Intikhab means ‘election’ or ‘selection’. Many Urdu poets have written about their intikhab of something when they are faced with tough choices. Mostly, it’s when they hold someone or something, like a memory, in high regard.
For example, Urdu poet Mir Taqi Mir, who shifted to Lucknow after Ahmad Shah Abdali’s invasion of Delhi, reminisces about his beloved city by calling it ‘the chosen in the world for the nobility’. Mir writes:
Dilli jo ek sheher tha aalam mein intekhab
Rehte thhe jahan muntakhib hi rozgar ke
Tune in to this episode of Urdunama, where Fabeha Syed not only explains Mir’s above ashar, but also explains various contexts – from political to personal – in which the word Intikhab has been used by the poets.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)