Intikhab means ‘election’ or ‘selection’. Many Urdu poets have written about their intikhab of something when they are faced with tough choices. Mostly its when they hold someone or something like a memory in high regard. For example, Urdu poet Mir Taqi Mir, who shifted to Lucknow after Ahmad Shah Abdali’s invasion of Delhi, reminisces about his beloved city by calling it the ‘chosen place in the world for the nobility’. Mir writes:


Dilli jo ek sheher tha aalam mein intekhaab
Rehte the jahan muntakhib hi rozgar ke


Tune in to this episode of Urdunama where Fabeha Syed not only explains Mir’s above ashar, but also explains various contexts - from political to personal - in which the word intikhab has been used by the poets.

Host, Writer and Sound Designer: Fabeha Syed
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz