‘This city has made me what I am today’
TNN / Oct 15, 2023, 12:39 (IST)
Khushbir Singh 'Shaad', an Urdu poet from Lucknow, discusses his memories of the city and his journey as a poet. He expresses concern about the decline of meaningful poetry in Lucknow and the rise of mediocrity in the age of social media. He believes that social media has both positive and negative aspects for poetry, as it has expanded the reach but also led to a rise in appreciation of ordinary couplets. He encourages new-age patrons of Urdu to read and differentiate between art and entertainment in poetry. Shaad also emphasizes the importance of expressing oneself and not writing to please others. He credits his association with Lucknow for shaping his poetic journey.