The nazm, with its highly intricate varieties, voices, variations, and vicissitudes, is a profound poetic form with a fascinating history. Compiled comprehensively for the first time, this collection presents the best of Urdu nazms from the sixteenth century to present times. Selected, edited, and translated by Anisur Rahman, the one hundred and forty nazms in the book trace the evolution of the form right from its roots in the Deccan to various geographies across South Asia where it flourished and acquired its plurality. The dazzling English translations published along with their transliterated originals make for a pleasurable and illuminating reading. Hazaar Rang Shaairi: The Wonderful World of the Urdu Nazm is a book for everyone who is curious about how poetry colours our lives.
