The long-standing debate over Urdu versus Hindi ghazals received a measured response from author Hareram Sameep at the ongoing New Delhi World Book Fair. “Hindi ghazal had to face huge challenges and criticism from Urdu writers over the past 50 years, and after a lot of struggle, it has emerged from this situation,” he said.
“Dushyant’s works have given a new dimension, resulting in the emergence of new talent,” Sameep said while speaking as a panelist during a discussion on 50 Years of Hindi Ghazal at the fair.
The event featured noted Hindi writers, including Sameep, Gyan Prakash Vivek, Anirudh Sinha, Vijay Swarnkar, with Rahul Shivay as the moderator.
Dushyant Kumar was a prominent poet of modern Hindi literature and is often considered an ideal writer for students studying literature.
“Discussion on Hindi ghazal is impossible without mentioning Dushyant. His ghazals were critical works of that time, and his success carried the legacy forward. He is an ideal, but today he has been left far behind. If we keep following him blindly, the ghazal will also be left behind,” Sinha said.
Other speakers also acknowledged the struggles and success of the Hindi ghazal and concluded that the coming generation carries a significant responsibility.
“Undoubtedly, Urdu ghazal is a genre in itself and can be compared to the Mughals. Despite being a successful lyricist, Dushyant took a risk and created a new genre. I miss the flow he maintained,” Swarnkar said, adding that authors often ignore critics, which degrades the quality of literature.
“Sympathy is the foundation of a ghazal. Anyone who possesses it can write, and talent comes with practice. If a ghazal travels from one heart to another, it becomes meaningful, and it is the responsibility of the younger generation to take this 50-year-old journey into the next half-century,” Sameep concluded.
