Delhi to Host Literary Evening on the Journey of Marsiya at IICC on July 26
Staff Reporter / New Delhi
Continuing its tradition of service of Urdu language and its literature, Jashn-e-Bahar Trust brings you an evening of poetry reading, exploring the evolutionary journey of Marisya as a literary genre that has truly enriched the language as it draws on Indian sensibilities.
The literary evening titled “Dastan-e-Marsiya; Karbala se Kashi tak (The Story of Marsiya; from Karbala to Kashi), to be held on Sunday, July 26th 2026 at the B S Abdur Rahman Auditorium, India Islamic Cultural Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, 7:15 pm onwards. The stage show will be accompanied by an exhibition of specially curated and designed panels on the theme at the venue.
Presented by Jashn-e-Bahar Trust, this first ever such programme conducted in Dastan-Goi style, showcases the historical journey of Marsiya as an important genre of Urdu literature and as a mirror of our syncretic Ganga-Jamni tehzeeb.
“Urdu Marsiya truly stands for a journey of the story of Imam Husain from Karbala to Kashi. It is the only literary genre which combines the elements of pathos, epic and elegy. You will not find such an amalgam anywhere else in the world. Totally steeped in India’s composite culture, it impacts our social ethos even as it draws from it. Through this literary evening, we attempt to explore the evolution of Marsiya in India and understand its literary nuances and aspects. We evaluate its impact on Urdu literature and on shaping the Indian mindscape as it brings together people from various communities,” says Kamna Prasad, Founder, Jashn-e-Bahar Trust.
“The accompanying exhibition is specially curated to showcase the Ganga-Jamni aspects of Marsiyanigari in India as it dwells on interesting facts about Marsiya as an important genre of Urdu poetry,” she adds.
Directed by Kamna Prasad, the performance is brought to you by young and talented actors Enab Khizra and Firoz Khan along with promising poet Pallav Mishra.