Are we in Debt to Ghalib?

by Russel Philip    June 26, 2008

Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib (1797- 1869) was a court poet to the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. Ghalib wrote in both Persian and Urdu but is famous for his self-selected collection of 2,000 Urdu couplets. He enlarged the range of Urdu literature in the nineteenth century much ahead of its hitherto romantic focus. His poetry reflected his fluctuating fortunes, the stagnation of his own society and the onslaught of the British conquest on his beloved city Delhi during the revolt of 1857.

The Ghalib Academy in New Delhi was established as a `literary and cultural' memorial by Hakeem Abdul Hameed, to eternalize memory of Ghalib in 1969. Undoubtedly he was and is the best Urdu poet world has ever produced. Today there is nobody to take care of his grave at Nizzamudin. Most of the time its locked, if requested the gate keeper may open the lock for you. In case he is not around you will have to light candle from outside only. There are four other small and medium sized graves inside one of his wife and rest of his children.

People say Ghalib was severely into debt due to his drinking habits and there were co-poets who were not really convinced with his style of writing and habits both. This was another reason of Ghalib being outrageous about the king’s court. His last few years were full of sorrow and misfortune as his son also died apart from him being bankrupt. Nevertheless the quality of poetry he has gifted the world will always remain unmatched and unforgettable for many years and generations. And after seeing the bad conditions of his and his family's grave, I would say we are n debt to him. Some of his famous works are………

Hain aur bhi duniya mein Sukhanwar bahut achchhe
Kehte hain ke GHALIB ka hai Andaaz-e- Bayaan aur......

Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib Al'maaruf ba Mirza Nousha wa Najmud'doula Dabirul Mulk Asadullah Khan Bahadur Nizam Jung Al Mutakhallus ba GHALIB dar Faarsi wa ASAD dar Rekhta.

baaziichaa-e-atfaal hai duniyaa mere aage
hotaa hai shab-o-roz tamaashaa mere aage
mat puuchh ke kyaa haal hai meraa tere piichhe
tuu dekh ke kyaa rang hai teraa mere aage

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Rate It:

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5