Episodes

  • Beyond Self-Confidence: Understanding Khudi Through Allama Iqbal | Urdunama

    Beyond Self-Confidence: Understanding Khudi Through Allama Iqbal | Urdunama
    Nov 9 2026
    In a world that constantly tells us to find ourselves, be ourselves and believe in ourselves, Allama Iqbal's idea of Khudi offers a rather different perspective. It is not simply about accepting who you are or feeling confident about yourself. It is about cultivating who you can become. One of the central ideas in Iqbal's poetry and philosophy, Khudi is often translated as the self, selfhood or self-consciousness. For Iqbal, it involves recognizing and developing one's potential through discipline, action, purpose and spiritual growth.On Iqbal's birth anniversary, which is also celebrated as World Urdu Day, we revisit some of his poetry to explore this idea more closely. Through selected verses from his ghazals, we look at Khudi as a journey of self-discovery, personal agency, inner transformation and spiritual connection.At a time when technology, AI and changing expectations constantly reshape how we live and see ourselves, Iqbal's thoughts on the self offer an interesting perspective on identity, purpose and the possibilities within us. Tune in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    16 mins
  • In the Glow of ‘Roshni’, Every Poem Finds Clarity | Urdunama

    In the Glow of ‘Roshni’, Every Poem Finds Clarity | Urdunama
    Nov 7 2026
    From Ghalib to Shakeel Badayuni, Bashir Badr, and Waseem Barelvi, Urdu poetry has long explored the delicate relationship between roshni (light) and tareeki (darkness). Through verses of hope, faith, longing, and resilience, poets remind us that even the faintest light can bring warmth to the darkest moments. In this special Diwali episode of Urdunama, Fabeha Syed delves into how roshni becomes a metaphor for inner strength, humanity, and the courage to keep believing. Discover how the true light we seek is often not around us, but within us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    15 mins
  • Vaqaar: Urdu Poetry on Dignity, Grace, and Knowing Your Worth | Urdunama

    Vaqaar: Urdu Poetry on Dignity, Grace, and Knowing Your Worth | Urdunama
    Oct 31 2026
    This week, we turn to 'vaqaar', meaning dignity, grace, and knowing your own worth. Through the poetry of Qateel Shifai, Jaun Elia, and Bashir Badr, we explore the different ways this idea takes shape. From the dignity of the gaze, to the quietness or thoughtful silence we sometimes mistake for grace, to the humility of staying grounded without making ourselves smaller, each poet offers a different way of looking at what it means to carry oneself with 'vaqaar'.Along the way, we ask what dignity looks like beyond appearances, and whether the way we see others might tell us just as much about ourselves. A conversation about Urdu poetry, self-worth, and the small distinctions that make a word like 'vaqaar' so rich. So, tune in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    13 mins
  • Bisaat: Knowing Your Place in the Game | Urdunama

    Bisaat: Knowing Your Place in the Game | Urdunama
    Oct 17 2026
    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 how do we measure our own abilities, and how often do we judge ourselves or others by the same standards? As part of our ongoing exploration of khudi, or our sense of self, this episode looks at what bisaat reveals about our strengths, our limitations, and the space we occupy in relation to others. Through the poetry of Jaun Elia and Allama Iqbal, we unpack the many meanings of bisaat and ask whether we always recognise what we, and those around us, are truly capable of. Tune in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    12 mins
  • What Is Mizaaj? Exploring Temperament, Personality and Khudi

    What Is Mizaaj? Exploring Temperament, Personality and Khudi
    Oct 10 2026
    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 the idea of selfhood popularised by Allama Iqbal. Through the poetry of Jaun Elia, Habib Jalib and Daagh Dehlvi, we reflect on how our natural tendencies shape us, how life experiences can change the way we express ourselves, and whether we can learn to respond to hardship with greater resilience. Because understanding who we are begins with understanding our own mizaaj. Tune in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    14 mins
  • Wujood: What Does It Mean to Be? | Urdunama

    Wujood: What Does It Mean to Be? | Urdunama
    Oct 3 2026
    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 explores wujood (وجود) through poetry, unpacking the many ways poets have thought about existence. Sometines as presence, as rootedness, as freedom, and as the forces that shape the way we inhabit the world.From Iqbal’s striking conversation between a tree and a desert bird to his idea of rising beyond the jazb-e-khaak, or the pull of the wordly desires, the episode looks at what it means to be here and what makes that presence matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    18 mins
  • Bhagat Singh, Urdu and Revolution: Understanding His Multilingual World

    Bhagat Singh, Urdu and Revolution: Understanding His Multilingual World
    Sep 26 2026
    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 literature.In this episode, Fabeha Syed speaks to Professor Chaman Lal, former Professor and Chairperson of the Centre of Indian Languages at JNU and honorary advisor to the Bhagat Singh Archives & Resource Centre. A scholar and author of over 50 books, Lal has spent years researching Bhagat Singh’s writings, reading and intellectual legacy.While Bhagat Singh did not write extensively in Urdu, the language was part of his early education and wider literary and political environment. From Urdu poetry and literature to the language of revolutionary politics, this conversation explores the place Urdu occupied in Bhagat Singh’s intellectual world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    18 mins
  • Gheebat: Gossip, Backbiting and the Art of Gheebat

    Gheebat: Gossip, Backbiting and the Art of Gheebat
    Sep 19 2026
    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 the art of talking about people behind their backs. From everyday gossip and the conversations that bring us closer to poetry by Firaq Gorakhpuri and Yagana Changezi, we explore why we love to talk about other people’s lives, what it does to our relationships, and where the line between venting and backbiting really lies. Tune in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    14 mins