Mirza Ghalib

Mirza Ghalib (1796-1869), The greatest poet of Urdu

Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan (مرزا اسد اللہ خان ), pen-name Ghalib (غالب, ġhālib) (27 December 1796 �" 15 February 1869), was a renowned classical Urdu and Persian poet of India. Most notably, he wrote several ghazals during his life, which have since been interpreted and sung in many different ways by different people. He is considered to be the most dominating poet of the region since Kalidasa.

Life

Mirza Ghalib was born in Agra to parents with Turkish aristocratic ancestry. The death of his father and uncle during his youth left Ghalib with no male-dominant figures. He then moved to Delhi. (Although his house in Balli Maaran in the city is a national monument, it is not as well-kept as a national monument should be).

Ghalib's early education has always been a matter of confusion. There are no known records of his formal education, although it was known that his circle of friends in Delhi were some of the most intelligent minds of the time.

Around 1810, he was married into a family of nobles, at the age of thirteen. He had three or four children, none of whom survived (this pain has found its echo in some of Ghalib's ghazals). There are conflicting reports regarding his relationship with his wife. She was considered to be pious, conservative and God-fearing while Ghalib was carefree, unconventional without any scruples, and arguably not very religious, in the strict sense of the word.

Ghalib was very fond of drinking (in this respect, he himself admitted he was not quite a strict "Muslim") and gambling as well. Gambling used to be an offence in Delhi at that time and he was even apprehended once for having indulged in it in his own backyard. It is also believed that Ghalib had an affair with a courtesan who quite admired his poetry.

Ghalib never worked as such for a livelihood but lived on either state patronage, credit or generosity of his friends. His fame came to him posthumously. He had himself remarked during his lifetime that although his age ignored his greatness, it would be recognized by later generations. History has vindicated his claim. He also is arguably the most "written about" among Urdu poets.

He died in Delhi.

Contemporaries and disciples

Ghalib's closest rival was poet Zauq, tutor of Bahadur Shah Zafar II, the then emperor of India with his seat in Delhi. There are some amusing anecdotes of the competition between Ghalib and Zauq and exchange of jibes between them. However, there was mutual respect for each other's talent. Both also admired and acknowledged the supremacy of Meer Taqi Meer, a towering figure of Urdu Poetry of 18th century. Another poet Momin, whose ghazals had a distinctly lyrical flavor, was also a famous contemporary of Ghalib. Maulana Hali is arguably the most famous student of Ghalib.

Ghalib's poetry

Although Ghalib wrote in Persian as well, he is more famous for his ghazals written in Urdu. It is believed he wrote most of his very popular ghazals by the age of nineteen. His ghazals, unlike those of Meer Taqi Meer, contain highly Persianized Urdu, and are therefore not easily understood or appreciated by a vast majority of people without some extra effort. Before Ghalib, ghazal was primarily an expression of anguished love but he expressed philosophy, the travails of life and many such subjects, thus vastly expanding the scope of ghazal. This, together with his many masterpieces, will forever remain his paramount contribution to Urdu Poetry and Literature.

In keeping with the conventions of the classical ghazal, in most of Ghalib's verses, the identity and the gender of the beloved is indeterminate. The beloved could be a beautiful woman, or a beautiful boy, or even God. As the renowned critic/poet/writer Shamsur Rahman Faruqui explains, since the convention of having the "idea" of a lover or beloved instead of an actual lover/beloved freed the poet-protagonist-lover from the demands of "realism", love poetry in Urdu from the last quarter of the seventeenth century onwards consists mostly of "poems about love" and not "love poems" in the Western sense of the term. Ghalib's poetry is a fine illustration of this. Ghalib also excels in deeply introspective and philosophical verses.

His Letters

Not only Urdu poetry but the prose is also indebted to Mirza Ghalib. His letters gave foundation to the easy and popular Urdu. Before Ghalib, letter writing in Urdu was highly ornamental. He made his letters "talking" by using words and sentences as if he is talking to the reader. According to him "sau kos say ba-zabaan-e-qalam baateiN kiya karo aur hijr meiN visaal kay ma-zay liya karo" [ from hundred of miles talk with the tongue of the pen and enjoy the joy of meeting even when you are separated] His letters were very informal, some times he will just write the name of the person and start the letter. He himself was very humorous and also made his letter very interesting. He said "maiN koshish karta hooN keH koi aisi baat likhooN jo pa-Rhay kHoosh ho jaaye" [ I want to write the lines that whoever reads those should enjoy it] When the third wife of one of his friends died, he wrote... "Allah allah aik woH log haiN jo teen teen dafaH iss qaid say chhooT chu-kaiN haiN aur aik hum haiN keH aik ag-lay pachas baras say jo phaNsi ka phaNda ga-lay meiN paRha hai to naH phaNda hi TuT-ta hai naH dum hi nikalta hai" [Allah Allah, there are some among us who have been freed from the prison three times and I have for the past 50 years this rope around my neck neither this rope breaks nor it takes my life] Some scholars says that Ghalib would have the same place in Urdu litterature even only on the basis of his letters.

His Takhallus

His original Takhallus (pen-name) was Asad.but he listened to this sher

Asad us jafaa par butoN say wafaa ki. Meray sher shabaash rahmat kHuda ki.

He said whose sher is this should get lots of rahmat of God but if it is mine then lots of laanat on me, and he changed his takhallus to 'ghalib', which literally means a conqueror.

See note at Urdu poetry#Pen names

Film and TV serial based on Ghalib

Indian Cinema has paid a tribute to the legendary poet through a film (in sepia/black and white) named Mirza Ghalib (made in 1954) in which Bharat Bhushan plays Ghalib and Suraiya plays his courtesan lover, Chaudvin. The musical score of the film was composed by Ghulam Mohammed and his compositions of Ghalib's famous ghazals are likely to remain everlasting favorites among those who fancy such music.

Pakistan Cinema has paid a tribute to the legendary poet as well through another film also named Mirza Ghalib. The film was directed by M.M. Billoo Mehra and produced as well by M.M. Billoo Mehra for S.K. Pictures. The music was composed by Tassaduq Hussain. The film starred Pakistan film superstar Sudhir playing Ghalib and Madam Noor Jehan playing his courtesan lover, Chaudvin. The film was released on November 24, 1961 and reached average status at the box-office, however, the music remains memorable in Pakistan to this day.

Gulzar produced a TV serial titled Mirza Ghalib. It was telecast on Doordarshan (the Indian National Channel) and was quite well-accepted and liked by viewers. Naseeruddin Shah played Ghalib in the serial. The ghazals were sung by Jagjit Singh.

Examples of Ghalib's work

دست گاۂ دیدۂ خوں بارِ مجنوں دیکھنا

یک بیاباں جلوۂ گل فرشِ پا انداز ہ�'

# look at the power/'hand-place' of the blood-scattering eye/gaze of Majnun!# a desertful of the glory/appearance of roses is a foot-wiper (carpet).

or:

2. the foot-wiper (carpet) is a desertful of the glory/appearance of rosesسب کہاں! کچھ لالہ و گل میں نمایاں ہوگئیں

خاک میں، کیاصورتیں ہونگی کہ پنہاں ہو گئیں

عشق مجھ کونہیں ، وحشت ہی سہی میری وحشت، تیری شہرت ہی سہی قطع کیجی�'نہ تعلق ہم س�' کچھ نہیں ہ�' تو عداوت ہی سہی میر�' ہون�' میں ہ�' کیا رسوائی ا�'، وہ مجلس، نہیں خلوت ہی سہی ہم بھی دشمن تو نہیں ہیں اپن�' غیر کو تجھ س�' محبت ہی سہی ہم بھی تسلیم کی خو ڈالیں گ�' ب�' نیازی تیری عادت ہی سہی یار س�' چھیڑ چلی جائ�'، اسد گر نہیں وصل، تو حسرت ہی سہی|-

نقش، فریادی ہ�'کس کی شوخئِ تحریرکا

کاغذی ہ�' پیرہن ہر پیکرِ تصویر کا

کاوِکاوِ سخت جانی، ہائ�'نادانی نا پوچھ

صبح کرنا شام کا، لانا ہ�' جوئ�' شیر کا

جذبۂ ب�' اختیار ِ شوق دیکھا چاہی�'

سینۂ شمشیر س�' باہر، ہ�' دم شمشیر کا

آگہی، دامِ شنیدن، جس قدر چاہ�' بچھائ�'

مدعا عنقا ہ�' اپن�' عالمِ تقریر کا

بس کہ ہوں، غالب! اسیری میں بھی آتش زیرِپا

موئ�'آتش دیدہ ، ہ�' حلقہ مری زنجیر کا|-1. har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ke 'too kya hai' ?
tumheeN kaho ke yeh andaaz-e-guftgoo kya hai ?

[ guftgoo = conversation ]

2. na shole meiN yeh karishma na barq meiN yeh ada
koee batao ki woh shoKH-e-tund_KHoo kya hai ?

[ barq = lightning, tund = sharp/angry, KHoo = behavior ]

3. yeh rashk hai ki wo hota hai ham_suKHan tumse
wagarna KHauf-e-bad_aamozi-e-adoo kya hai ?

[ rashk = jealousy, ham_suKHan = to speak together/to agree,

          KHauf = fear, bad = bad/wicked, aamozee = education/teaching,

adoo = enemy ]

4. chipak raha hai badan par lahoo se pairaahan
hamaaree jeb ko ab haajat-e-rafoo kya hai ?

[ pairaahan = shirt/robe/cloth, haajat = need/necessity, rafoo = mending/darning ]

5. jalaa hai jicm jahaaN dil bhee jal gaya hoga
kuredate ho jo ab raakh, justjoo kya hai ?

[ justjoo = desire ]

6. ragoN meiN dauDte firne ke ham naheeN qaayal
jab aaNkh hee se na Tapka to fir lahoo kya hai ?

7. woh cheez jiske liye hamko ho bahisht azeez
siwaay baada-e-gul_faam-e-mushkaboo kya hai ?

[ bahisht (or bihisht, both are correct) = heaven, baada = wine,

          gul_faam = delicate and fragrant like flowers, mushkaboo = like

the smell of musk ]

8. piyooN sharaab agar KHum bhee dekh looN do chaar
yeh sheesha-o-qadah-o-kooza-o-suboo kya hai ?

[ KHum = wine barrel, qadah = goblet, kooza/suboo = wine pitcher ]

9. rahee na taaqat-e-guftaar, aur agar ho bhee
to kis ummeed pe kahiye ke aarzoo kya hai ?

[ guftaar = speech/discourse ]

10. bana hai shaah ka musaahib, fire hai itaraata
wagarna shehar meiN 'GHalib' kee aabroo kya hai ?

[ musaahib = comrade/associate ]

External links

*The Divan-e Ghalib - in Urdu, with Devanagari and Roman transliterations. Also includes concise commentaries on each verse, as well as other critical information.
*Poetry of Ghalib - Complete Collection of Mirza Ghalib, A large Number of his Ghazals
*The Love Sonnets of Ghalib - Biography, selected works, and all things Ghalib
*Biography and selected works
*Poems of Mirza Ghalib - Selected poems of Mirza Ghalib in picture-based original Urdu script. Text-based InPage files can also be downloaded.
*The Joy of the Drop - 37 poems by Ghalib in English translation.