Bait Bazi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bait Bazi (Urdu: بیت بازی) is a verbal game and a genre of Urdu poetry played by composing verses of Urdu poems. The game is common among Urdu speakers in Pakistan and India.
[edit] Rules
The game starts with the first person reciting a stanza of a poem. For example:
- ab key baras phir wo aiay ga
- ab key baras phir milain giay ham
The next player has to reply with another verse starting with the last letter of the verse used by the previous player. In this case it was m.
- Meri shaeri sey shaaed kuch tum bhi seekh jaao
- ye mohabbatoN ke qissey heiN jaa'ezey wafaa key
Now, the next player has to reply with a verse starting with y.
- yea waqat key tamashay bee hain ajab tamashay
- jo kal tak apnay thay aaj wo paraiay hian
The next player has to reply with a verse starting with n, and so on.
A verse that has already been used in a game may not be repeated. The rules used by experienced players can be more stringent, such as allowing the use of only one poet's verses or of one theme.
[edit] History
The Urdu language has a very rich poetic tradition, and the game is very popular among women and poetry enthusiasts particularly in Pakistan. Schools and colleges regularly organize Bait Bazi competitions. Bait Bazi competitions are also held using radio, television and now the Internet. A very popular example is frequently played Bait Bazi of popular television show "Tariq Aziz Show" a.k.a "Bazm-e-Tariq Aziz" formerly known as Neelam Ghar of PTV. In this weekly entertainment show, partcipants, usually from various colleges take part in the game and compete for attractive prize. The show produces a lot of enthusiasm for young Urdu lovers because selection of couplets is regarded as an important factor for determining the winner in case of a tie.
[edit] External links
- Online اردو Forums Dedicated for Urdu users Monthly Comptetion of Bait Bazi
- Urdu Stuff Its All about اردو Urdu Bait Bazi & Urdu literature.
- A game of Bait Bazi on an internet forum
