Bollywood songs turn us all into Grammy award-winning bathroom singers! But wait, do you know the meaning of every word you sing? Especially the ones in Urdu? On Urdunama, our host Fabeha Syed takes one word at a time and breaks it down for you. Be it the protest poetry of Faiz, or Sameer's 90s nostalgia, we have it all. If you like Urdu and poetry, this podcast is for you!
Latest episodes
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12 min
Bisaat: Knowing Your Place in the Game | Urdunama
From the chessboard of life to the conversation between a mountain and a squirrel, we explore bisaat, a word that speaks to capacity, capability, and our place in the world. But ho…
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14 min
What Is Mizaaj? Exploring Temperament, Personality and Khudi
What does mizaaj tell us about who we are? In this episode of Urdunama, we explore the Urdu word for temperament and disposition, and its connection to khudi, which is the idea of…
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18 min
Wujood: What Does It Mean to Be? | Urdunama
What does it mean to exist? Is wujood simply about being or does it also include the presence, influence and meaning that come with being?In this episode of Urdunama, Fabeha Syed e…
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18 min
Bhagat Singh, Urdu and Revolution: Understanding His Multilingual World
Ahead of Bhagat Singh’s 119th birth anniversary, Urdunama explores a lesser-known aspect of the revolutionary’s intellectual life: his relationship with the Urdu language and liter…
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14 min
Gheebat: Gossip, Backbiting and the Art of Gheebat
We all say we hate gossip, but somehow, someone else’s business is always a little too interesting. In this episode of Urdunama, Fabeha Syed takes a closer look at gheebat, meaning…
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14 min
Tasleem: The Meaning of Acceptance, Surrender and Letting Go in Urdu Poetry
What does it mean to tasleem something? More than simply accepting what is, tasleem can mean shades of acknowledgement, surrender, respect and making peace with what cannot be chan…
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19 min
Ghutan: The Meaning of Suffocation in Urdu Poetry, From Kaifi Azmi to Gulzar
What does ghutan truly mean? Is it physical suffocation, an eerie silence, or the weight of deep loneliness? Or is it that heavy feeling of being trapped inside an overwhelming wav…
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24 min
Firaq Gorakhpuri: The Poet of Love, Longing and Pain in Urdu Poetry
Firaq Gorakhpuri was born on 28 August 1896 as Raghupati Sahaay Firaq. On his birth anniversary, we return to a poet who changed how love could be written about in Urdu. Firaq writ…
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12 min
Marz: A Word for Guilt, Longing, Pain and More
In Urdu poetry, “marz” does not always mean an illness. It can be the weight of guilt, a restless heart, someone else’s manipulation, or even the problems affecting an entire socie…
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12 min
Khud-Mukhtaar: What Does It Really Mean to Be Independent?
What does it mean to be khud-mukhtaar? In this Independence Day episode of Urdunama, Fabeha Syed looks at the Urdu word for being independent, self-governing and able to make your…
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11 min
Gumraah: Urdu Poetry on Being Lost, Misled and Finding the Way
We usually think of gumraah as someone who has been led astray. But is that all the word means? In this episode of Urdunama, we unpack the word, 'gum-raah', through the poetry of K…
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13 min
Gumshuda: When What's Lost Isn't Just a Person
Most of us hear the word 'gumshuda' and think of a missing person. Urdu poetry has other ideas.In this episode of Urdunama, we explore how this simple word takes on many different…
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13 min
Gumnaam: The Urdu Word That Means More Than ‘Anonymous’
What does it really mean to be gumnaam?Often translated as "anonymous" or "unknown," the Urdu word carries a much deeper meaning. In this episode of Urdunama, we explore how gumnaa…
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13 min
'Gum': The Urdu Word That Isn't Just About Being Lost
We usually translate gum as "lost". But that's only half the story.In Urdu, gum isn't always about something disappearing. Sometimes it's a misplaced key. Sometimes it's your peace…
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20 min
Fouzia Dastango on Guru Dutt: The Melancholy, the Masterpieces, and the Man
Guru Dutt's films continue to resonate decades after they were made, but what was the man behind the camera really like? In this episode of Urdunama, we explore the life, cinema, a…
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12 min
What Does 'Naseeb' Really Mean? Urdu Poetry on Fate, Destiny and the Things We Can't Explain
Why do two equally qualified people end up with completely different careers? Why does one marriage survive while another falls apart? Why do some people seem to meet the right per…
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11 min
Why We Fall for Fareb? Urdu Poetry on Deception, Trust and Hope
A salesperson can sell you a dream. Social media can sell you a lifestyle. Sometimes, your own heart sells you hope. That's fareb. Often translated as deception, fareb isn't quite…
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14 min
From Monsoon Daghaa to Human Betrayal: The Many Meanings of Broken Trust in Shayari
Mumbai is halfway through June and still waiting for the monsoon. Every few days the forecast promises rain, and every few days the clouds seem to change their mind. So, it feels l…
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15 min
From Fever to Fire: Exploring Haraarat in Urdu Poetry
As another summer pushes temperatures to record highs, darja-e-haraarat , meaning 'degree of heat', has become part of our daily vocabulary. We hear it in weather reports, worry ab…
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12 min
The Poetry of Shajar: Trees, Shade, Roots and the Stories They Carry
World Environment Day may come around once a year, , but the questions it raises remain. As temperatures rise and green spaces shrink, the humble shajar feels less like a poetic im…