Indeed, the simplicity of keralites and the brilliance of the styles of architecture moved my heart. When I received the invitation from, naturally I accepted the chairperson's invitation. Although I spent only three days in Kerala as a visitor and paper presenter, it was a very memorable trip for me. I enjoyed Kerala traditional food, Malyalam-accented Urdu, and paper presentations in front of different types of speakers. It was an Urdu seminar organized by the Urdu Department, but there were both native Maliyam speakers and English-speaking people present. One unique feature of the seminar was that there were non-native Urdu speakers who were singing Urdu Ghazals well and with proper pronunciation. The Sham-e-Ghazal was organized by the Urdu Department with pomp and show.
The theme of the seminar (13-15 Feb 2024) was Non-Fiction Literature in the 21st Century. In the first session, Dr. Unnikrishnan, the registrar of SSUS, delivered the inaugural speech in Malayalam because the maximum audience was Malayalam-speaking. He highlighted the activities of the university and the importance of literature. His thoughts were ardent. Dr. Qasim, Assistant Professor of the Department, was the anchor of the session. Dr. Kamarunneesa K, HOD Urdu, highlighted the purpose of the seminar and its topic. Her speech was based on the introduction and Urdu Department's activities.
Another unique aspect of the seminar was the keynote address, which was presented in both English and Urdu. Professor Sajjad Hussain, retired from Madras University, Chennai, is fluent in multiple languages. His delivery of the keynote address captured the audience's attention. As mentioned above, at this function, different kinds of listeners and speakers were present. Prof. Hussain highlighted the differences between fiction and non-fiction, with references and examples. Indeed, his wholesome appearance, attractive style, and informative keynote were appropriate for the seminar atmosphere.
Dr. Saffiya Bee, the first professor of this department, shared the memorial aspect of the campus with students, guests and new faculties. The audience could perceive the grace of her teaching style in her speech.
After that, Professor Nacolan, a skilled orator and the former head of the Department of Urdu, was at the podium, highlighting in Malayalam the indestructible contribution of Urdu to the nation and literature. The Malalayam-speaking audience enjoyed his speech and the grace and beauty of Urdu.
In the first technical session, three papers were presented under the careful supervision of Professor Naculan. Professor Apsheer Baasha's (N.A.M. College Kallikandy) paper was based on the current state of Urdu journalism (Sajid Hussain Nadvi presented his paper on same topic), and Professor Ameenullah (SVU Tripati) highlighted the contributions of his teacher, Professor Ather Javed, to Urdu sketch writing. They both have a positive attitude toward literature, and they are diligent researchers and renowned critics.
As for my paper, the title is "Urdu Autobiographies in the 21st Century (with Special Reference to Dekh Li Duniya Ham ne)." I generally don't like to read papers. However, I'm in the habit of keeping a paper in my hand while delivering speeches. Anyhow, I have delivered a speech on said topic. The paper was divided into three parts concerning autobiography aspects. The first was related to the fundamentals of writing an autobiography, such as authenticity, personality, style, memory, and facts. The second part of my paper was based on the counting of autobiographies written in the 21st century. It is not my contention, but I can say that approximately five dozens autobiographies have been written by Urdu writers in the 21st century. Lastly, I talked about "Dekh Li Duniya Ham Ne" written by Professor Ghazanfar, a well known fiction writer. There are many aspects of this autobiography; reflection of a facts, impact of novels, historical and geographical aspects, and psychological analysis of all parts of India where Ghazanfar has spent time as a student, teacher, professor, and director. This autobiography is highly influential in Urdu literature.
Before attending the seminar, I visited some historical places in Kerala. My ticket was booked from Gulbarga to Thrissur. There are 40 km between Thrissur and Kodungallur, where the first mosque of India is located. The Cheraman Juma Majsid Built in 629 AD by Malik Ibn Dinar, it is located in the district of Thrissur in Kerala. I could not find the same mosque in Kodungallur as the image of the mosque on Google or in my mind. The structure of the Masjid has totally changed. I entered the mosque and offered two Rakat Namaz. In the area of the Masjid, I couldn't find a person who could make me understand the history of the Masjid in Urdu, Hindi, or English.
Here, I want to mention an incident that happened to me in Kodungallur. I lost my cell phone in Kodungallur. I was unable to make auto drivers understand my incident due to language problem. After talking with five drivers, I found a driver who was speaking broken English like me. I narrated the story. He took me to the Kodungallur bus stand, where he identified that the bus came from Thrissur. In the half-hour searching process, I found my mobile on the bus. I thanked the driver and requested him to take me to the Cheraman Juma Masjid. I paid him auto fare more, keeping his help in mind, but he declined to accept a higher or extra fare. After my insisting, he accepted the same. He dropped me near the mosque with a smiling face, and I was thinking about his help and honesty.
Kozhikode Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in India. I spent two hours on the beach and enjoyed the fish fry, Qatari-style chikan, and water. After that, I went to Beypore and Chaliyam, where I saw a giant boat to carry the machines and vehicles from across the ocean to the other side. I talked to boatmen and their assistants about the sea, boats, ships, fishermen, monthly payment, daily routines in broken Hindi, English, and Urdu, and practice for boat/ship driving. Indeed, the journey was memorable. I enjoyed especially boiled bananas and fried fish with coarse-rice, and rice-made many delicious dishes.

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