There is not just one ingredient for making a good poem. It can be the theme, imagery, words, and even emotions or all of them together. When it comes to literature, everyone has their own taste, so the list of these famous Urdu poets is totally subjective (therefore, there aren’t many).
With that in mind, let’s look at my personal list of the most popular Urdu poets and explore who can be the greatest Urdu poet among them.
Table Of Contents
List Of The Most Popular Urdu Poets
Let’s get to know some of the most popular Urdu poets of literature and some of their verses.
1. Mirza Ghalib
Mirza Ghalib, the pen name of Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib, is a renowned romantic poet who has reflected the themes of love, loss, and existentialism in his poems and ghazals. His collection of poetry is recited and celebrated by all age groups worldwide because of its melancholy and lyrical nature. Let’s take a look at one of his verses:
Thousands of desires, each so intense that life could be sacrificed for it.
Many of my dreams came true, yet still not enough.
ہزاروں خواہشیں ایسی کہ ہر خواہش پہ دم نکلے
بہت نکلے میرے ارمان لیکن پھر بھی کم نکلے
Hazaron ḳhuwahishen aisi ki har ḳhvāhish pe dam nikle,
Bahut nikle mere armaan lekin phir bhi kam nikle
2. Meer Taqi Meer
Mir Taqi Mir, commonly known as خُدائے سُخَن Khuda-e-sukhun (The God of Poetry), is greatly known for his classical Urdu poetry. It is merely because he has introduced different Urdu words and poetic styles in the Urdu dictionary. He once said:
I have overwhelmed the whole world
All I utter becomes authentic
سارے عالم پر ہوں میں چھایا ہوا
مستند ہے میرا فرمایا ہوا
Saaray aalam per hoon main chhaaya hua
Mustanad hai mera farmaaya hua
Also:
There will be no noise about my departure,
But my poetry will remain in the world till the end of time.
جانے کا نہیں شور سخن کا مرے ہرگز
تا حشر جہاں میں مرا دیوان رہے گا
jaane ka nahi shor suḳhan ka mere hargiz
ta-hashar jahan main mera deevan rahega
These couplets show that he was very confident about the immortality of his poetry, and he wasn’t even wrong, as he reigned over Urdu poetry for around 300 years.
3. Allama Muhammad Iqbal
The philosopher and poet of the East is one of the most popular poets in the history of Urdu literature. Although his poetry was originally written in the Persian language, his Urdu translations are widely memorized and recited. For instance, لب پہ آتی ہے دعا بن کے تمنا میری lab pe ati hai dua ban ke tamana meri is the part of primary schools curriculum. Also, the following couplet is an essential part of every national speech and can be heard by almost every Pakistani.
Raise yourself to such heights that before every destiny is written,
God Himself asks His servant: ‘Tell me, what is your wish?’
خُدی کو کر بُلند اتنا کہ ہر تقدیر سے پہلے
خدا بندے سے خود پوچھے، بتا تیری رضا کیا ہے
Khudi ko kar buland itna ke har taqdeer se pehle,
Khuda bande se khud poochhe bata teri raza kya hai.
4. Khawaja Meer Dard
Known as the great Mystic or Sufi poet, Meer Dard has greatly contributed to Urdu literature through his poetry. His nazms and ghazals revolve around the themes of spirituality, love, existential dilemmas, and the transient nature of the natural world. For instance:
It is a mistake if you think there is something,
There is nothing in the world other than you
ہے غلط گر گمان میں کچھ ہے
تجھ سوا بھی جہان میں کچھ ہے
hai ghalat gar guman main kuch hai
tujh siva bhi jahan main kuch hai?
And:
Is this life, or is it a storm?
We have almost died at the hands of this living.
زندگی ہے یا کوئی طوفان ہے
ہم تو اس جینے کے ہاتھوں مر چلے
zindagi hai ya koi tufan hai!
hum tou is jeene ke hathon mar chale
Most Popular Female Urdu Poets
And, of course, I couldn’t finish this list without including two of the best female Urdu poets.
5. Parveen Shakir
Parveen Shakir is a modern female poet known for her captivating poetry on the themes of love and identity. She has also highlighted the struggles of women in her poetry. For example:
He is like fragrance; he will scatter with the winds.
The problem is with the flower—where will the flower go?
وہ تو خوشبو ہے، ہواؤں میں بکھر جائے گا
مسئلہ پھول کا ہے، پھول کدھر جائے گا؟
Wo toh khushboo hai, hawaon mein bikhar jaayega,
Masla phool ka hai, phool kidhar jaayega?
6. Ada Jafarey
Ada Jafarey, pronounced Ada Jafri, is known as the first lady of Urdu poetry or the first major female Urdu poet. She has preferably written poetry on the relationships and the plight of women. She has also been celebrated for her romantic ghazals in the modern literature.
For example, her collections of poetry میں ساز ڈھونڈتی رہی – main saaz dhoondti rahi – I kept searching for melody, غزلان، تم تو واقف ہو Ghazalan tum to waqif ho – Ghazals, you are familiar with it, and موسم موسم – Mausam Mausam – Season season, to name some, are remarkably known in Urdu literature.
How Do You Say Poet In Urdu?
In Urdu, we call the poet شاعر Shayar. This term is used for male poets, and شاعرہ Shayira is used to refer to female poets. It is a universal term used to talk about poets in Urdu.
Vocabulary Related To Urdu Poetry
There are specific Urdu words for the different kinds of poetry. Let’s look at some of these literary terms below:
| English | Urdu | Roman |
|---|---|---|
| A skilled versifier or poet | سخن ور | Sukhan war |
| A poet who composes elegies | مرثیہ گو | Marsiya go |
| A poet who writes/ structures poems | نظم گو | Nazam go |
| A poet who composes odes | قصیدہ گو | Qaseeda go |
| A poet who is an expert in writing Ghazals (couplets) | غزل گو | Ghazal go |
Frequently Asked Questions Related To The Most Popular Urdu Poets
1. Why Is Urdu Poetry Important?
Urdu poetry serves as a universal medium to express different emotions: love, sorrow, and loneliness. It also blends traditions and values to help strengthen the cultural identity. Here, we can take an example of the poetry of Mirza Ghalib, Jaun, and Mir Taqi Mir, to name some. Besides this, Urdu poetry is also prominent for its social commentary.
Several Urdu poets have used their pen to highlight and criticize societal issues to resist injustices. For example, Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poem ہم دیکھیں گے Hum dekhenge (we will see) is the symbol of resistance against the issues prevalent in society, which is relevant till now. Apart from this, Sufi poetry, specifically, celebrates spirituality and self-discovery through poetry like Bulleh Shah’s poemبلھیا کی جاناں میںکون Bulleya ki jaana me kaun (Who I am, O Bulleh). In short, Urdu poetry offers a platform for writers to speak their minds as they contribute to society and literature in a rhythmic style filled with metaphors and imagery.
2. What Is The Greatest Poem In Islam?
Qasida-al-Burda Shareef (the poem of the Mantle) by Al-Busiri is considered the greatest poem in Islam because it praises Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Although, originally, it was written in Arabic, its Urdu and English translations are very popular. Thus, it holds great importance in both spiritual and literary terms and is the most memorized and recited Islamic poem in history.
Other than this, in Modern Islamic literature, the Urdu poems شکوہ Shikwa (The Complaint) and جواب شکوہ Jawab-e-Shikwa (The Response) by Allama Iqbal are also considered the greatest poems because of their deep reflection on the Muslim identity and their philosophical depth.
3. Can Non-Native Speakers Enjoy Urdu Poetry?
Of course! Non-natives can easily enjoy Urdu poetry with the help of translated versions. Translations of Urdu poetry are widely available in almost all languages, especially in English. In fact, now certain Urdu movies have incorporated Urdu ghazals and poetry. Even songs are being composed on them, allowing the viewers to enjoy and appreciate the underlying themes and beauty.
Find Out More About Urdu Culture!
Again, I have personally compiled this list of the most popular Urdu poets based on my interest and research. In fact, there are around 500 poets who penned Urdu ghazals and about 200 Urdu poet writers that I have been able to count. Now, several young poets have come forward with their revolutionary poetry and are contributing to Urdu literature, making it more difficult to choose the greatest contemporary poets. So, the list of popular poets doesn’t end here.
Nonetheless, if you want to learn more about Urdu poetry or explore how to learn Urdu with lyrics or verses, check out the Ling app. It’s an interactive platform where you can master the Urdu language through engaging exercises and fun quizzes. The Ling app, in combination with our Urdu blog, will be the perfect complement to your language learning.
