Rumuuz zine: the Haashiya

Rumuuz is a community of friends exploring and continuing the tradition of Urdu poetry in New York City. Our perspectives start in each other’s homes, where we meet on Thursdays for poetry discussions and writing workshops. In a city where written Urdu rarely appears, and an era when writing faces increased automation, this zine represents an attempt not only to preserve Urdu poetics, but to think about its progression through analog mediums in community. Our contribution is as follows: a printed mix of Urdu and English poems, essays, short stories, and, relatedly, marginalia.For our second issue, we grapple with the idea of haashiya (the margin), a location with a rich history of Urdu commentary, criticism, and intratextuality. What does empty space along the side of a text allow us to do? Are margins merely sidelines, the hems of a page? Or the substrates? How can borders be sharpened or softened, reinforced or broken? In our time, what role does their exteriority occupy? Who is marginalized, what is central and what is tangential - in the world, New York City, and our individual lives? Tickets are $20 and will include a copy of our lovely zine. We'll also have a limited number of tickets available at the door. Feel free to direct any questions our way!