A scene from Chalte Chalte, staged in Dubai. Muskan Syed Riaz handled the audio visuals of the show.

Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

It is more likely than not that Urdu lovers would have met Muskan Syed Riaz in the UAE during an event that promotes the language. Poet, speaker and emcee, she is a very active member of Bazm-e-Urdu (Assembly of Urdu) Dubai, the not-for-profit, non-religious and non-political organisation working for the propagation of Urdu language.

Riaz’s poetic works have been uploaded on the website of Rekhta, the Urdu literary web portal pioneer from India. She has hosted many international Urdu literary festivals and events in the UAE, among which were the mushaira (poetic symposium) Sukhanwar Bahut Achchhe (Very Good Poets) 2023 in Abu Dhabi, and Asnaf-e-Khayal (Forms of Thought), a segment on Doha, during the Leading Edge Urdu Festival in 2022 in Dubai.

She has conducted interviews live online of eminent personalities in the Urdu world like Prof. Dr. Khwaja Ekramuddin, Dr. Ambareen Haseeb Amber, Dr. Sarwat Zehra, Rehan Khan, Azra Naqvi, Tahir Hanfi and Abeenaz Janali, among others.

 Muskan Syed Riaz speaks during a programme.

She has also written essays on the life and works of noted personalities like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Mir Taqi Mir and Agha Hashar Kashmiri, all of whom have contributed greatly to the educational, literary and cultural life of India. “Poetry is one of the most beautiful expressions of mankind and Urdu is one of the most beautiful mediums to express it,” says Riaz. “Luckily, both chose me,” she adds. She speaks more on the subject to Gulf Today

What attracts you to Urdu poetry?

Urdu is a language of immense beauty. The softness of its tone immediately attracts a listener’s attention. Talking of poetry, it is the brevity of expression, rhythmic patterns, the metaphoric elements, multilayered meanings and flexibility that allows one to interpret a piece in more than one way, that makes it one of the most loved art forms.

It is the synergy of the above two aspects that attracts me to Urdu poetry. Urdu is also my mother tongue; it unveils its beauty to me naturally.

What has been the inspiration and what has encouraged you in your journey as a poet?

My grandfather, the late Allama Syed Mehmood Hasan Qaisar Amrohvi, is my biggest inspiration. Further, the Urdu community in the UAE has provided me with a platform to present my work and learn and grow as a poet. Finally, being a poet makes me feel rooted in my ancestral heritage and its values.

What messages do your poems carry?

I think readers will be more suited to answer this question. As a poet, I seek fluidity, a state where I can get out of my own self and leap over the boundaries of limited imagination, develop versatility, write in many tones, widen my approach and pen as wide a variety of subjects as possible.

How do you compare the standing of Urdu literature in the Emirates and in India?

Literary works in the Emirates have a higher element of newness; this can be attributed to the diasporic Urdu speaking community residing here, hailing from different parts of India and in neighbouring countries such as Nepal and Pakistan. But the educational and research work available in India, is absent here.

You have emceed many poetry gatherings. How is a writer different from an emcee?

An emcee has to be a bit of an extrovert and be more engaging. There are no second or revised drafts for an emcee, whereas a writer can redraft and improvise as much as he wants.

Poets don’t need any special preparation for every event they are invited to; they can recite any new or old poem and get applauded, while as a nazim or host, I have had to put in hours of preparations for every single mushaira. But it has been a good opportunity to learn about fellow poets and delve deeper into their work.

What is the relation between Hindi poetry and Urdu poetry?

Both Hindi and Urdu have their roots in Khari boli, spoken in and around Delhi, with variations. We have known the languages to be called sisters. Their strongest relationship is evident when both are used in communication, which is when the boundaries of distinction almost completely blur out, and it isn’t easy to label them as distinct languages.

What is the future of Urdu in India?

Urdu in India has had its highs and lows. There has definitely been a downfall in its status and popularity. The last few decades has brought about a significant shift in people’s perceptions of Urdu, sometimes also a mother tongue. Many have distanced themselves from Urdu, adopting English in its place, due to its status symbol and its role in employment.

Urdu masterpieces are now recited by reading them in the Roman script or the English transliteration of Urdu poetry, rather than in its own Nastaliq script. I am saying this, because knowing these ground realities will help those working towards the cause of promoting the language, take effective measures and steps. However, the future of Urdu in India is of course bright.

People hold it in high regard - hence the compliments for speaking and writing in it. This situation also gives an opportunity to put a solid foundation under the glorification of the language. Urdu has been called the first language of romance and it should also be turned into an opportunity to take newcomers and young adults farther on their path of acquaintance with the language.