Urdu in Canada
Urdu in Canada
By: M.H.K Qureshi
From: Polyphony Vol.12, 1990 pp.35-41
© 1991 Multicultural History Society of Ontario
From: Polyphony Vol.12, 1990 pp.35-41
© 1991 Multicultural History Society of Ontario
Urdu is spoken and read by millions of people in Pakistan and
North India, and its poetry attracts an audience that stretches
into Bombay and the former state of Hyderabad in South India. This
essay describes the transfer of this literary form to Ontario and
the creative results of this voyage.
Urdu is a relatively young language, for oral and literary
tradition is approximately 250 years old. Its roots developed
during the Moghul period of Indian history, beginning in the early
sixteenth century and lasting until the establishment of British
power in the subcontinent in the late eighteenth century. In the
parts of India under the control of the Mughul Empire, Persian was
the official language, as well as the language of business,
commerce, the arts, and culture. Urdu began to develop in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries along with a range of popular
regional languages. Though Persian was a significant source of its
vocabulary, its grammatical structure is almost totally
Indo-Aryan, and it has also been influenced by a number of North
Indian indigenous languages. Urdu, therefore, derives from both
the Persian and Sanskrit traditions, and as a result, its
literature, especially its poetry, has been influenced by the
cultural traditions of both Hindus and Moslems. The "ghazal," an
Urdu verse form, is widely popular among a diverse multicultural
population in the subcontinent.
Most Urdu-speaking people in Canada come from the Indo-Pakistan
subcontinent; they began coming here in the early 1960s. This
emigration was a flight of young, educated, and ambitious people
from the harsh, unsettled socio-political atmosphere and worsening
economic conditions that were prevalent during the early 1950s.
Those were hard times. Unemployment was widespread, and it was
very difficult to attain a good and prosperous life. Consequently,
almost everyone wanted to go to the "West," the land of
opportunities. With optimism and surging enthusiasm, these people
made their way to Canada and the United States, where they found a
free society and abundant economic opportunities. Unfortunately,
with settlement came the realization that they had made their home
in a country where they were strangers and were treated
accordingly. Promises of equal opportunity, justice, and human
dignity often turned out to be empty words since many Canadians
did not accept them on equal terms. The result was the creation of
a socio-psychological barrier. With different social norms,
traditions, and beliefs, these new immigrants saw themselves being
isolated from the mainstream and felt threatened. The host society
remained largely indifferent to their plight and at times,
outright hostile. It gave the impression that they were unwelcome
guests. Engulfed in the inhospitable environment, both physical
and cultural, they sought to find their own ways to make
themselves at home. The Canadian climate depressed them, and
Canadian institutions made them feel ill at ease. They were the
victims of discrimination in the work place and lacking political
influence, they suffered. Initial unhappy experiences did not
deter them from adjusting to a new society. They were determined
to succeed and over the years were able to carve out a niche in
the Canadian mosaic and finally to overcome loneliness and
desolation.
Although there were enormous material benefits available in Canada
and a good number of the immigrants were doing very well,
collectively they feared that they would lose in other important
parts of life. As the disenchantment set in, they began to miss
their culture, customs, and traditions. There was a general
consensus that they should not barter their souls for material
gains. Fruits of technological achievements may be very sweet, but
they should not be the reason to sacrifice a way of life.
Therefore, a range of South Asian community groups started
concentrating on matters that would help them retain their
distinct identity in Canada.
Urdu-speaking people are devoted to their cultural and traditional
mode of life. Their Indian and Pakistani background, a colourful
mosaic by itself, ties them to an ancient and much-loved
tradition. They are generally conservative and are easily
scandalized if any member of their community does something
contrary to the established norms. Any wayward behaviour will
expose a person to the disapproval of the community.
In the late 1970s some like-minded people gathered to form the
Urdu Society of Canada in order to promote the literary, cultural,
and secular aspirations of Urdu-speaking people. The society was
duly incorporated and registered with the Province of Ontario. For
a small fee, membership was available to anyone interested in
Urdu. Regular monthly meetings were held at different locations.
In these meetings, literary articles, poetry, and other papers
were read and these readings were followed by lively discussions.
Gradually, as the audience became mature, serious scholarly papers
were also presented. Very soon this society became well known all
over the Urdu world. With concerted efforts, the First Canadian
Conference on Urdu was organized in 1982. The theme of the
conference was "modern Urdu poetry." Scholars, poets, and writers
came from all over the world to participate. The three-day
conference culminated in a "mushaira," a poetry-reading session,
in which the most famous Urdu poets of the contemporary world read
their poetry. The entire Urdu community thronged to listen to
them. They were magical moments charged with electrifying joy. It
was difficult to believe that it was happening in Canada.
Visiting dignitaries who came to Canada for the first time were
very impressed. The interest and enthusiasm of Urdu-speaking
Canadians surprised them, and Canada became a new and instant
friend. The local Urdu press printed pictures of these visiting
luminaries and took them around to show off the beautiful Canadian
landscape. Fall colours were at their best. It produced an
atmosphere of a carnival. In this venture, the Canadian
government, the Province of Ontario, the University of Toronto,
and various libraries cooperated with the Society by either giving
financial grants or lending their facilities for meeting purposes.
Before the conference these visitors knew Canada only by name, but
after it they were able to take back beautiful memories of
pleasant moments and new Canadian friendships. They also felt
satisfied with the performance of their compatriots. The event
generated tremendous good will for Canada in the Urdu-speaking
world.
Urdu literature, known for its richness and urbane sophistication,
has developed a tradition of lyricism even when the poems are
lighting fires and spreading rebellion. In the late 1930s the
Progressive Movement championed the cause of the downtrodden,
rebelled against cumbersome traditions and, by and large, followed
the Marxist view of history and economics. The newness of the
message, the creative use of the language, the use of metaphors,
and a forceful presentation had a strong impact, especially on the
young generation. Many of these progressive poets attended the
Toronto conference. Some of their poems were well-known and
extremely popular with the audience. Local Canadian Urdu poets
were also eager to read their own poems. They imitated the style
but for them, the reference point was Canada. Through their
poetry, some of them expressed sorrow:
How pleasant is life and how satisfied is my being,
But, passions have turned into dust.
The other cried,
Look, where you have come-
Away from the world
Of moonlights and cool seasons,
Where hamlets are lighted by the rays of the sun.
And the air laden with fragrance of harvested fields
Kiss your body
To assure its presence.
And yet another one complained:
Life, O life
Why you take me from place to place
Why this insistence?
Munibur Rahman1
But these feelings were expressed at the early stages of the
settlement process. Later on, matters relating to life in Canada
became hot issues for local literary pundits. The early responses
now appear to be somewhat emotional and myopic. At the regular
monthly meetings of the Society, one can see how the problems of
the Third World are discussed and how Canadian issues, whether
relating to environment, housing, interest rates, acid rain, or
the indiscriminate shooting of women in Montreal, become a matter
of concern to Urdu-speaking men and women.
The Urdu Society of Canada has continued to progress and has held
two more conferences and arranged many other poetry readings.
Almost any name worth mentioning in the Urdu literary world has
been invited to Canada. Literary journals in India and Pakistan
have published Canadian Urdu poets, fiction writers, and literary
critics. The Society has provided a forum for discussing Canada
and how it affects the lives of immigrants. But most important, it
has provided a regular opportunity for introspective analysis and
objective viewing of the members' collective approach to problems
and situations. When we were new to the land, we looked at
Canadians from our miseries - actual or apparent. But now we look
at things as Canadians. The perspective has changed. We have found
a synthesis between our own identity and our new environment. One
of the most respected poets, a Lenin Peace Prize winner and one of
the founders of the Progressive Movement, Faiz Ahmad Faiz,
confirmed in an interview with the "Toronto South Asian Review"2
that there was an extreme difference between the subjects touched
by visiting poets and local poets.
There is no need here to go into the history of modern Urdu
literature and how it evolved into its present form. It should
suffice to say that the Urdu literature now being produced in
North America does not differ appreciably in diction and style
from that of India and Pakistan but does bear its own stamp in the
themes with which it deals. "An Anthology of Modern Urdu Poetry"
bears testimony to this fact. Under the auspices of the Urdu
Society of Canada, this writer has selected and translated into
English all the major poets from India and Pakistan together with
some Canadian Urdu poets. The Urdu Society has always encouraged
such ventures, and its members have cooperated with other literary
organizations in publishing literary works, in part to promote
better understanding among different cultural heritages.
People of Urdu ethnicity are now well integrated into the
mainstream of modern Canadian life. Their children are flourishing
in schools and universities, in business and commerce, and by and
large are well adjusted. They do not make or live in ghettos, they
participate in the social and political life of Canada, and yet
they try to preserve their heritage. The new conditions of life
have often taken their toll and have created pressures that have
torn apart the traditional fabric of their cultural-religious way
of living. These problems continue to be reflected in Canadian
Urdu literature:
Every moment, I go further away from the world of my desires.
Would some one tell me God, what is this imprisonment of a place?
How long will I get stuck in the enigma of East & West,
For how long this veil of race, colour and creed will
blind the hearts?
The following lines depict the internal turmoil of an isolated
soul planted in a strange country.
Amidst a huge crowd
Ashamed of my wounded ego,
Carrying it on my arms
Am quite ready To be crushed
Between the millstones of mountain and highway.
One poet says,
My body burns in a hell
My blood cries out-
I've demolished the barrier of my soul.
Nuzhat Siddiqui
Today, the Urdu-speaking community has identified itself with
Canada. In Urdu literary tradition, a new horizon is about to
appear on the western edge of the globe. Whether it will shine or
not depends on the Urdu education of the coming generations.
The first of the poems below was written by Faiz Ahmad Faiz, the
late doyen of Urdu poets. The other four are Canadian
contributions to the genre.
