Episodes 260
Avg. Duration 15m
Activity Highly Active
Since Aug 2019
Latest Episode Jun 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule
Every 2 Weeks
Format
Episodic
Consistency
40%
Hosting
feeds.megaphone.fm

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

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!

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Recent Episodes

From Fever to Fire: Exploring Haraarat in Urdu Poetry

Jun 13, 2026 14m

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…

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

Jun 06, 2026 12m

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…

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

May 30, 2026 21m

“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.…

Nadārad: When Something Missing Doesn’t Quite Leave

May 16, 2026 10m

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…

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

Apr 01, 2026 12m

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,…

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

Mar 14, 2026 13m

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…

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

Feb 14, 2026 10m

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…

Junoon in Urdu Poetry: Meaning, Madness, and Purpose

Jan 24, 2026 15m

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.…

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

Jan 11, 2026 13m

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…

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

Jan 04, 2026 13m

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…

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

Dec 27, 2025 15m

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…

Falsafa in Life: Understanding Iqbal’s Philosophy of Grief

Dec 20, 2025 17m

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…

Zehn and Jazbātiyat: Heart vs Mind in Urdu Poetry

Dec 13, 2025 11m

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…

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

Dec 06, 2025 18m

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…

Dharmendra - Pur Kashish, Shaista Mizaaj Fankar

Nov 29, 2025 12m

In this week’s Urdunama, we remember Dharmendra not only as Bollywood's "Greek-God" hero but essentially as a man defined by two qualities - Pur-kashish (full of charm) and Shaista-mizaaj (gentle in…

Tasalli: Where Grief Meets Gentle Healing

Nov 21, 2025 16m

Tasalli is a feeling of comfort, reassurance, and emotional support. It is what helps the heart feel calm when someone listens without judgment, shares your pain or simply lets you be with your…

Sannata - The Sound Between Words

Nov 02, 2025 14m

In poetry, “Sannata” isn’t just silence but the stillness where everything stops. It is the absence of sound, of presence, of movement, yet it carries a strange weight. Poets like Gulzar, Ameer…

Chain and Bechaini: The Space Between Rest and Restlessness

Oct 25, 2025 13m

In Urdu, chain means comfort, meaning when the heart finally feels at ease. Bechaini is the opposite. It is the restlessness that keeps you awake, searching for something more, something else.Poets…

In the Glow of ‘Roshni’, Every Poem Finds Clarity

Oct 18, 2025 14m

Roshni, meaning 'light', in Urdu poetry is never alone. It gains meaning only when contrasted with darkness, whether that’s doubt, loneliness, or the moments that challenge our hearts. Poets show us…

Ranj: The Quiet Ache Beneath Every Verse

Oct 12, 2025 13m

In this episode, we explore Urdu word Ranj, sorrow, grief, and the small heartbreaks that shape our lives. From Sahir to Dagh, Shakeel, and Irfan, each poet has experienced, expressed, and understood…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Urdunama have?

Urdunama has published 260 episodes since August 2019, covering topics in Arts.

Is Urdunama still active?

Urdunama is currently highly active with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 15m.

How do I contact Urdunama for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Urdunama, including email and social media links.

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