Chandigarh, May 28 -- Poets, writers and lovers of Urdu poetry across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on Wednesday mourned the passing away of legendary Urdu poet Bashir Badr, recalling his unforgettable presence at mushairas across the region for decades.

From the 1970s onwards, scarcely any major mushaira in Punjab, Haryana or Chandigarh felt complete without Badr, whose arrival would often become the highlight of the evening.

Badr passed away at the age of 91 in Bhopal after suffering from dementia for several years, marking the end of an era in Urdu poetry.

Admired across languages, generations and borders, he was credited with bringing a modern sensibility to Urdu verse, reshaping its metaphors and expressions to reflect changing t...