Skepticism in the ghazals of contemporary Indian poets

Abstract

Questioning certainty has remained one of the most enduring impulses of human thought and contemporary Urdu ghazal reflects this tendency in diverse and meaningful ways. Emerging from a landscape marked by social change, existential anxieties and shifting value systems, skeptical consciousness has become a significant feature of modern poetic expression. This article investigates the presence and function of skepticism in the ghazals of selected contemporary Indian poets. Through a close reading of representative texts, it examines how doubt, uncertainty and the interrogation of accepted truths shape poetic discourse. The analysis reveals that skepticism in these ghazals transcends mere negation; it serves as a creative mode of inquiry that reconsiders identity, reality, human relationships and cultural assumptions. The study concludes that skeptical thought has expanded the intellectual and aesthetic horizons of the contemporary ghazal, making it a dynamic medium for engaging with the complexities of modern life.