Prof Dr Avinash Kolhe chronicles the Gulzar Walk, an evocative literary heritage initiative by Urdu Markaz Rehguzar, celebrating Gulzar’s 92nd birthday through Mumbai’s streets, memories, poetry, shared culture, and living history together.

Literary heritage is not always preserved in museums; sometimes it is rediscovered on the streets where great writers once lived, worked, and dreamed. That is the spirit behind the Urdu-Marathi Tehzeebi Walk Yatra, an initiative of Urdu Markaz Rehguzar, which celebrates Mumbai’s shared cultural history by tracing the lives of its iconic poets and literary figures. This year’s Gulzar Walk transformed the city into an open-air archive, honouring one of India’s greatest poets on his 92nd birthday.  

18th August is the birthday of celebrated poet, film director, and lyricist Gulzar. It was his 92nd birthday which was celebrated in a unique way by Urdu Markaz Rehguzar. This cultural organization, devoted to the promotion of Urdu and Marathi literature, organized The Gulzar Walk on the evening of Sunday, 16th August. The walk began from City Centre on Bellasis Road near Bombay Central station. Years ago, this was the site of Vichare Motors, where Sampooran Singh Kalra, alias Gulzar, worked as a colour technician before earning his spurs as a poet, lyricist, and eventually director of the iconic film Mere Apne (1971).

The Making of Gulzar

Gulzar was born into a Sikh Khatri family on 18th August 1934 in Dina, Jhelum district, now in Pakistan. Partition forced the Kalra family to migrate to India, and Gulzar found himself in Bombay trying to eke out a living. He had always loved poetry and soon began writing under the pen name Gulzar.

In Bombay, he became a regular at the Sunday evening meetings of the Progressive Writers’ Association (PWA), where stalwarts like Bimal Roy and Shailendra recognized his extraordinary talent. They encouraged the young writer to enter the film industry. Bimal Roy’s Bandini, released on 1st January 1963, introduced audiences to Gulzar through the unforgettable song Mora Gora Rang Ang Lai Le, sung by Lata Mangeshkar. The song brought him instant recognition, and he never looked back.

Over the years, Gulzar has received five National Film Awards, the Padma Bhushan in 2004, and the Jnanpith Award in 2024, India’s highest literary honour. Even today, his pen refuses to rest. In June 2026, his new book Aamchi Mumbai: My City in Stories and Poems was published. It is a moving, deeply emotional tribute to Mumbai—the city that never sleeps and rarely disappoints hardworking dreamers.

Rather than romanticizing only Marine Drive or the Gateway of India, Gulzar writes about the Mumbai of local trains, mill workers, street vendors, and ordinary people whose hopes and struggles define the city’s soul. It is an immensely readable work because his Mumbai belongs as much to the working class as it does to the privileged.

Urdu Markaz Rehguzar’s Cultural Mission

The Gulzar Walk forms part of the Urdu-Marathi Tehzeebi Walk Yatra, a remarkable initiative by Urdu Markaz Rehguzar that brings writers, poets, students, and lovers of Urdu and Marathi literature onto a common cultural platform. Founded in 2000 by Adv. Zubair Azmi, the organization has spent over two decades building bridges between the two languages through mushairas, kavi sammelans, literary festivals, and educational programmes. It is also known for organizing the annual Bhendi Bazar Urdu Festival, celebrating the neighbourhood’s rich multilingual heritage. This year marks the silver jubilee of Urdu Markaz Rehguzar.  

A Walk Across Generations

On Sunday evening, 16th August, the Gulzar Walk drew participants from every cross-section of Mumbai. Alongside a large gathering of sixty-plus admirers of Gulzar were equally enthusiastic members of Gen Z, proving that great poetry transcends generations. The walk was organized by Urdu Markaz Rehguzar, established in 2000 by Adv. Zubair Azmi. Last year, its Kaifi Azmi Walk attracted widespread attention with the participation of Shabana Azmi, reaffirming the growing appeal of literary walks as living cultural experiences.

The journey does not end with Gulzar. Soon, Urdu Markaz Rehguzar will present the Namdeo Dhasal Walk, beginning in Kamathipura, the red-light district whose harsh realities profoundly shaped Dhasal’s revolutionary poetry. It will be followed by walks dedicated to Majrooh Sultanpuri, Narayan Surve, and many other literary giants, ensuring that Mumbai’s streets continue to narrate the stories of the writers who gave the city its unforgettable voice.