Read & Discuss Majaz's Nazm 'Khatun Se' at The Foundry
About the event
Join us at [The Foundry](https://maps.app.goo.gl/UkELFXvFLmenCGuY6), Black Room (Shop 5), for a brown bag lunch (you are welcome to bring a packed lunch and/or non-alcoholic beverage), as we read read and discuss Asrar ul Haq Majaz's *nazm* [Khatun Se](https://www.rekhta.org/nazms/nau-javaan-khaatuun-se-hijaab-e-fitna-parvar-ab-uthaa-letii-to-achchhaa-thaa-asrarul-haq-majaz-nazms) (To A Woman). You can use the dropdown menu on Rekhta to switch from the romanized version to Hindi or Urdu scripts. We will provide printed versions with embedded glossaries at the Meetup. If you have any issues accessing the poem, please DM Mariyam. You may also enjoy this rendition of the nazm by [Jagjit Singh](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVClcQniees&list=RDrVClcQniees&start_radio=1).
*About the poet*: Asrar ul Haq Majaz (b. 1911 Rudauli, d. 1944 Lucknow), a leading light of the Progressive Writers' movement, was one of the greatest talents of Urdu poetry in the 20th century, and his premature and tragic death one of its biggest losses. He was an alum of Aligarh University, and penned its famous anthem, [Tarana-e-Aligarh](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQPjcPBTZS0&list=RDmQPjcPBTZS0&start_radio=1). The government of India issued a postage stamp in his honor in 2008.
Guru Dutt's iconic 1957 film [Pyaasa](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJK45r-j6TU) is based on Majaz's life (Wikipedia says otherwise; Wikipedia is wrong). The poet and screenwriter Javed Akhtar is Majaz's nephew.
*About the poem:* The nazm's title in Rekhta is 'Nau-jawan Khatun Se' (To A Young Woman). The anthology facilitator Mariyam grew up with had the title 'Khatun e Mashriq Se Khitab' (To A Woman of the East). The second title speaks more strongly to Mariyam.
*About the location:* The Foundry is a community event space in Cambridge, and we will be in the Black Room (Shop 5).
• The Black Room is wheelchair accessible. • There is parking on the surrounding streets: Rogers Street, Bent Street, Third Street, Fifth Street, among others. There are two accessible parking spots on Rogers Street in front of the main entrance. • The building is half a mile from the Kendall MIT stop, where you can catch the red line and 64, 68, 85, CT2, 64, 68, and 85 buses. • The building is also half a mile from Lechmere, where you can catch the green line and 69, 80, 87, and 88 buses.
*Who should attend:*
Our meetings are best suited for those with intermediate-advanced proficiency or higher. Our goal is to speak in Hindi and Urdu as much as possible, while being supportive of language learners who might need to use some English. If you can understand about half the words in the session's poem, we encourage you to attend at least once to gauge if the group is a fit for you.
Prior knowledge of Hindi-Urdu poetry isn't assumed. We will read and interpret the poem together, so the poetry-curious are especially welcome!
*Meeting Format* 11:30-11:40: Intros, greetings. 11:40-11:50: Facilitator will help place the poet in historical and cultural context. Attendees are encouraged to share what they know of the poet. 11:50-12:00: Read through the poem. 12:00-12:45: We'll go over the literal meanings of difficult words and cultural references in each *sher* (couplet), and then make our own personal meaning, sharing with the group as desired. Meaning could be literary, intellectual, experiential, emotional, historical, cultural, etc. We hope each attendee develops a personal relationship with the *ghazal*. 12:45-1:15: Open conversation (either freeform chats about themes from the poem, or about other matters entirely). 1:15-1:30: Restore room, farewell.
