Diwali celebrations feature Muslim poets reciting Urdu version of Ramayana in Bikaner
Muslim poets recite Urdu version of Ramayana in Bikaner (Representational image)
In a special event celebrating Diwali, Muslim poets in Bikaner recited an Urdu version of the Ramayana, promoting goodwill and harmony. The Urdu Ramayan Vaachan, has been held for 12 years and features a version composed 89 years ago.
Message of harmony
Dr. Ziya Ul Hasan Quadri, an Urdu teacher and poet, recited the Urdu Ramayana at a function on Sunday. He emphasised the event's goal of fostering brotherhood and expressed concern about the changing dynamics of communal harmony, stating, "Things have drastically changed from the time when it was composed. Today, communal harmony is under threat. Lord Rama is revered by all and belongs to all, but today he has been limited which is disappointing."
A Rich History
The event is organised annually by ''Paryatan Lekhak Sangh'' and ''Mehfil-e-Adab''. The Urdu Ramayana was originally composed by Maulvi Badshah Hussain Rana Lakhnavi in 1935 for a competition at Banaras Hindu University, where it won a gold medal. The Maharaja of Bikaner later hosted a ceremony to celebrate this achievement.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
Also read |Delhi wakes up to 'very poor' air quality ahead of Diwali festivities despite firecracker ban
Quadri shared that the event originally took place outside, but now it’s held in a hotel for better planning. He mentioned that Maulvi Badshah Hussain Rana Lakhnavi worked for Maharaja Ganga Singh from 1913 to 1919, translating orders issued by the Mughal rulers from Persian to Urdu. In 1920, Ganga Singh made him a teacher at Dungar College.
Plans for national reach
The poets aim to take their recitation program to a national level, with plans to organise an event in the capital next year.
(With inputs from agencies)