Podcast · Stories

Urdunama

by The Quint · Hindi · Stories

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!

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 14 min
Latest: 3 Oct 2026
Language: Hindi

Latest episode

3 Oct 2026 · 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 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…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

26 Sep 2026 · 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 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…
19 Sep 2026 · 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 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
12 Sep 2026 · 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 changed. In this episode of Urdunama, Fabeha Syed explores the word through the poetry of Ghalib, Hali, Javed Akhtar, Jigar Moradabadi and Hafeez Jalandhari, and discovers how acceptance can sometimes be its own form of courage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
5 Sep 2026 · 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 wave of emotion? In this episode of Urdunama, Fabeha Syed breaks down the word through the poetry of legends like Kaifi Azmi and Gulzar, among others. She traces how ghutan evolves from a simple physical sensation to a complex emotional, social, and political struggle, and ultimately, a universal longing to breathe, speak, and laugh freely again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
29 Aug 2026 · 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 writes of ishq, but also of what accompanies it: desire, qurbat, longing, loneliness, memory and dard. What sets him apart is the attention he pays to these emotions. He doesn’t just describe them; he looks closely at what they do to us. In this episode, we follow some of his best-known verses and his deeply personal nazm “Jugnu” to grasp a sense of Firaq’s world, his life and the many shades of love that run through…
22 Aug 2026 · 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 society. In this episode of Urdunama, we look at verses by Ameer Minai, Rahat Indori, Akbar Allahabadi and Hali to explore how each poet gives “marz” a different meaning, and how the idea of a cure changes with it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
15 Aug 2026 · 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 own choices. But khud-mukhtaari is not simply about doing what you want. It also means living with the consequences of your choices. Through the poetry of Allama Iqbal, Munawwar Rana, and others, this episode explores ideas of freedom, choice, selfhood and responsibility, and what it really means to have ikhtiyar over your own life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8 Aug 2026 · 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 Khumar Barabankvi and Muneer Niazi among others. Along the way, we discover that gumraahi isn't always about taking the wrong path. Sometimes it begins with trust. Sometimes with love. Sometimes with a destination that opens into countless new roads. And sometimes, what looks like losing your way turns out to be finding a completely different one.Tune in to discover why one simple Urdu word can hold so many…
1 Aug 2026 · 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 meanings in poetry. Through these ashaar by Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ahmad Mushtaq, and others, 'gumshuda' becomes much more than someone who has disappeared. It can be a lost voice, an unfinished song, an incomplete project, a wandering mind, a forgotten childhood, or even a part of ourselves that slowly disappears with time. It can also be that elusive creative spark, or an idea that catches you unawares, only to…
25 Jul 2026 · 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 gumnaam is used in Urdu poetry to reflect on forgotten contributors, invisible lives, fame, love and the underlying tension between recognition and obscurity. Through verses by Nida Fazli, Qateel Shifai, Ahmed Faraz and Meena Kumari Naaz, the episode asks a timeless question: Is being unknown always a misfortune, or can anonymity sometimes be its own kind of freedom? Tune in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…
18 Jul 2026 · 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 of mind. Sometimes it's simply getting so lost in your thoughts that the rest of the world fades into the background.This episode marks the beginning of a special Urdunama mini-series exploring a family of Urdu words that begin with gum. Over the next few episodes, we'll see how this one simple prefix gives rise to very different meanings, proving that a single word can open the door to entirely different human…
11 Jul 2026 · 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, and legacy of Guru Dutt through the unique lens of Dastan-e-Guru Dutt. Joining us is India's first female Dastango, Fouzia Dastango, who brings this celebrated performance to audiences across the country. From the melancholy of Pyaasa and the loneliness of Kaagaz Ke Phool to Guru Dutt's collaborative spirit, his portrayal of women, and the enduring relevance of his work, this conversation offers a fresh perspective…
4 Jul 2026 · 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 person at the right time, while others do everything "right" and still don't get the life they hoped for?When we run out of explanations, we often reach for one word: naseebIn this episode of Urdunama, Fabeha Syed explores one of Urdu's most layered words through the poetry of Nida Fazli, Ahmed Faraz and Sudarshan Faakir. More than fate or destiny, naseeb is the language of uncertainty, it is the word we use to make…
27 Jun 2026 · 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 the same as dagha. A stranger can deceive you; only someone you trust can betray you. Through the poetry of Fana Nizami Kanpuri, Mirza Ghalib, Bahadur Shah Zafar and Momin Khan Momin, we explore false promises, self-deception and why the hardest illusions to let go of are often the ones we create ourselves. Tune in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
20 Jun 2026 · 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 like an act of 'daghaa'Often translated as betrayal, 'dagha' is more than just being deceived. It is the hurt that comes when trust is broken. Through the poetry of Shakeel Badayuni and Qateel Shifai, we explore friendship, loyalty, disappointment and the peculiar ways human beings let one another down. What makes betrayal hurt? Why does a friend's failure feel different from a stranger's? And can failing to truly…
13 Jun 2026 · 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 about it when a child feels warm, and increasingly experience it in a world shaped by climate change.On this week's Urdunama, we explore the Urdu word haraarat. While it literally means heat or temperature, poetry gives the word a far richer and tender life. it can signify warmth, affection, vitality, conviction, and even the spark of resistance.Through verses by Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Muztar Khairabadi and Majaz Lakhnavi,…
6 Jun 2026 · 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 image and more like a reminder of what sustains us.On this week's Urdunama, we explore the Urdu word shajar, meaning tree. In poetry, a tree is never merely part of the landscape. It can offer shade to a weary traveller, bear the fruits of patience and perseverance, or remind us of the roots that anchor us to our origins.Through verses by Bashir Badr, Javed Akhtar, Parveen Shakir and Qateel Shifai, Fabeha Syed traces…
30 May 2026 · 21 min

How Bashir Badr Found Poetry in a ‘Zard Shaal’, a ‘Zafraani Pullover’ and Everyday Life

“Ujaale apni yaadon ke hamare saath rehne do,na jaane kis gali mein zindagi ki shaam ho jaaye.” With Bashir Badr sahab’s passing on May 28, Urdu poetry lost one of its warmest and most humane voices. In this episode of Urdunama, we remember the poet who made shayari feel intimate, conversational and deeply personal. From love and loneliness to loss, memory, riots and modern city life, Bashir sahib wrote about ordinary human emotions in a way generations instantly connected with. Fabeha Syed revisits some of his most iconic ghazals and reflects on the quiet grace and resilience that made…
16 May 2026 · 11 min

Nadārad: When Something Missing Doesn’t Quite Leave

In Urdu, 'nadarad' means 'ghayab', when something is absent, has disappeared or is missing. Until you see how it’s used in poetry.It’s usually not just about something being gone. It’s about something that should have been there but is not. A person who didn’t show up. A message that never came. A moment that didn’t happen the way you thought it would, and has left you with an overwhleming need for closure. That’s why the word has many layers to it and poets like Momin Khan Momin and Mirza Ghalib have talked about 'absence' in their ashar without necessarily using the word itself. Because…
1 Apr 2026 · 12 min

The Beauty of the Pause: Understanding “Vaqfa” in Urdu Poetry

After a short vaqfa, Urdunama returns with an episode on the very idea of pause. What does a simple break or interval mean in the language of Urdu verse?Through lines by Mir Taqi Mir, Ahmad Mushtaq, and Aziz Bano Darab Wafa, we explore how pauses, silences, and brief halts often carry as much meaning as the words themselves. In poetry, the space between two phrases can deepen emotion, shape rhythm, and allow a thought to breathe.This episode looks at how poets turn a vaqfa into metaphor which sometimes becomes a moment of rest, sometimes looks like a distance between longing and fulfilment,…
14 Mar 2026 · 14 min

What 'Sahra' Means in Urdu Poetry: Desert and the Lover’s Wilderness

In the vocabulary of Urdu poetry, sahra, meaning the desert, is far more than a barren landscape. It is a metaphor for the inner wilderness of the heart: solitude, longing, and the untamed intensity of love. In this episode, we wander through verses by Mirza Ghalib, Daagh Dehlvi, and Jaun Elia to explore how poets transform the desert into a space of vahshat, searching, and emotional vastness. Tune in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
14 Feb 2026 · 11 min

Love With 'Ikhlas': Beyond the Valentine Glow | Urdunama Podcast

In Valentine’s month, we are drawn to a picture-perfect version of love that is warm, dazzling, and effortless. Yet real love asks for more than beauty. It calls for ikhlaas meaning pure intention to be sincere and have honest devotion that persists even when the glow fades. True love thrives in patience, understanding, and care, beyond grand gestures and fleeting romance.In this episode, we draw wisdom from literary masters like Ahmad Faraz, Rahat Indori, and Jaun Elia, celebrating a sincerity that holds the courage to love, to be loved, and ultimately, to become love itself. Tune in. Learn…
24 Jan 2026 · 15 min

Junoon in Urdu Poetry: Meaning, Madness, and Purpose

Junoon is often translated as passion or madness, but in Urdu poetry it carries layered, sometimes conflicting meanings. For poets like Mirza Ghalib, junoon is dangerous if exposed or fully unpacked. It then becomes a force so raw that it can undo the self. If Ghalob's junoon is intense, self-aware, and often destructive, poets like Ahmad Faraz and Ameer Qazalbash later engage with the same intensity differently. Where Ghalib is wary of junoon’s excess, they explore what happens when that intensity is held with awareness and direction when madness becomes purposeful rather than…
11 Jan 2026 · 14 min

When Hard Work Isn’t Enough: Mehnat in Everyday Life and Poetry

In this episode, we sit with the Urdu word 'mehnat' which is usually translated as 'hard work', but carrying far more tiredness, repetition, and lived experience.Moving between everyday life and Urdu poetry, the episode pushes back against the idea that hard work always guarantees success. From the comforting language of motivational culture to the kind of labour that happens quietly, without visibility or reward, 'mehnat' here is effort that continues even when energy runs low and outcomes remain uncertain.At the centre of the episode is Kaifi Azmi’s nazm Makan, which speaks directly to…
4 Jan 2026 · 14 min

Dua as Faith, Action and Inheritance: Reading Ghalib, Munawwar Rana and Kaifi Azmi

In Urdu poetry, dua is never just prayer but it is a reflection of how a poet relates to hope, faith, and control.For Ghalib, dua is too uncertain. He chooses action over waiting, offering his entire self instead of trusting outcomes.For Munawwar Rana, dua is absolute assurance, a mother's prayer that walks beside him like protection, unquestioned and complete.And for Kaifi Azmi, dua becomes the final gift that a father offers when strength, means, and time have run out, leaving only blessing and trust in the child’s choice.Three poets. One word.And three very different ways of believing in…
27 Dec 2025 · 16 min

Reading Ghalib's 'Koi Umeed Bar Nahin Aati': Ego and Self Awareness Without Apology

Reading Ghalib's 'Koi Umeed Bar Nahin Aati': Ego and Self Awareness Without ApologyDescription: Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan, known to the world as Mirza Ghalib, remains a towering figure in Urdu poetry for his rare ability to capture complex emotions with striking simplicity. In this episode, we step into Ghalib’s world through one of his most well-known ghazals, 'Koi Umeed Bar Nahin Aati.' The reading reveals a poet who is deeply human and full of flaws and contradictions, and yet remarkably alert to his own shortcomings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
20 Dec 2025 · 18 min

Falsafa in Life: Understanding Iqbal’s Philosophy of Grief

What is Falsafa? It’s the philosophy that pushes us to explore ideas with wisdom, and with a humility in which every certainty melts away. We explore this week's theme, 'falsafa' through Iqbal’s 'Falsafa-e-Gham'. He shows that grief isn’t just pain but it’s the light inside the heart, the silent music and the rouge for the soul that beautifies it. He goes on that loss and sorrow awaken us, polish the spirit, and reveal life’s deeper truths, depth and beauty we might otherwise miss. tune in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
13 Dec 2025 · 11 min

Zehn and Jazbātiyat: Heart vs Mind in Urdu Poetry

This week in UIrdunama, we explore poems that live inside our zehn, meaning our mind. But this internal world of the zehn keeps colliding with the one that belongs to the heart and its jazbātiyat (emotion driven clarity) that won’t be silenced. From Barelvi’s guiding light in confusion, to Jazib’s heart triumphing over intellect, to Javed Akhtar’s inner world in flames where only one surviving corner remains, these ashaar show how thoughts and feelings collide, break, and endure in every human experience. Tune in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
6 Dec 2025 · 18 min

Kya Sochte Ho? : Exploring 'Soch' Through Urdu Poetry

In this week's Urdunama, we speak about 'Soch', meaning a personal lens through which we look at everything.With the intensity of Mohsin Naqvi, the softness of Bashir Badr, the sharp pain of heartbreak from rejectioon in Parveen Shakir's ghazal, and the mature understanding of boundaries in intimacy in Ahmad Faraz's nazm 'bhali si ek shakl thi', Fabeha Syed unpacks how thoughts shape love, loss, and the stories we tell ourselves.Because real life isn’t just about what happens to us, it’s about hum kis soch mein mubtala hain? (what kind of thinking are we caught up in?) tune in. Learn more…

About Urdunama

Urdunama is a Hindi stories podcast from The Quint. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: The Quint
Language: Hindi हिन्दी
Category: Stories
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 14 min
Latest episode: 3 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1475336954
Website: bingepods.com
Rights: 2024 The Quint

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Urdunama

Latest episode

Wujood: What Does It Mean to Be? | Urdunama

Earlier episodes 29 most recent

Bhagat Singh, Urdu and Revolution: Understanding His Multilingual World

Gheebat: Gossip, Backbiting and the Art of Gheebat

Tasleem: The Meaning of Acceptance, Surrender and Letting Go in Urdu Poetry

Ghutan: The Meaning of Suffocation in Urdu Poetry, From Kaifi Azmi to Gulzar

Firaq Gorakhpuri: The Poet of Love, Longing and Pain in Urdu Poetry

Marz: A Word for Guilt, Longing, Pain and More

Khud-Mukhtaar: What Does It Really Mean to Be Independent?

Gumraah: Urdu Poetry on Being Lost, Misled and Finding the Way

Gumshuda: When What's Lost Isn't Just a Person

Gumnaam: The Urdu Word That Means More Than ‘Anonymous’

'Gum': The Urdu Word That Isn't Just About Being Lost

Fouzia Dastango on Guru Dutt: The Melancholy, the Masterpieces, and the Man

What Does 'Naseeb' Really Mean? Urdu Poetry on Fate, Destiny and the Things We Can't Explain

Why We Fall for Fareb? Urdu Poetry on Deception, Trust and Hope

From Monsoon Daghaa to Human Betrayal: The Many Meanings of Broken Trust in Shayari

From Fever to Fire: Exploring Haraarat in Urdu Poetry

The Poetry of Shajar: Trees, Shade, Roots and the Stories They Carry

How Bashir Badr Found Poetry in a ‘Zard Shaal’, a ‘Zafraani Pullover’ and Everyday Life

Nadārad: When Something Missing Doesn’t Quite Leave

The Beauty of the Pause: Understanding “Vaqfa” in Urdu Poetry

What 'Sahra' Means in Urdu Poetry: Desert and the Lover’s Wilderness

Love With 'Ikhlas': Beyond the Valentine Glow | Urdunama Podcast

Junoon in Urdu Poetry: Meaning, Madness, and Purpose

When Hard Work Isn’t Enough: Mehnat in Everyday Life and Poetry

Dua as Faith, Action and Inheritance: Reading Ghalib, Munawwar Rana and Kaifi Azmi

Reading Ghalib's 'Koi Umeed Bar Nahin Aati': Ego and Self Awareness Without Apology

Falsafa in Life: Understanding Iqbal’s Philosophy of Grief

Zehn and Jazbātiyat: Heart vs Mind in Urdu Poetry

Kya Sochte Ho? : Exploring 'Soch' Through Urdu Poetry

About Urdunama

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