Basic Ingredients of Urdu Poetry

Although Urdu Poetry is a very intricate subject thatusually incorporated into the last couplet of the poem
manifests itself in many different forms, there areas a sort of signature. The last couplet of a ghazal
certain basic ingredients that characterize every Urduthat contains the takhallus is called the "maqta".
poem. We will now take a look at how a basic UrduQafiya. The "qafiya" refers to the rhyming pattern
poem is structured and familiarize ourselves withthat is used just before the radeef at the end of
some of its basic ingredients.every couplet. The qafiya is necessary to the
In Urdu Poetry, a poem usually takes the form of afunction of every Urdu poem, even when the other
ghazal. A ghazal is a collection of multiple couplets,rules are not adhered to.
called "ashaar", that adhere to the rules of "bahar",Now that you know what each of the five terms
"radeef", "matla", "maqta", and "qafiya". Each couplet,refer to, we turn our attention to how they govern
or "sher" expresses a single thought and can standan Urdu poem's structure. First, every couplet of a
alone. To understand how the typical Urdu poem isghazal will have a completely different theme from all
structured, it is vital that you understand what eachthe other couplets in the same ghazal. Second, all the
of these five terms refer to.couplets of a ghazal must have the same bahar.
Bahar. In Urdu Poetry, "bahar" refers to the meter,Every single couplet in a ghazal must also end in the
or length, of a couplet. Each line of a couplet mustsame radeef and use the same qafiya. Every Urdu
have the same bahar as the other. In addition, everypoem has a matla but some may not have a maqta.
single couplet in a ghazal must have the same bahar.Like with most rules, there are also a number of
Urdu Poetry uses 19 different types of bahar whichexceptions:
can be classified into short, medium, and long meters.• There are some ghazals that do not
Radeef. Radeef in Urdu Poetry refers to the samecontain radeef.
word or phrase that is repeated at the end of the• Sometimes, the ashaar of a ghazal will
second line of every couplet. Keep in mind that thehave the same theme.
radeef are always the exact, same words for every• Modern Urdu Poetry is much less
ghazal.restrictive with the use of bahar than in the past.
Matla. Matla in Urdu Poetry refers to the first coupletIf you are feeling a little confused, know that that is
in a ghazal. Both lines of a ghazal's matla must end inabsolutely normal. It is completely understandable if
the radeef.you don't get it the first time you read it. Take a
Maqta. Traditionally, poets of Urdu Poetry usually usedeep breath a try to slowly digest the information.
pen names which are called Takhallus. The takhallus is