Love Longing Loss (In Urdu Poetry)

DETAILS : 

• Author : Sanjiv Saraf
  
• Publisher : Rekhta Publications
  
• Publishing year : 2021
  
• Paperback : 394 Pages
  
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9391080715
  
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9391080716
  
• Item Weight : 400 g

ABOUT THE BOOK

Love, Longing, Loss in Urdu Poetry is a beautifully curated journey into the heart of Urdu literature. Authored by Sanjiv Saraf, the book is far more than a typical anthology; it is a lyrical English transcreation of over 1,200 of the finest couplets (ash’aar) from the legends of Urdu poetry—including Ghalib, Mir, Momin, Dagh, and Faiz.

The book is uniquely structured to follow the "exquisite journey of love" through its various emotional stages:

• Love: The initial spark, attraction, and the bloom of romance.
• Longing: The agony of waiting, the desire for the beloved, and the sweet pain of expectation.
• Loss: The heartbreak of separation, the sting of rivalry, and the "frenzy" of broken bonds.

Saraf weaves these verses into a continuous narrative tale, making the complex metaphors of Urdu poetry accessible to non-Urdu speakers. By providing rhymed English translations that maintain the emotional cadence of the original, he ensures that the "fragrance" of the language is not lost in translation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sanjiv Saraf (born 1958) is a unique figure who blends the world of high-stakes industry with the soul of a poet. An alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, he is a successful industrialist who founded Polyplex Corporation, a global multinational. However, he is most celebrated today as the founder of the Rekhta Foundation.

Driven by a lifelong passion for Urdu, Saraf established Rekhta.org, which has grown into the world’s largest online repository of Urdu poetry and literature. He is also the visionary behind Jashn-e-Rekhta, the massive annual festival in Delhi that celebrates Urdu culture. For his tireless work in preserving and promoting the language, he has received numerous honors, including the Sir Syed Excellence National Award and an honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.). His writing is a testament to his mission: to prove that Urdu is not just a language, but a "culture of the heart" that belongs to everyone.