UrduSocاردو
یادیں

Evenings we have spent together.

Poetry read aloud, chai poured badly, calligraphy attempted with more enthusiasm than skill.

Albums

A clear evening sky above the treetops of a college garden, with the moon already out. The Urdu words بزمِ ادب and the date 11.6.22 are set across the lower frame.
Bazm-e-Adab - Shayari in the GardensStudents gathered in Selwyn College Gardens for the year's final reading circle, with shayari, conversation and snacks on the lawn.Kept as a reel on Instagram
A punt drawing in beside a boathouse on the Cam, two passengers seated in the bow and the chauffeur standing at the stern with the pole, the view framed by overhanging plane leaves.
Poetry on the RiverAfter three punts carried poems along the Cam, members gathered for a picnic beside the St John's Cripps moorings.Kept as a reel on Instagram
A speaker mid-sentence in a yellow-walled seminar room, hands raised, a laptop open on the desk beside him. The frame is captioned 'Faiz & the Progressive Writer's association - An UrduSoc Teach-in'.
Faiz and the Progressive Writers' MovementA Sunday teach-in on resistance through poetry and the Progressive Writers' Movement, led in the Munby Room at King's College.Kept as a reel on Instagram

Visual archive

  • Poster for Chai and Chat: a painted overhead scene of two cups of chai, with Sunday 11 October, 3 to 6pm, in the Munby Room at King's College.
    Chai and Chat
  • Poster for the Walid Iqbal talk: a wax seal and a quill on dark red brocade, a portrait of Allama Iqbal in the corner, and 10 March 2026, 1:15pm, Judge Business School, Lecture Theatre 1.
    The Enduring Legacy of Allama Iqbal
  • Poster for the games night and iftar: peonies and carpet borders framing handwritten text, with 2nd March, the Gatsby Room at Wolfson College, 7:30 to 10pm.
    UrduSoc Games Night + Iftar
  • Poster for Bazm-e-Yaar: the title in red and gold Urdu calligraphy on a dark paisley ground, with 16th February, 7pm, Hidden Rooms Lounge, and the four societies' badges down one side.
    Bazm-e-Yaar: A Night of Desi Voices
  • Poster for the teach-in: archive photographs of the Progressive Writers' Association and a 1933 police notice banning Angare, with Sunday 15th February, 4 to 6pm, Munby Room, King's College.
    The Progressive Writers' Association & Faiz Ahmed Faiz
  • Poster for Brunch and Baat-Cheet: a painted spread of pretzels, pie and cinnamon buns around a postcard of a blue car, with 12pm, Saturday 7th Feb, King's College.
    Brunch & Baat-Cheet - Speaking Class 2
  • Poster for In-Safar-able: a blue linocut of a figure at a desk with one arm raised, with Rawanee Creatives named, Sunday 1st February, 4 to 6pm, and the room printed before the move to Christ's.
    In-Safar-able: Comic Relief After Grief
  • Poster for the Cambridge South Asia Tour: an illustrated map of the city with portraits of South Asian figures placed on the colleges, with 29th January, 2pm, meeting outside King's.
    Cambridge South Asia Tour
  • Poster for Brunch and Baat-Cheet: a painted spread of eggs, waffles and coffee around a postcard of Chowmahalla Palace, with 12pm, Saturday 24th January, Fitzwilliam College.
    Brunch & Baat-Cheet
  • Poster for the Ghazal Studio evening: the Ghazal Studio logo on black between ornamental borders, three musicians cut out along the bottom, with Friday 28th November, Wolfson Clubroom, 6:30 to 8:30pm.
    In Conversation with Ghazal Studio
  • Poster for the Iqbal Day mushaira: a stylised orange and purple portrait of Allama Iqbal beside a fountain pen and King's College Chapel, with Sunday 16th November, 5:30 to 8pm, and the room printed before the move to Christ's.
    Mushaira - Iqbal Day
  • Poster for Jinn-o-ween: a red skull above an engraving of King's College at night, with 26/10, King's College Munby Room, 6 to 8pm, and a line promising horror stories from South Asia and beyond.
    Jinn-o-ween
  • Poster for Chai and Chat: a painted scene of hands passing cups of chai, framed as a polaroid on a carpet, with 12th October, 5 to 8pm, the Munby Room at King's College.
    Chai and Chat!
  • Poster for the Shadab Zeest Hashmi talk: her photograph beside a short biography over a faded floral pattern, with the title in Urdu and English and Saturday 2nd March, 6 to 8pm, Student Union Lounge.
    Ghazal & the History of the Urdu Language
  • Poster for the Faiz Ahmed Faiz reading circle: his name in Urdu and English over a yellow wash, a photograph of guests on steps below, and Saturday 17th February, 6:30 to 8pm, Student Union Lounge.
    Faiz Ahmed Faiz - Reading Circle
  • Poster for the Zindagi Tamasha screening: the film's image of an older man in a red shawl, the title in Urdu and English, and Saturday 10th February, 18:00, John's Divinity School main lecture theatre.
    Movie Night - Zindagi Tamasha
  • Poster for Iqbal Day: a large tinted portrait of Allama Iqbal in profile, with Dr Amar Sohal's talk on his poetry and politics, the Student Union Lounge, 27th November 2023, 5pm.
    Iqbal Day with Dr Amar Sohal
  • Poster for the reading circle: a Mughal miniature of a ruler enthroned among courtiers, headed محفل, with Sunday 5th November, 17:00 to 19:00, Student Union Lounge.
    Mehfil - Reading Circle
  • Poster for the welcome social: a detail of a Mughal miniature, figures in patterned robes on a red carpet, headed خوش آمدید, with Tuesday 17th October, 17:00 to 19:30, Student Union Lounge.
    Welcome Social - Charades in Urdu
  • Poster for Poetry on the River: a punt of passengers passing under the Bridge of Sighs at St John's, titled in English and Urdu, with 17th June, 5 to 8pm, Cripps Quay.
    Poetry on the River
  • Poster for the Kamli screening: a still of three women beneath a flowering amaltas tree, with Tuesday 9th May, 6 to 9pm, St John's Divinity School lecture theatre.
    Movie Night - Kamli
  • Poster for the Aqib Sabir speaker event: a black and white photograph of the poet at a microphone, his name in English and Urdu, and the Zoom times in BST, PKT and IST.
    In Conversation with Aqib Sabir
  • Poster for the welcome social: a gold Urdu خوش آمدید inside an ornamental border on violet, with Sunday 30th April, 18:00 to 21:00, the Bennett Room, Clare College Memorial Court.
    Welcome Social
  • Poster for the Zeerak Ahmed talk: a phone showing a message thread in English and Urdu above an Urdu keyboard, captioned Matnsaz, a breakthrough Urdu keyboard.
    Matnsaz: Designing a New Urdu Keyboard
  • Poster for the Amjad Islam Amjad speaker event: a pale portrait of the poet behind the text, an open book of Urdu verse in the corner, and the 3 to 4pm GMT Zoom talk followed by an open mic.
    An Evening with Amjad Islam Amjad
  • Poster for Sham-e-Gham: a sepia photograph of Allama Iqbal resting his head on one hand, with the workshop title in Urdu and English and the Blythe Room, Clare College, 9th November, 6pm.
    Sham-e-Gham - Mehfil-e-Zaban-Urdu
  • Poster for the Maaz bin Bilal speaker event: a vintage typewriter with a blank sheet in the carriage, the society's roundel above, and the talk title, Saturday 15th October at 4pm, marked a virtual event.
    Andaaz-e-Bayaan: Ghalib, Ghazal, Masnavi, and I
  • Poster for the welcome social: a pale pink and lilac sky headed خوش آمدید, with Thursday 6th October, 18:00 to 20:00, Downing College JCR.
    Welcome Social
  • Poster for the poetry reading circle: sunset clouds in pink and gold, headed بزمِ ادب شاعری, with Saturday 11th June, 19:00 to 21:00, Selwyn College Gardens.
    Bazm-e-Adab - Shayari
  • Poster for the Manto reading circle and film screening: a faded photograph of Saadat Hasan Manto with a pencil at his lips, titled in Urdu, with Friday 20th May, 19:00 to 21:00, Clare College.
    Bazm-e-Adab - Manto's 'Naya Qanoon'
  • Poster for Piyam-e-Iqbal: a figure sitting cross-legged beneath an enormous calligraphic inscription on a stone wall, with Saturday 14th May, 16:00 to 18:00, Newnham College.
    Piyam-e-Iqbal - In Conversation with Zirrar Ali
  • Poster for the Ghazal Night Social: a full moon in a dusk-pink sky, headed شامِ غزل محفل, with Friday 6th May, 18:00 to 19:45, Downing College.
    Ghazal Night Social
  • Poster for Guftagu, the society's launch event: an engraved hand holding a reed pen, the date 02.03.22, and the Murray Edwards College bar, 6pm to 9pm.
    Guftagu - Launch Event