Biryani brings the crowd: Urdu finds its flavour

A potluck feast and Eid celebration helped draw a full house to the Urdu Asnaaf-e-Sukhan Goi programme, combining Hyderabad’s rich food culture with the beauty of Urdu poetry and literature

Hyderabad: They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach—and this age-old wisdom was deliciously validated on Sunday. For weeks, organizers of the Urdu Asnaaf-e-Sukhan Goi programme had struggled to attract a sizable audience to their events promoting the Urdu language and literature. But a slight change in strategy worked wonders this time.

The venue—Abul Kalam Azad Oriental Research Institute at Public Gardens—witnessed a packed house, thanks to a delightful twist: an Eid Milap celebration combined with a potluck feast. Result: a full house for Urdu, thanks to a full plate.

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The brain behind the success was Javeed Kamal, who lived up to his name and did a real ‘kamal’. Recognizing that emotional appeals weren’t working, he turned to the one sure-shot method of winning people over—food. From shayeri to shami kababs, what a delectable spread it was!

The event began on a soulful note with Eid-themed poetry, humorous short stories, and lively Deccani verses. Husamuddin Riyaz had the audience in splits with his tale about the trials of buying a goat and chasing a butcher. Mona Elizabeth Kurien added flavour with her English-Deccani poem that drew hearty laughter.

Auladaan toh chantrein English
Hum Urdu ki jai jai karrein
Solah saal ki dikhana bol ko
Mona bal ko dye dye karrein

As anticipation for the meal built up, Javeed Kamal light-heartedly explained the concept of potluck in Urdu as “Doosron ke khane par haath saaf karna”—making the most of others’ food—before opening the floor for the grand feast.

What followed was a veritable food festival showcasing the best of Hyderabadi cuisine: mutton biryani, haleem, marag with kulcha, shami kababs, kali mirch ka gosht, and chicken tandoori. Dessert was equally indulgent: qubani ka meetha, rabri malai, and custard kheer rounded off the meal. There were also a variety of naans and paans. The Hyderabad ki shaan.

To spice things up further, a cooking contest was held. Rubina Shabnam won first prize for her lip-smacking mutton biryani, Faizunnisa came second with her succulent kali mirch ka gosht, while the haleem duo, Aliuddin and Saifuddin, clinched the third prize.

The event also saw prominent figures like Prof. S.A. Shukoor, Muzaffar Ali Soofi, K.N. Wasif, Shaikh Ibrahim, Rafia Nausheen, Sajida Khan, and M.A. Majid of 4TV in attendance. Laxmi Devi Raj, a living emblem of Hyderabad’s Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, made a passionate appeal to parents to teach their children Urdu—a language of unmatched beauty and richness.

In the end, what literature and language alone couldn’t achieve, a pot of biryani did—making hearts and minds come together in the true spirit of Eid.