Urdu Shayari

Verses written in praise of the language itself.

Rather than being written in Urdu, most of this set is written about Urdu, its old lineage back to Ghalib and Dagh, the courtesy it teaches a speaker, and the quiet worry that fewer people speak it well now. For more of that classical tradition, see Ghazals.


A couple of lines gently set Urdu's charm against Hindi, without picking a winner. Continue with Quotes for shorter lines, or Delhi shayari for the city this tongue is tied to.