The All India Urdu Book Fair is a 23-year-old event bringing together fifty-one exhibitors from across the country.

SRINAGAR: A book fair which displays a large collection of books written in Urdu on the spectacular campus of the University of Kashmir overlooking Srinagar’s jewel-the Dal Lake-has attracted thousands of visitors since its inauguration at the last weekend.

The All India Urdu Book Fair is a 23-year-old event bringing together fifty-one exhibitors from across the country. The wide range of books on varied subjects including science, psychology, history, culture and politics placed on eighty-six stalls set up at the 9-day fair warm book lovers’ heart more than anything.

The organizers said that the book fair inaugurated jointly by Jammu and Kashmir’s three time chief minister and sitting MP from Srinagar Farooq Abdullah and University of Kashmir Vice Chancellor Prof. Talat Ahmad on June 15 has been a “pleasant change” from the routines of the Valley ravaged by interminable unrest and seemingly unrelenting cycles of politically-motivated violence.

The books are also available for sale and, in some cases, the readers have been provided with the opportunity to meet their favourite authors. “Students are being given a discount ranging from 40 to 70 percent on these books,” said an official of National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) which has organised the fair in collaboration with the University of Kashmir “to promote reading culture and Urdu language”. He said that several cultural and literary programmes are being held on the sidelines of the book fair.

Also the University of Kashmir authorities have set up exclusive stall on Papier-mâché products as an add-on activity. “The Department of Students Welfare (DSW) is exhibiting Islamic calligraphy works of the Valley’s renowned artists and more than 60 other art works including paintings and photos at the event,” said a spokesman of the University which was recently awarded the prestigious A+ grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Committee (NAAC).

After inaugurating the fair, Mr Abdullah who is also president of J&K’s oldest political party National Conference (NC) regretted that Urdu has now been confined to Muslims only and that the language in particular and Urdu press in general are dying a slow death.

“The sorry state of affairs in the decay of Urdu language is such that there are a few takers left for the language and events like these can play a crucial role in bringing to fore the challenges faced by the language at grass root level,” he said.

He asserted that there was “a kind of communal mentality” that is spreading “a malicious propaganda” about Urdu language. He said, “But Urdu never belonged to a particular religious sect or faith. Urdu is a representative language of Ganga-Jammuni Tahzeeb of India. The language has been watered by both Hindus and Muslims and its existence owes a lot to Munshi Prem Chand and others”. He said that the “scathing rise of communalism” in the country is taking toll on the language”. He added, “Today we see homogeneity being forced on our country that has always been known for its diversity. This I believe is one of the diminishing factors of Urdu from our day to day lives.”

Mr Abdullah said that the Central government needs to get serious about the promotion and preservation of the Urdu language and institutions like NCPUL and University of Kashmir can play a great role in that.

Prof Ahmad, while speaking on the occasion, assured University’s facilitation to NCPUL in its all activities and programmes aimed at promotion of Urdu language in Kashmir. Urdu is J&K’s official language.

Director NCPUL Dr Shaikh Aquil Ahmad highlighted the aims and objectives of the book fair and role of NCPUL in promotion of Urdu language at countrywide level. NCPUI organizes programs, projects, seminars and other activities in various corners of the country. He said, “NCPUL has opened highest number of computer centres in the state of J&K than in any another state for the promotion and preservation of Urdu language with latest inputs of information and technology.” He emphasized the importance of establishing Urdu Academy in J&K.

According to Mr Abdullah, such events provide a window of opportunity for those who have a penchant for Urdu literature. “Such festivals and fairs will surely acquaint the new generation about the contemporary happening in the field of Urdu literature,” he said.

Veteran poet and film lyricist Sampooran Singh Kalra, known popularly by his pen name Gulzar, expresses his deep emotions about and love for Urdu in these verses: Yeh kaisa ishq hai Urdu zabaan ka; Yeh kaisa ishq hai Urdu zabaan ka; Mazaa ghulta hai lafzon ka zabaan par; Ki jaise paan mein mehenga kimaam ghulta hai.

(What is this love for the Urdu language, What is this love for the Urdu language. The beauty of the words mix together into the language; as if, some premium fragrant paste is being mixed into a betel-leaf).