ASIA 163 Hindi-Urdu Poetry in Performance

This course examines the connection between poetry and performance in the context of Hindi-Urdu literature.  We will examine three major genres of poetic literature of South Asia: Sufi poetry, Bhakti poetry, and the Ghazal.  We will study the ways poems from these genres have been transformed and performed in musical and dance settings, including bhajan, qawwali, thumri, ghazal, kathak, the musical theater, and Indian film song.  We will also discuss the way these literary and musical genres interpret the mystical and devotional traditions of South Asia, and we will explore the connections between Hindu and Muslim mysticism.  Readings include works by the following poets: Amir Khusro, Kabir, Mirabai, Tulsidas, Bulleh Shah, Surdas, Mir, Momin, Ghalib, Faiz, Iqbal, and Parveen Shakir. All readings are in English translation but students with advanced proficiency in Hindi or Urdu may opt to read the poems in the original language. LA, BN