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New Delhi, Sep 1 (Ians) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has revealed how the ‘Bharat Kokila’ Sarojini Naidu had consoled his father Harivansh Rai Bachchan when he went outside his caste and married Teji, which was looked down upon at that time in Allahabad.

Harivansh Rai Bachchan was a poet and writer of the ‘Nayi Kavita’ literary movement. He is best known for his work ‘Madhushala’. He married Teji in 1941.

In the 14th episode of the quiz-based reality show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ season 15, host Big B welcomed Yojana Yadav, a senior news editor from Panchkula, Haryana to the hot seat.

For the Rs 3,20,000 question, Yojana was asked: Begum Akhtar was inspired to take up a career as a performer after she was lauded by which poet? The options given were A: Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit B: Mahadevi Verma C: Sarojini Naidu, and D: Subhadra Kumari Chauhan.

After using the audience poll lifeline, Yojana gave...

Scholars have devoted tomes to it, politicians have waxed long about it, but it was an Urdu poet who furnished the most abiding, yet concise expression of the idea, history, and ethos of India. And that too in less than a dozen words – though with two compound formulations, while including his pen-name too: “Sarzameen-e-Hind par aqwam-e-alam ke ‘Firaq’ / Kafile baste gaye, Hindustan banta gaya.”

This composite and syncretic sentiment forms the bedrock of the poetry of Raghupati Sahai ‘Firaq Gorakhpuri’, considered among the foremost Urdu poets of all time, and one who enriched and further indigenised the tradition.

Equally fluent in Hindi and Urdu, Persian and Sanskrit, he incorporated elements from his deep, self-taught knowledge of the Vedic and Puranic ethos into his poetry.

If he could proclaim: “Meri ghutti mein padhi this ho ke hal Urdu zabaan/Jo bhi mein kehta gaya husn-e-bayan hota gaya”, he could also pen:...