57th Shankar-Shad Mushaira in the Capital today

At the time, Lala Shri Ram consulted famed Pakistani poet Josh Malihabadi; Shankar Prasad, the then Chief Commissioner of Delhi; Professor Mohommad Mujeeb; then V-C of Jamia Millia Islamia; and famed Hindi poet and essayist Ramdhari Singh Dinkar to put it together. The mushaira was a testament to cross-border camaraderie at its best, where poetry was a powerful conduit for cultural dialogue.

That the mushaira took place in Delhi, where Urdu was born, thrived, and found a home in the evocative poetry of Mir Taqi Mir, Mirza Ghalib, Zauq, Momin and Daagh among others, only added to its charm. So much so that it became an indelible part of the city’s cultural calendar, often hosting actor Dilip Kumar as chief guest in the 1980s.

“There is something about this city that understands poetry in a way that few places in the world do. It is in the air here, in the old lanes, in the way people speak to each other. And the Shankar Shad Mushaira has always been the most honest expression of that relationship. I have stood on this stage many times, and every time I do, I am reminded that audiences in Delhi do not merely listen to shayari but they feel it and live it,” noted poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar in a statement.

“The memories of previous performances live within me. Delhi does not let poetry be merely words. Here, it becomes a shared experience and that is the highest thing poetry can aspire to be,” he added.

Because India and Pakistan are currently experiencing a diplomatic suspension, similar to the last few years, the mushaira will only feature Indian poets.

This year, the mushaira will present poets Azhar Qqbal, Sunil Kumar Tang, Saif Nizami, Shabeena Adeeb, Rajesh Reddy, Iqbal Ashar, Shakeel Azmi, Sheen Kaaf Nizam among others. While Akhtar, like in many previous years, is likely to be a huge draw, the mushaira will also be headlined by doyen of Urdu poetry, 86-year-old professor Waseem Barelvi, whose poetry was popularised by ghazal exponent Jagjit Singh.