The Magic of Urdu Poetry Draws an Italian to the City

Hyderabad: Daniel Speziale, who describes himself as 'Raahi Italvi' or Italian traveller, is on a unique journey of cultural immersion, bringing the Italian soul into the world of Urdu poetry.

Hailing from Sovana, Italy, Daniel is a self-taught poet, who is passionate about Urdu, a language he studied at length during the Covid-19 lockdown.

He came of age on Wednesday and had the audience spellbound at Lamakaan, with his wonderful renditions of Iqbal's ghazals apart from coming up with his own couplets.

Daniel’s journey began as a teenager when he left Italy to participate in a high school exchange program in Malaysia.

Hosted by a Telugu family, he learnt a bit of Telugu and gained exposure to Indian culture, including Tamil and Bollywood, which sparked his initial interest in Urdu.

“Listening to Bollywood songs made me learn words like 'pyaar', 'deewani' and 'mohabbat',” he says, smiling at the memories. This early fascination with the language would eventually deepen during the pandemic when he dedicated himself to mastering Urdu through self-study, grammar books and the works of classical poets.

His love for Urdu poetry found grounding in the ghazals of Mirza Ghalib, whose philosophical couplets inspired him to explore the language’s complexity.

“Ghalib’s poetry has layers of meaning with each line revealing profound reflections on life,” he shares, reciting a couplet about the transformation of a droplet into a pearl.

This gradually led Daniel to the world of progressive poets, especially Faiz Ahmad Faiz, who, alongside the likes of Majaz Lakhnavi, wrote on social issues, progress, and societal change.

Daniel’s journey to Hyderabad brought him into contact with the city’s unique Urdu culture, which he feels has a strong and yet underrated legacy.

“People often associate Urdu with Delhi or Pakistan. But Hyderabad’s contributions to the language and culture are no less remarkable,” he says. In addition to being captivated by the city’s Urdu heritage, Daniel relishes the famed Hyderabadi biryani.

Meanwhile, Daniel has composed his own ghazals, seeking to capture complex emotions by way of concise and thoughtful couplets.

His first self-composed couplet reflects his philosophical inclinations: “I will be a kafir as long as you live,” he recites, a verse that holds a deep, personal resonance for him.

Looking to the future, Daniel hopes to connect with India’s community of extraordinary poets and perhaps publish his works.