The first published work of renowned Urdu poet Sahir Ludhianvi, Talkhiyan is a compilation of his early songs, poems and ghazals. This Hindi translation by Prakash Pandit was first published in 1958. One of the most intriguing figures of Urdu poetry, Sahir Ludhianvi emerged at the forefront of the Progressive Writers’ Movement. Moving from Ludhiana to Lahore, Delhi and finally Mumbai, he was also an acclaimed lyricist for Hindi film music.  

Talkhiyan literally means ‘bitterness’ and was written in the poet’s student days. He discovered his unique style of expression by weaving his poetry with shades of bitterness that captured the decadence of the contemporary world. His romanticism was not in praising beauty or the consuming passion of love, but in sensitively urging the reader to empathise with other challenges of the world. His heart went out to the suffering of people in war, debt, poverty, homelessness, political conflict and gender inequality. This set him apart from other poets of his time. In this collection, he takes us through the shades of sorrow, treading the world of emotions and intellect equally, with ease. His choice of topics and his critical questioning of oppressive social structures often created controversy. He caught the cultural pulse of his times, presenting poetic insights into the nature of human misery, the disparities in our everyday interactions and unmasking the artifice of social life. This work of a young poet with astute observation in the last century resonates across our present world, making his poetry classic, evergreen, disturbing yet delightful at the same time.

Please note: This audiobook is in Hindi.