Urdu is oft regarded as the language of love.

This month, as we launch our third issue focused on the theme ‘Urdu’, we delve deep into the origins and history of the language, the artists who’re painstakingly trying to keep it alive, the different representations of it and largely at how it’s a vehicle of peace. Given the current political environment – at home and around the globe – we expected to be faced with roadblocks on the way. But what we emerged with was Love. A lot of love.

Join us on Wednesday, September 20, and experience the language at the G5A Foundation for Contemporary Culture in Mahalaxmi, Mumbai. From viewing the visions of different photographers and their representation of the timeless Urdu poem ‘Before You Came’ by Faiz Ahmed Faiz to stepping into the future and exploring what the Urdu script will be in 2050 and from witnessing a mural conversation project between two artists – Zeenat Kulavoor in Mumbai and Sanki King in Karachi – that brings communities together to a short film on the talented Urdu calligraphers in Tonk, Rajasthan, it’s going to be an audio-visual journey like never before.