IGNOU BUDC-113 Solved Question Paper PDF Download

IGNOU BUDC-113 Previous Year Solved Question Paper in Hindi

IGNOU BUDC-113 Previous Year Solved Question Paper in English

Q1. Explain any two of the following excerpts with reference to context. (a) In this ghazal, the radif is ‘dil’. It is in the meter Bahr-e-Ramal musamman makhbun mahzuf. In both lines of the first couplet and in the second lines of the remaining couplets, there is a qafiya… (b) Just as the War of Independence affected the political, social, and societal life of the country, it also left its deep impact on literature and poetry. (c) When Maulana Hali wrote the Musaddas-e-Hali, Sir Syed had said that if God asks me on the Day of Judgement what I have brought from the world, I will say that I have brought the Musaddas written by Hali.

Ans. (a) Explanation: This excerpt is taken from the context of the technical and structural analysis of Urdu poetry, specifically the ghazal . It explains the principles of Urdu prosody ( Ilm-e-Arūz ) which are essential for the construction of a ghazal.

• Siyaq (Context): The Urdu ghazal is a highly disciplined poetic form with its own set of rules. In this excerpt, a specific ghazal is being analysed. The terms used are the basic vocabulary of Urdu poetics.
• Sabaq (Explanation):
  • Radif: This is the word or phrase that is repeated at the end of the second line of every couplet (she’r), after the qafiya. In this case, the word ‘dil’ (heart) is the radif.
  • Bahr: This is the meter or rhythm of the ghazal. The meter mentioned here, ‘Bahr-e-Ramal musamman makhbun mahzuf’, is one of several meters derived from Arabic-Persian prosody. It defines the rhythmic pattern of the poem.
  • Qafiya: This is the set of rhyming words that comes just before the radif. The first couplet of the ghazal (called matla’ ) has a qafiya in both its lines, while all subsequent couplets have it only in the second line.

  In essence, this excerpt demonstrates how a ghazal is technically dissected, identifying its meter, rhyming scheme, and repeating phrase. This is a crucial part of the study of Urdu literature, helping one appreciate the craftsmanship employed by poets.

(b) Explanation:

This excerpt is from the context of the profound impact of the

1857 War of Independence

(also known as the Mutiny) on Urdu literature. It points to the significant turning point where literary sensibilities underwent a major shift.

• Siyaq (Context): Before 1857, Urdu literature, especially poetry, was largely confined to romanticism, mysticism, and conventional themes. Prose was ornate and stylised. The failure of the 1857 rebellion and the subsequent socio-political turmoil forced Indian intellectuals to introspect and reconsider their priorities.
• Sabaq (Explanation): The excerpt states that the 1857 war affected every aspect of Indian life, including literature. Its impacts were:
  • Shift in Themes: Writers moved away from fantasy tales and traditional love poetry towards realistic problems of society. Themes like nationalism, social reform, modern education, and communal harmony became prominent.
  • Purposeful Literature: The idea of ‘art for art’s sake’ ( adab barae adab ) changed to ‘art for life’s sake’ ( adab barae zindagi ). Literature was seen as a tool to reform and awaken society.
  • Rise of Prose: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and his associates (like Hali and Shibli) pioneered a simple, direct, and functional prose style aimed at disseminating modern ideas.

  Thus, this excerpt summarises the literary revolution that took place post-1857, which ushered Urdu literature into a new era of realism, reform, and modernity.

(c) Explanation:

This excerpt highlights the immense significance of the epic poem ‘

Musaddas-e-Hali

‘ (full title ‘Musaddas-e-Madd-o-Jazr-e-Islam’), written by

Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali

, in the history of Urdu literature. The quote from Sir Syed Ahmad Khan is a powerful testament to the impact and value of this work.

• Siyaq (Context): In the latter half of the 19th century, Indian Muslims were in a state of political and social decline. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan spearheaded their reform and modernization through the Aligarh Movement . He believed that Muslims needed to confront their present condition and embrace modern education, rather than just taking pride in their past glory.
• Sabaq (Explanation): Hali’s ‘Musaddas’ served as a literary pillar for Sir Syed’s mission.
  • The poem is written in the ‘musaddas’ form (a six-line stanza). It describes the glorious past of Muslims, laments their present decline, and exhorts them towards self-criticism and reform.
  • Sir Syed’s statement, “If God asks me… I will say that I have brought the Musaddas written by Hali,” shows his deep admiration for the poem. He considered this poem his greatest contribution, capable of awakening and inspiring an entire generation of Muslims.
  • The quote shows that for Sir Syed, the ‘Musaddas’ was not just a literary work but the very soul of his reformist movement. The poem was so influential that it was recited and read across India, playing a crucial role in creating self-awareness and a desire for education among Muslims.

Q2. Review the different theories related to the origin and evolution of the Urdu language.

Ans. The origin and evolution (aaghaz-o-irtiqa) of the Urdu language has been a fascinating subject of debate among linguists and historians. Several theories (nazariyat) have emerged over time, each presenting a different perspective on the birthplace and early development of Urdu. The main theories are as follows:

1. Theory of Muhammad Husain Azad: In his seminal book ‘ Aab-e-Hayat ‘, Muhammad Husain Azad proposed that Urdu originated from Braj Bhasha . He argued that when Muslim conquerors came to India, they mixed Persian and Arabic words with Braj Bhasha, the dominant language spoken around Delhi, giving birth to Urdu. Although this theory is historically important, it has been largely rejected by modern linguists on linguistic grounds.
2. Theory of Mahmud Sherani: In his book ‘ Punjab mein Urdu ‘, Hafiz Mahmud Sherani argued that Urdu has its roots in Punjab. He believed that Persian and Turkish-speaking soldiers who accompanied the armies of Mahmud of Ghazni in the 11th century interacted with the local Punjabi and other dialects in Punjab. Later, when the Delhi Sultanate was established, this mixed language was brought to Delhi and further developed.
3. Theory of Syed Sulaiman Nadvi: Syed Sulaiman Nadvi, in his book ‘ Nuqoosh-e-Sulaimani ‘, traced the origin of Urdu to Sindh . He argued that the early contact between Arabic and local Sindhi languages after the Arab conquest of Sindh in the 8th century laid the foundation for a new language that later evolved into Urdu. This theory is also not widely accepted as the impact of the early linguistic contact in Sindh was limited.
4. Theory of Masud Husain Khan: This is the most widely accepted theory today. In his book ‘ Muqaddama-e-Tarikh-e-Zaban-e-Urdu ‘, Masud Husain Khan argued on the basis of linguistic evidence that Urdu evolved from the Khari Boli spoken in and around Delhi. According to him, after the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate, Delhi became the capital and Khari Boli received royal patronage. Under the extensive influence of Persian, Arabic, and Turkish, this Khari Boli gradually transformed into the language we know today as Urdu. This theory posits that Urdu’s basic grammatical structure is that of Khari Boli, with its vocabulary drawn heavily from Persian and Arabic.

In conclusion, while several theories have attempted to explain the origins of Urdu, Masud Husain Khan’s view that Urdu developed from the Khari Boli of the Delhi region is considered the most scientific and linguistically sound.

Q3. Write a detailed note on the linguistic features of Deccani Urdu.

Ans. Deccani Urdu is a historical form of the Urdu language that flourished in the Deccan plateau (South India) from the 14th to the 18th centuries. It was the literary and courtly language of the Bahmani, Adil Shahi, Qutb Shahi, and Nizam Shahi sultanates. Compared to the Urdu of North India, Deccani Urdu has its own distinct linguistic features (lisani khususiyaat) that give it a unique identity.

The prominent linguistic features of Deccani Urdu are as follows:

• Phonological Features (Sautiyati Khususiyaat):
  • Deccani preserves some older sounds that later changed in Northern Urdu. For example, the more pronounced articulation of aspirated consonants (like ‘bh’, ‘dh’, ‘gh’).
  • The letters ‘Qāf’ (ق) and ‘Ghain’ (غ) were often pronounced closer to ‘Kh’ (خ).
  • The use of ‘Ain’ (ع) was common in words borrowed from Sanskrit, such as the use of ‘akal’ instead of ‘aql’.
• Vocabulary (Lafziyat):
  • The vocabulary of Deccani Urdu is heavily influenced by local languages such as Marathi, Telugu, and Kannada , in addition to Persian and Arabic. For instance, words like ‘hor’ (aur/more), ‘nako’ (nahin/no), and ‘popat’ (tota/parrot) were common.
  • It also retained many words from Sanskrit and Prakrit, which were later replaced by Persian words in Northern Urdu.
• Grammatical Features (Qawaidi Khususiyaat):
  • Gender (Tazkir-o-Tanis): The use of gender in Deccani often differs from Northern Urdu. Many feminine nouns were used as masculine and vice versa.
  • Plurals (Jama): The suffixes ‘aan’ (اں) and ‘aan’ (آں) were widely used to form plurals, such as ‘kitabaan’ (books) and ‘baataan’ (talks).
  • Verbs (Fe’l): Verb forms were also different. For example, ‘achhe’ or ‘achhan’ were used as auxiliary verbs instead of ‘hai’ and ‘hain’.
  • Pronouns and Postpositions (Zamir aur Huroof): The use of ‘mane’ for ‘mujh’ (me) and ‘tune’ for ‘tujh’ (you) was common. The use of case markers like ‘ne’ was very rare.

Due to these characteristics, Deccani Urdu has a distinct sound and flavour. Works like Mulla Wajhi’s ‘Sabras’ and the poetry of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah are prime examples of these linguistic features. Although the merging of Deccani and Northern Urdu began after Wali Deccani’s arrival in Delhi in the 18th century, Deccani played a significant and foundational role in the development of the Urdu language.

Q4. Review the evolution of Urdu poetry and prose during the Qutb Shahi period.

Ans. The period of the Qutb Shahi Sultanate of Golconda (1518-1687) is considered the golden age for Deccani Urdu literature. The rulers of this period were themselves poets and great patrons of literature, which led to the unprecedented evolution (irtiqa) of both Urdu poetry (nazm) and prose (nasr).

Evolution of Urdu Poetry (Nazm): Urdu poetry reached its zenith during the Qutb Shahi period. The most important figure of this era was Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah himself.

• Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah: He is considered the first ‘Sahib-e-Diwan’ (a poet with a compiled collection) poet of Urdu. His ‘Kulliyat’ (complete works) is vast and includes various genres like ghazal, qasida, masnavi, rubai, and nazm. The most significant characteristic of his poetry is that he incorporated local culture, festivals (like Diwali, Holi), customs, and Indian themes into his work. While he followed the Persian tradition, he gave his poetry a distinctly Indian flavour.
• Other Poets: Other major poets of this period include Ghawwasi and Ibn-e-Nishati . Ghawwasi wrote famous masnavis like ‘Saif-ul-Muluk wa Badi-ul-Jamal’. Ibn-e-Nishati’s masnavi ‘Phoolban’ is also renowned for its literary quality and imagination. These masnavis enriched the tradition of narrative poetry in Deccani Urdu.

Evolution of Urdu Prose (Nasr): The Qutb Shahi period is also extremely important for the development of Urdu prose. The most prominent name in this context is Mulla Wajhi.

• Mulla Wajhi and ‘Sabras’: Mulla Wajhi, who was the court poet of Abdullah Qutb Shah, composed ‘ Sabras’ in 1635 . ‘Sabras’ is considered the first literary prose work in Urdu. It is an allegorical dastan (tale) that presents a story through abstract characters like ‘Aql’ (Intellect) and ‘Dil’ (Heart). The language of ‘Sabras’ is ornate and rhythmic (muqaffa-o-musajja), featuring a beautiful blend of Persian and local Deccani words. It established a standard for future Urdu prose and proved that high-level prose could be written in Urdu.

In summary, the Qutb Shahi period provided a solid foundation for Urdu literature. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah gave poetry a local colour, while Mulla Wajhi laid the foundation of Urdu prose through ‘Sabras’. The patronage and literary innovations of this period played a crucial role in establishing Urdu as a mature literary language.

Q5. Describe the characteristics of Wali Deccani’s poetry.

Ans. Wali Deccani (Wali Muhammad Wali, 1667-1707) is considered a groundbreaking figure in the history of Urdu poetry. He is often called ‘ Baba-e-Rekhta ‘ (Father of Urdu Poetry) because he acted as a bridge between the poetic traditions of the Deccan and North India, and he brought a new literary respectability to the Urdu ghazal.

The main characteristics (khususiyaat) of Wali Deccani’s poetry are as follows:

1. Refinement and Standardization of Language: Before Wali, ‘Rekhta’ (the old name for Urdu) was considered an inferior language for poetry compared to Persian in North India. Wali refined the Deccani language by blending it with the themes, metaphors, and idioms of the Persian poetic tradition. He created a language that was neither purely Deccani nor Persian, but a beautiful synthesis of both. This very language laid the foundation for the modern Urdu ghazal.
2. Influence on North India: The arrival of Wali’s diwan (poetic collection) in Delhi around 1700 CE was a historic event. When the poets of Delhi read Wali’s poetry, they were amazed that such high-quality poetry could be composed in Rekhta. Inspired by this, they started abandoning Persian to compose ghazals in Urdu, which initiated a new era of Urdu poetry in Delhi.
3. Variety of Themes: The primary themes of Wali’s poetry are love (ishq) and beauty (husn), in line with the Persian ghazal tradition. He expressed both aspects of love—worldly love ( ishq-e-majazi ) and divine love ( ishq-e-haqiqi )—with great elegance. Besides these, his poetry also contains themes of nature, city life, and Sufi thoughts.
4. Simplicity and Spontaneity: Despite the Persian influence, there is a special kind of simplicity, naturalness, and sweetness in Wali’s poetry. His language is not complex, and he expresses his emotions directly and effectively. He incorporated the Indian atmosphere and sensibilities into his poetry, which added a local colour to his work.
5. Stabilizing the Ghazal Form: Wali established the ghazal as a stable and respected poetic form in Urdu. He skillfully used the structural elements of the ghazal—matla, maqta, qafiya, and radif—and made it the most popular medium of expression in Urdu.

In conclusion, Wali Deccani gave Urdu poetry a new direction and identity. He refined the language, popularized Urdu poetry in Delhi, and provided the ghazal with the form that was later taken to new heights by great poets like Mir and Ghalib.

Q6. Shed light on the evolution of Urdu prose in North India.

Ans. The evolution of Urdu prose (nasr) in North India (Shumali Hind) was a gradual process that gained particular momentum in the 19th century. It can be divided into several significant stages.

1. The Early Phase (Up to the 18th Century): In the early days, no systematic form of Urdu prose existed in North India. Its use was mainly confined to the malfuzat (discourses) of Sufis, simple translations of religious texts, and personal letters. This prose was not literary, and its style was undeveloped and inconsistent.

2. The Contribution of Fort William College (1800): The most significant turning point in the development of Urdu prose in North India came with the establishment of Fort William College, Calcutta . The British needed simple and accessible prose books to teach the local language to their administrative officers. Under the leadership of the college’s head, Dr. John Gilchrist , several writers wrote books for this purpose.

• Mir Amman Dehlvi’s ‘ Bagh-o-Bahar ‘ is the most outstanding work of this period. Its language is the simple, idiomatic, and spoken language of Delhi. It broke away from the ornate and difficult Persian style and established a new standard for effortless prose.
• Other writers like Haider Bakhsh Haidari (‘Araish-e-Mahfil’) and Sher Ali Afsos (‘Bagh-e-Urdu’) also made important contributions.

Fort William College, for the first time, provided Urdu prose with a solid foundation at both literary and utilitarian levels.

3. The Contribution of Delhi College (1825-1857): Delhi College carried forward the tradition of Fort William College. Here, Western science, philosophy, and literature were translated into Urdu. This process enriched Urdu prose with new subjects and vocabulary. It laid the foundation for an intellectual and academic prose.

4. The Sir Syed Movement and the Age of Modern Prose (Post-1857): The real revolution in Urdu prose came after 1857 with Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and his Aligarh Movement . Sir Syed considered literature a tool for social reform and advocated for a direct, rational, and purposeful prose style.

• Through his journal ‘ Tehzeeb-ul-Akhlaq ‘, he popularized the genre of the essay (mazmoon).
• His associates developed various genres of modern prose: Altaf Hussain Hali wrote biography (‘Hayat-e-Javed’) and literary criticism (‘Muqaddama-e-Sher-o-Shairi’); Deputy Nazir Ahmad wrote the first novels in Urdu (‘Mirat-ul-Uroos’); and Shibli Nomani made significant contributions to Islamic history and biography writing.

Thus, Urdu prose in North India evolved from the simple discourses of Sufis, acquired a standardized form at Fort William College, and finally developed into a powerful, versatile, and modern literary medium through the Sir Syed Movement.

Q7. Determine the place and status of Mir Taqi Mir in the tradition of Urdu ghazal.

Ans. In the tradition (riwayat) of the Urdu ghazal, the position of Mir Taqi Mir (1723-1810) is supreme. He is unanimously given the title ‘ Khuda-e-Sukhan ‘ (God of Poetry), which reflects his unique place (maqam) and status (martaba) in Urdu poetry. His position is established as the master who defined the mood and temperament of the Urdu ghazal.

Mir’s place and status can be understood through the following points:

1. The Poet of Pain and Sorrow: Mir’s poetry is a reflection of his personal tragedies and the destruction and ruin of Delhi during his time. The central themes of his ghazals are pain, sorrow, melancholy, and despair (dard-o-gham). He expressed human suffering and the experience of heartbreak with such depth and sincerity that his poetry became the voice of every grieving heart. This profound pathos is often called ‘Mir’s scalpel’ (Mir ka nashtar).
2. Simplicity and Pathos (Soz-o-Gudaz): Mir’s greatest characteristic is the simplicity of his language (saadgi-pasandi). He uses common, everyday words to express the most profound emotions. There is no artificiality or ornamentation in his style. Along with this simplicity, his poetry contains an element of ‘ soz-o-gudaz ‘ (internal burning and tenderness), which pierces the reader’s heart.
3. Giving Identity to the Urdu Ghazal: Although Wali had laid the foundation of the Urdu ghazal, it was Mir who endowed it with emotional depth and psychological richness. He did not limit the ghazal to just the description of love and beauty but made it a medium for expressing life’s broader sorrows and philosophical reflections. He defined the tone and temperament of the ghazal, which endures to this day.
4. Influence on Future Generations: Mir’s influence can be seen on almost every major poet of Urdu. Even a great poet like Ghalib acknowledged Mir’s mastery, saying: “You are not the only master of Rekhta, Ghalib; they say in the past, there was a certain Mir.” This is proof that Mir has always been considered the ultimate standard of the Urdu ghazal.

In conclusion, Mir Taqi Mir is not just a poet but the very soul of the Urdu ghazal. Through his poetry, he gave an artistic beauty to pain and sorrow and gave the ghazal the emotional intensity and simplicity for which it is known today. His place in the tradition of Urdu ghazal is unique and unforgettable.

Q8. Review the literary services of the Sir Syed Movement.

Ans. The Sir Syed Movement , also known as the Aligarh Movement, was a socio-educational reform movement initiated by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in the latter half of the 19th century. Although its primary objective was the modernization and educational upliftment of Indian Muslims, its literary services (adabi khidmat) were so significant and far-reaching that they transformed the entire landscape of Urdu literature.

The major literary services of the Sir Syed Movement are as follows:

1. Revolution in Urdu Prose: Before Sir Syed, Urdu prose was mostly ornate, poetic, and complex (muqaffa-o-musajja). Sir Syed broke this tradition and advocated for a simple, direct, rational, and purposeful prose style . He believed that literature should be ‘for life’s sake’ ( adab barae zindagi ), not just ‘for art’s sake’ ( adab barae adab ). The aim of this new prose style was to communicate scientific and modern ideas clearly.
2. Introduction of New Literary Genres: The movement introduced and popularized several modern Western literary genres in Urdu:
   • Essay (Mazmoon Nigari): Through his journal ‘ Tehzeeb-ul-Akhlaq ‘, Sir Syed started the tradition of writing essays on social, moral, and educational topics. He was a prolific essayist himself.
   • Modern Literary Criticism (Jadeed Tanqeed): Altaf Hussain Hali’s book ‘ Muqaddama-e-Sher-o-Shairi ‘ is considered the first work of modern literary criticism in Urdu. In it, he debated the purpose and principles of poetry, emphasizing realism and social relevance.
   • Biography (Sawanih Nigari): Hali laid the foundation of modern biography writing by authoring ‘Hayat-e-Javed’ (biography of Sir Syed), ‘Yadgar-e-Ghalib’ (biography of Ghalib), and ‘Hayat-e-Saadi’.
   • Novel (Novel): Deputy Nazir Ahmad , who was associated with the movement, initiated the genre of the novel in Urdu with works like ‘Mirat-ul-Uroos’ and ‘Taubat-un-Nasooh’. The main purpose of these novels was moral and social reform.
3. Promotion of Urdu Journalism: ‘Tehzeeb-ul-Akhlaq’ not only popularized the essay but also set a high standard for Urdu journalism, based on reason, debate, and social consciousness.

In short, the Sir Syed Movement brought Urdu literature out of its medieval mindset and into the modern age. It made Urdu prose a powerful medium for the expression of ideas and enriched it by establishing new genres like the essay, criticism, novel, and biography. The impact of this movement was so profound that modern Urdu prose remains indebted to Sir Syed and his associates to this day.

Q9. Write an essay on the origin and evolution of the Progressive Writers’ Movement.

Ans. Introduction: The Progressive Writers’ Movement (Taraqqi Pasand Tehreek) was the most influential and organized literary movement in 20th-century Urdu literature. It was a movement inspired by leftist and Marxist ideologies, aiming to make literature a tool for social and political change. It adopted the principle of ‘Art for Life’s Sake’ ( adab barae zindagi ) and made literature the voice of the common man, peasants, workers, and the oppressed.

Origin and Establishment (Aaghaz): The roots of this movement lay in the global political and intellectual climate of the 1930s. The rise of fascism in Europe and the socialist experiments in the Soviet Union influenced writers worldwide.

• In India, its informal beginning is considered to be the controversial short story collection ‘ Angarey ‘ (Embers), published in 1932. It contained stories by Sajjad Zaheer, Ahmed Ali, Rashid Jahan, and Mahmud-uz-Zafar, which boldly attacked established social and religious norms.
• The formal foundation of the movement was laid in London in 1935 by a group of Indian students, with Sajjad Zaheer being the key figure. They prepared a manifesto.
• In 1936, the first conference of the All-India Progressive Writers’ Association was held in Lucknow , presided over by the great Hindi-Urdu writer Munshi Premchand . In his presidential address, Premchand called upon writers to face reality and write against social injustice, which set the direction for the movement.

Evolution and Golden Age (Irtiqa): From 1936 to the late 1950s, this movement dominated Urdu literature. It profoundly influenced almost every genre of literature.

• Poetry (Shayari): The movement gave Urdu poetry a new social and political dimension. Poets like Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ali Sardar Jafri, Sahir Ludhianvi, Makhdoom Mohiuddin, and Kaifi Azmi wrote on themes of revolution, freedom, and social justice, using the symbols of traditional ghazal poetry.
• Fiction (Afsana): The strongest impact of the Progressive Movement was on fiction, especially the short story (afsana). Writers like Saadat Hasan Manto, Krishan Chander, Ismat Chughtai, and Rajinder Singh Bedi wrote powerful and realistic stories on subjects like poverty, prostitution, communal violence, and rural exploitation. Manto and Ismat, in particular, wrote fearlessly on sexual and psychological themes.

Decline and Legacy: In the late 1950s, the movement began to weaken due to internal ideological conflicts and excessive politicization. Critics accused it of promoting propaganda at the expense of literary quality. Furthermore, the rise of ‘Jadidiyat’ (Modernism), which focused on individual and existential concerns rather than social commitment, diminished its popularity.

Despite its decline, the legacy of the Progressive Writers’ Movement is immense. It brought Urdu literature out of the confines of palaces and elites and connected it to the lives of the common people. It established a strong tradition of realism, social consciousness, and freedom of expression in literature, the influence of which is still felt today.