How a global organisation of volunteers is kindling love for Urdu

“One day he was crossing the sea on a voyage to trade silks from faraway lands. His ship suddenly ran into a story. While the rest of the sailors raised their hands in prayer, he tried to buy his life by throwing his wealth into the ocean.”

This a snippet of a story from the Persian literary masterpiece Gulistan-e-Saadi, translated into Urdu and English.

In November 2023, the Joy of Urdu launched a coffee table edition of three stories from Gulistan-e-Saadi, a collection of moral tales and aphorisms by 13th-century poet Sheikh Saadi Shirazi.

The book, which took nearly six years to complete, has a glossary, activities and beautiful illustrations. Aimed at adults and art lovers, the edition features a foreword by professor and linguistics expert Arfa Syeda Zehra. “A story may unlock the enchantment of language belatedly, yet it ignites the sparks of imagination early on,” said Zehra.

According to a Joy of Urdu press release, the edition is expected to be “a foundation for learning Urdu by providing an alternative to Urdu pedagogy and perception”. Joy of Urdu, a volunteer-run, bilingual, international organisation launched in 2013, had published the book on its 10th anniversary last year.

Joy of Urdu aims to celebrate the richness of Urdu – the lingua franca and...

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