Legendary Josh Malihabadi was once the editor of Ajkal. The magazine began publication before independence and renowned writers were always in its staff.
Now it has completed 72 years. It is big magazine, as far size is concerned. For anyone faintly interested in Urdu language and literature, this magazine is a must, in his home.
Right now, Hasan Zia is the senior edior while Nargis Sultana is the associate editor. It has a good circulation and is also available at the PIB [Press Information Bureau's] offices in different cities in India.
So you can walk into PIB office in your city and grab it. But the better idea is to get this magazine subscribed, so that you can get it at your home each month. Ajkal terms itself an international literary and cultural magazine.
This issue has articles on Fikr Taunsvi, Amir Khusro, Ejaz Husain, Nazir's poetry and the Bilgram town. There are special articles on Waris Alvi and Shabab Lalit, who passed away recently. An article by Shabab Lalit on Urdu's impact on literature in Himachal is part of the magazine.
In the prose section, there is more in the form of stories by Ratan Singh, Ghazala Ejaz Qamar and Nigar Azeem. Can there be a magazine in Urdu without poetry section? There are enough ghazals and nazms in the poetry section.
The names of the poets include Gulzar Dehlvi, Abid Kirhani, Sohan Rahi, Dr Naresh, Professor Iraq Raza Zaidi, M Qamruddin, Javed Akram, Raza Amrohvi, Sehba Wahid, Shakil Azmi, Akhtar Kazmi, Dr M Safwan Safvi, Akhtar Shahjehanpuri, Malikzada Javed.
Also, there is Jafar Sahni's poetic tribute to Miraji et al. Then, there are exhaustive reviews of recent books and publications. The editorial and the readers' letters are always interesting in Ajkal. So if you are interested in subscribing the magazine, the details are here:
For Ajkal [Urdu]
Send your demand draft, money order or postal order in the name of ADG, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on the address:
Business Manager (Circulation and Advertisement)
Journals' Unit, East Block 4, Level 7, RK Puram, New Delhi 66
Phone 01-26100207
[The cost of one issue is just Rs 10. This is too low, because it is a government magazine. The annual subscription is Rs 100, Rs 180 for two years and Rs 250 for three years. From US, Europe and other countries, t hrough air mail Rs 730 per year, neighbouring countries Rs 530]
