NAPA celebrates the joy of Urdu launch of "Three Tales From Gulistan-e-Saadi"

NAPA hosts launch of bilingual book “Three Tales From Gulistan-e-Saadi,” to celebrate Urdu language.

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The National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) recently hosted the launch of the bilingual coffee table book, Three Tales from Gulistan-e-Saadi.

The event, organised in collaboration with the Joy of Urdu initiative, aimed to promote the Urdu language through literary works.

The book was conceived by Zarminae Ansari, the founder of Joy of Urdu, a volunteer-driven organisation dedicated to making Urdu accessible to younger generations, especially those from Urdu-speaking families living abroad.

The initiative has also launched a bilingual publishing house, with Three Tales from Gulistan-e-Saadi being its first publication.

The event opened with NAPA's CEO, Junaid Zuberi, who welcomed guests and highlighted the academy’s long-standing commitment to promoting Urdu literature.

Zuberi recalled the late Zia Mohyeddin’s dedication to preserving Urdu diction and noted that NAPA was committed to supporting Urdu language initiatives, aligning with the mission of Joy of Urdu.

Zarminae Ansari shared her personal story, explaining that her desire to start the organisation was motivated by her experience as a mother seeking to reconnect her child to the Urdu language.

She acknowledged the support of prominent figures such as Dr. Arfa Sayeda Zehra, who mentored her throughout the process.

Ansari also expressed her gratitude to the late Sabeen Mahmud, who was an early supporter and encouraged her to pursue the project despite initial doubts.

A panel discussion followed, moderated by Ali Habib.

The panelists, including Zarminae Ansari, Yasmeen Mozaffar, Junaid Zuberi, and Bari Mian, discussed the challenges of preserving Urdu in a society increasingly dominated by English.

Yasmeen Mozaffar emphasized the importance of translating foreign literature into Urdu to make it accessible to young readers, while Bari Mian spoke about the significance of bilingualism in maintaining cultural connections.

During the discussion, Zarminae Ansari acknowledged that the book’s production was costly, but assured the audience that all work had been done pro bono, with financial support from patrons and volunteers.

She stressed that Three Tales from Gulistan-e-Saadi was created with the aim of showcasing the potential of high-quality Urdu literature and expressed the hope that future editions of the book could be made accessible to schoolchildren across Pakistan.

After the panel, Karachi’s popular storyteller, Aunty Tashi (Tashina Rashid Nur), read one of the tales from the book, captivating the audience with her engaging narration.

The event concluded with a heartfelt poem titled Yeh Kahaniyan written by renowned contemporary Urdu poet Zehra Nigah, a strong supporter of Joy of Urdu.

Three Tales from Gulistan-e-Saadi is a testament to the growing efforts to preserve and promote Urdu, catering especially to younger generations in Pakistan and abroad. The launch at NAPA marked an important step in this ongoing cultural initiative.