Allama Iqbal Adabi Markaz Madhya Pradesh Urdu Academy (Culture Department) is going to organise a ‘Char Bait muqabla’ at Gauhar Mahal on Wednesday, April 20.
MP Urdu Academy secretary in a statement here on Tuesday informed that the program is being organized in memory of Poet Iqbal and is titled as ‘Yad-e-Iqbal.’ The program would be held on the eve of 78th death anniversary of Allama Iqbal.
Char Bait is an ancient, unique and interesting singing tradition of Urdu and the program has been organised in an attempt to revive this dyeing tradition.
Four char bait parties of the country would participate and exhibit their art in this competition. The participating teams are Akhara Mehboob Ali Khan from Rampur (UP), Akhada Munshi Azaruddin from Chandpur, Anjuman Gulistan Char Bait Party from Bhopal, Bazm e Shahid Char Bait Party also from Bhopal and Bazm e Masud Char Bait Party also from Bhopal. All these teams would sing in the competition devoted to Shayar e Mashriq (poet of East) Allama Iqbal. Each team has 8 to 10 members in it.
The meaning of Char bait is poem of four lines, in that every prose consists of four verses and these are written in a special meter. The base of the Chaar Bait is singing and in this no instrument is played. For rhythm only a ‘daf’ (a form of dhapli) is used.
This tradition had been remained popular in Bhopal since Nawabi era and there was time that these competitions used to take place in every colony of the city and at times of every small and big celebration Char bait competitions used to take place.