Generally people associate Ghalib with dejection, separation, frustration, etc. All these feelings are quite apparent in his work. But the legend called Ghalib is much more than that. Even while displaying the same feelings of grief, separation, broken-heartedness, the words he used, and specially the linkages that he made of his feelings with phenomena of nature, beauty of his lover and sometimes religious and social dogma is really amazing.
I’ll like to discuss about few of the amazing shayaris of Ghalib:
I’ll like to discuss about few of the amazing shayaris of Ghalib:
1. Harek baat pe kehte ho tum ki tu kya hai
This was the introductory ghazal for the TV series. It starts like this:
“हैं और भी दुनिया में सुखनवर बहुत अच्छे,
कहतेहैं की गालिब का है अंदाज़-ऐ-बयान और”
Which means that though there are many poets and masters of words in the world, but the style of Ghalib was somewhat ‘different’. I dont think this was written by Ghalib himself, but it may be possible if we look at other works of Ghalib.
“हर एक बात पे कहते हो तुम के ‘तू क्या है’ ?
तुम्ही कहो के यह अंदाज़-ऐ-गुफ्तगू क्या है ?
रगों में दौड़ते फिरने के हम नही कायल
जब आँख ही से न टपका तो फ़िर लहू क्या है ?”
Which means that ‘why do you boast yourself and disgrace others by belittling them.
The next line is a marvel. He says that I am no fan or admirer of something that is ‘able to flow through veins’ (like blood). If it can’t get out of eyes like tears, then whats so special about it? This beautiful verse tells that tears that a person sheds are more powerful than the blood that flows in the veins.
“चिपक रहा है बदन पर लहू से पैराहन
हमारी जेब को अब हाजते रफू क्या है?"
(पैराहन=clothes, हाजत=requirement, रफू=mending)
Which means that clothes are attached with the body through blood, now what is the use of mending my pockets? He questions the materialism and money mindedness here. Being soaked in blood, and clothes sticking to body because of blood, signifies the state of pain, and mending of pocket signifies longing of worldly needs. The use of word ‘pocket’ is important as money is usually kept in pockets.
“जला है जिस्म जहाँ दिल भी जल गया होगा,
कुरेदते हो अब राख-ऐ-जुस्तजू क्या है ?”
(राख-ऐ-जुस्तजू= ambitions reduced to ashes)
Ghalib says that heart along with its desires might have got burnt the same way as the body (burnt in pain) now what is the use of searching for any leftover ambitions? Quite simple but very effective
“रही न ताक़त-ऐ-गुफ्तार और अगर हो भी,
तो किस उम्मीद से कहिये की आरजू क्या है ?”
(ताक़त-ऐ-गुफ्तार= strength to speak)
This is again one of the best of Ghalib. He says that ‘I no longer have strength to speak anymore. And even if I have, I cannot tell what my desire is, as I have no hopes left’. Which means that pain has left me speechless and hopeless.
2.Hazaron Khwahishe aisi
One of the most famous ghazal of Mirza Ghalib’s shayaris. The verses go like this:
“हजारों ख्वाहिशें ऐसी की हर ख्वाहिश पे दम निकले,
बहुत निकले मेरे अरमान लेकिन फिर भी कम निकले”
Ghalib says ‘I have plethora of desire, and each desire is such as ‘to die for’’. This means there is a deadly(strong) longing for those desires. He says that desires are never ending. Even if most of them get fulfilled, we still feel unsatisfied.
“मोहब्बत में नही है फर्क जीने और मरने का,
उसी को देख कर जीते हैं, जिस काफिर पे दम निकले”
(काफिर=infidel, liar)
Ghalib says that life and death in love, both are related to the beloved. Here life refers to the pleasure of being with the beloved and death refers to the pain of separation because the lover turns out to be a betrayer/liar. He says that the company of the same person gives life whose betrayal gives death, so there is not much difference between life and death in love.
“निकलना खुल्द से आदम का सुनते आए हैं लेकिन,
बहुत बेआबरू होकर तेरे कूचे से हम निकले”
(खुल्द=heaven, आदम=Adam, बेआबरू =insulted, कूचा=house)
Ghalib says that we have heard about the disgraceful banishment of Adam from heaven, but my banishment from your house (by your rejection/betrayal) was much more disgraceful.
“खुदा के वास्ते परदा न काबे से उठा जालिम,
कहीं ऐसा न हो या भी वही काफिर सनम निकले”
(काबा=shrine)
This one is amazing. Here Ghalib asks (probably religious people) not to unveil the shrine, as he might see his beloved beneath the shrine instead of God; the same beloved who had betrayed in love. It also means that Ghalib is saying that the truth which can hurt let it be untold. ‘Ignorance is bliss’ as the truth can be as disheartening as the betrayal of a lover.
“कहाँ मैखाने का दरवाजा ‘गालिब', और कहाँ वाईज ,
पर इतना जानते हैं, कल वो जाता था की हम निकले”
(मैखाना=place where wine is served, वाईज =priest)
Here Ghalib says that, a person who is believed to be as pure as a priest, and a place which is believed to be as sinful as a place where wine is served, these two things cannot be related as per social norms. But he says that ‘yesterday when I was leaving that place (after drinking wine), the priest came in’. This does not, however, shows that the priests or religious heads are corrupt. It means that every person on this earth has weakness. If we go by the first verse, we can say that every person (even someone like priest, who can be considered as unearthly) has some desire which needs to be fulfilled.
3. Achcha Hai…
This is also one of my favourites:
“उनके देखे से जो आ जाती हैं यूँ मुह पर रौनक,
वो समझते हैं की बीमार का हाल अच्छा है”
(रौनक=smile)
This is Ghalib at his best. He says if I smile looking at you you feel that I am alright, even if I am feeling pain at the core of my heart. It shows that sometimes people require something more than a sympathizing gesture.
“देखिये पाते हैं उशाक बुतों से क्या फैज़,
एक बराहमन ने कहा है की ये साल अच्छा है”
(उशाक=lovers, फैज़=blessings, बराहमन =a learned person)
This verse clearly distinguishes lovers from remaining (sane) people. Ghalib says that lets’ see what kinds of blessings we can get from the lovers, though the learned ones say that everything is going to be allright.
“हमको मालूम है जन्नत की हकी़त लेकिन,
दिल के खुश रखने को ‘गालिब'ये ख्याल अच्छा है”
(जन्नत=heaven)
This is my favourite. Ghalib says that even though we know the reality of the heaven, its good to live in its illusion. Here reality of heaven means that hopelessness has no end, but the illusion of heaven is somewhat a soothing feeling which says that everything is going to be allright.
4. Yun Hota to kya Hota
This one is also a famous ghazal by Mirza Ghalib:
“न था कुछ तो खुदा था कुछ न होता तो खुदा होता,
डुबोया मुझको होने ने, न होता मैं तो क्या होता”
Ghalib says that when there was nothing, there was God and He will remain when there will be nothing. I am suffering because of my existence, what would have happened had I not existed.
“हुआ जब ग़म से यूँ बेहिस, तो ग़म क्या सर के काटने का,
न होता यूँ जुदा तन से तो जानो पर धारा होता”
(बेहिस=tormented, तन=बॉडी, जान=knees)
This is again a masterpiece. Ghalib says that when I am suffering so excruciatingly from grief and pain, that I won’t mind being beheaded. If not removed that way, my head will rest on my knees anyway. (The posture of crying while sitting with head bend on knees)
“हुई मुद्दत की गालिब मर गया पर याद आता है,
वो हर एक बात पे कहना, की यूँ होता तो क्या होता”
Simple yet powerful. Ghalib says that when I will die people will remember me (as an insane) who used to say that what would have happened if this had happened….
While searching for the deep meaning works of Ghalib, I c ame across many blogs. One such blog is here:
http://nisthaonweb.com/art/
It contains the lucid narrations and meaning of the lyrics of some of the famous shayaris of Ghalib. Two of my favorite ghazals of the TV series on Mirza Ghalib, which used to come on Doordarshan long back, are beautifully explained here:
“Ye na thi hamari qismat, ki visaal-e-yaar hota”
http://nisthaonweb.com/art/2008/10/09/ye-na-thi-hamari-kismet/
“Baazecha-e-atfaal hai duniya mere aage”
http://nisthaonweb.com/art/2008/08/07/baazeecha-e-atfaal-hai-duniya-mere-aage/
Which means that clothes are attached with the body through blood, now what is the use of mending my pockets? He questions the materialism and money mindedness here. Being soaked in blood, and clothes sticking to body because of blood, signifies the state of pain, and mending of pocket signifies longing of worldly needs. The use of word ‘pocket’ is important as money is usually kept in pockets.
“जला है जिस्म जहाँ दिल भी जल गया होगा,
कुरेदते हो अब राख-ऐ-जुस्तजू क्या है ?”
(राख-ऐ-जुस्तजू= ambitions reduced to ashes)
Ghalib says that heart along with its desires might have got burnt the same way as the body (burnt in pain) now what is the use of searching for any leftover ambitions? Quite simple but very effective
“रही न ताक़त-ऐ-गुफ्तार और अगर हो भी,
तो किस उम्मीद से कहिये की आरजू क्या है ?”
(ताक़त-ऐ-गुफ्तार= strength to speak)
This is again one of the best of Ghalib. He says that ‘I no longer have strength to speak anymore. And even if I have, I cannot tell what my desire is, as I have no hopes left’. Which means that pain has left me speechless and hopeless.
2.Hazaron Khwahishe aisi
One of the most famous ghazal of Mirza Ghalib’s shayaris. The verses go like this:
“हजारों ख्वाहिशें ऐसी की हर ख्वाहिश पे दम निकले,
बहुत निकले मेरे अरमान लेकिन फिर भी कम निकले”
Ghalib says ‘I have plethora of desire, and each desire is such as ‘to die for’’. This means there is a deadly(strong) longing for those desires. He says that desires are never ending. Even if most of them get fulfilled, we still feel unsatisfied.
“मोहब्बत में नही है फर्क जीने और मरने का,
उसी को देख कर जीते हैं, जिस काफिर पे दम निकले”
(काफिर=infidel, liar)
Ghalib says that life and death in love, both are related to the beloved. Here life refers to the pleasure of being with the beloved and death refers to the pain of separation because the lover turns out to be a betrayer/liar. He says that the company of the same person gives life whose betrayal gives death, so there is not much difference between life and death in love.
“निकलना खुल्द से आदम का सुनते आए हैं लेकिन,
बहुत बेआबरू होकर तेरे कूचे से हम निकले”
(खुल्द=heaven, आदम=Adam, बेआबरू =insulted, कूचा=house)
Ghalib says that we have heard about the disgraceful banishment of Adam from heaven, but my banishment from your house (by your rejection/betrayal) was much more disgraceful.
“खुदा के वास्ते परदा न काबे से उठा जालिम,
कहीं ऐसा न हो या भी वही काफिर सनम निकले”
(काबा=shrine)
This one is amazing. Here Ghalib asks (probably religious people) not to unveil the shrine, as he might see his beloved beneath the shrine instead of God; the same beloved who had betrayed in love. It also means that Ghalib is saying that the truth which can hurt let it be untold. ‘Ignorance is bliss’ as the truth can be as disheartening as the betrayal of a lover.
“कहाँ मैखाने का दरवाजा ‘गालिब', और कहाँ वाईज ,
पर इतना जानते हैं, कल वो जाता था की हम निकले”
(मैखाना=place where wine is served, वाईज =priest)
Here Ghalib says that, a person who is believed to be as pure as a priest, and a place which is believed to be as sinful as a place where wine is served, these two things cannot be related as per social norms. But he says that ‘yesterday when I was leaving that place (after drinking wine), the priest came in’. This does not, however, shows that the priests or religious heads are corrupt. It means that every person on this earth has weakness. If we go by the first verse, we can say that every person (even someone like priest, who can be considered as unearthly) has some desire which needs to be fulfilled.
3. Achcha Hai…
This is also one of my favourites:
“उनके देखे से जो आ जाती हैं यूँ मुह पर रौनक,
वो समझते हैं की बीमार का हाल अच्छा है”
(रौनक=smile)
This is Ghalib at his best. He says if I smile looking at you you feel that I am alright, even if I am feeling pain at the core of my heart. It shows that sometimes people require something more than a sympathizing gesture.
“देखिये पाते हैं उशाक बुतों से क्या फैज़,
एक बराहमन ने कहा है की ये साल अच्छा है”
(उशाक=lovers, फैज़=blessings, बराहमन =a learned person)
This verse clearly distinguishes lovers from remaining (sane) people. Ghalib says that lets’ see what kinds of blessings we can get from the lovers, though the learned ones say that everything is going to be allright.
“हमको मालूम है जन्नत की हकी़त लेकिन,
दिल के खुश रखने को ‘गालिब'ये ख्याल अच्छा है”
(जन्नत=heaven)
This is my favourite. Ghalib says that even though we know the reality of the heaven, its good to live in its illusion. Here reality of heaven means that hopelessness has no end, but the illusion of heaven is somewhat a soothing feeling which says that everything is going to be allright.
4. Yun Hota to kya Hota
This one is also a famous ghazal by Mirza Ghalib:
“न था कुछ तो खुदा था कुछ न होता तो खुदा होता,
डुबोया मुझको होने ने, न होता मैं तो क्या होता”
Ghalib says that when there was nothing, there was God and He will remain when there will be nothing. I am suffering because of my existence, what would have happened had I not existed.
“हुआ जब ग़म से यूँ बेहिस, तो ग़म क्या सर के काटने का,
न होता यूँ जुदा तन से तो जानो पर धारा होता”
(बेहिस=tormented, तन=बॉडी, जान=knees)
This is again a masterpiece. Ghalib says that when I am suffering so excruciatingly from grief and pain, that I won’t mind being beheaded. If not removed that way, my head will rest on my knees anyway. (The posture of crying while sitting with head bend on knees)
“हुई मुद्दत की गालिब मर गया पर याद आता है,
वो हर एक बात पे कहना, की यूँ होता तो क्या होता”
Simple yet powerful. Ghalib says that when I will die people will remember me (as an insane) who used to say that what would have happened if this had happened….
While searching for the deep meaning works of Ghalib, I c ame across many blogs. One such blog is here:
http://nisthaonweb.com/art/
It contains the lucid narrations and meaning of the lyrics of some of the famous shayaris of Ghalib. Two of my favorite ghazals of the TV series on Mirza Ghalib, which used to come on Doordarshan long back, are beautifully explained here:
“Ye na thi hamari qismat, ki visaal-e-yaar hota”
http://nisthaonweb.com/art/2008/10/09/ye-na-thi-hamari-kismet/
“Baazecha-e-atfaal hai duniya mere aage”
http://nisthaonweb.com/art/2008/08/07/baazeecha-e-atfaal-hai-duniya-mere-aage/
3 comments:
Great post and a really nice blog, read few of your other posts as well impressive i must say..
great post.. read few more posts of yours.. impressive i must say.. keep up the good work
A great homage, well-writ and well developed, all praise~
Post a Comment