort grounds here.
The five-day festival will feature an all India 'Mushaira' that will bring together some of the most popular Urdu poets of the country and evenings full of melodious ghazals by singers of the like of Bhupinder & Mitali, Zila Khan, Aslam Sabri, Anita Singhvi.
Cultural events, food delights, book exhibition, calligraphic displays, sufiana kalams and ghazal renditions have been lined up.
A play on the life and times of Urdu poet Ghalib will see renowned actor Tom Alter essaying the star role of the legendary poet.
"Chaar Bait", the dying form of Urdu poetry will also be presented in its traditional form.
"Urdu is a representative of Delhi as much as is the Red Fort. It is this inviolable link that we desire to highlight through this festival that will resonate from the bylanes of Chandni Chowk to the rest of the city," said Anis Azmi, Secretary, Urdu Academy, Delhi.
The last day of the festival a special tribute to Malka-e-Ghazal Begum Akhtar, in the form of Daastangoi by singer Vidya Shah and narrator Danish Hussain has been scheduled.
Daily cultural performances by youth from schools and colleges besides exhibitions on Urdu books, calligraphy, handicrafts, programs magic shows, puppet shows, kite flying and traditional food stalls and mouth watering dishes are other highlights of the festival.
