Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan also known as Ghalib was born on Dec. 27, 1797 in Agra to parents of turkish aristocratic ancestry. Not many of us know that Ghalib's earlier pen-name was 'Asad'. But when Ghalib came across this sher which used the same pen-name('Takhallus')"Asad us jafaa par butoN say wafaa ki
Meray sher shabaash rahmat kHuda ki."
(Asad worshipped idols after being betrayed. My couplets are great, by mercy of God)
Ghalib apparently said that whoever authored this 'sher' should get lots of mercy(rahmat) of God but if it is mine then lots of shame(laanat) on me, And consequently he changed his 'Takhallus' to Ghalib which literally means a conqueror.
Enough of introduction and let's move to the works of Ghalib
A piece of art which is rarely read,heard or sung by any aficionado of Ghalib.
Balli maarhah ke mahalle ki wo pechida daleeloN ki see wo galiYanOne more...
saamne Taal ke nuKkad pe baTeroN ke posheede
guD-guDaati hui paaN pi peekoN meiN wo daad wo waH-waH
chand darwaaze par laTke huye boshida se kuch TaaT ke parde
ek baKri ke mamiyaane ki awaaZ
aur dhoondhlaayi huyi shaam ke be-noor andhere
aise deewaroN se mooH joD kar chalte haiN yahaN
chuDi-waala unke katri ke badi bee jaise
apNi boojHti hui aaNkhoN se darwaaze TaTole
aisee be-noor andheri see gali qaasim se
ek quran-e-sukhan ka safa khulta hai
asad allah Khan 'GHalib' ka patha milta hai.
Great one isn't it?
There are many in the list. Let us have a look at few very famous 'sher' of the maestro
1)har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ke 'too kya hai'
tumheeN kaho ke yeh andaaz-e-guftgoo kya hai
guftgoo = conversation
One more...
2)baazeechaa-e-atfaal hai duniya mere aage
hota hai shab-o-roz tamaasha mere aage
baazeechaa = play/sport, atfaal = children
mat pooch ke kya haal hai mera tere peeche
too dekh ke kya rang tera mere aage
3)bus ki dushwaar hai har kaam ka aasaaN hona
aadmee ko bhee muyassar naheeN insaaN hona
dushwaar = difficult, muyassar = possible
kee mere qatl ke baad usne jafa se tauba
haay us zood_pashemaaN ka pashemaaN hona
jafa = oppression, zood = quickly, pashemaaN = ashamed/mortified
haif us chaar girah kapDe ki qismat 'GHalib'
jis ki qismat meiN ho aashiq ka girebaaN hona
haif = alas!, girah = one sixteenth of a yard, girebaaN = collar
The Last one...
4)hazaaroN KHwahishaiN 'eisee ke har KHwahish pe dam nikle
bohot nikle mere armaaN lekin fir bhee kam nikle
nikalna KHuld se aadam ka sunte aayaiN haiN lekin
bohot be_aabru hokar tere kooche se ham nikle
KHuld = heaven, be_aabaru = disgrace, koocha = street
magar likhwaaye koee usko KHat, to hamse likhawaaye
huee subah aur ghar se kaan par rakhkar qalam nikle
KHuda ke waaste parda na kaabe se uThaa zaalim
kaheeN 'eisa na ho yaaN bhee wohee kaafir sanam nikle
kahaaN maiKHaane ka darwaaza 'GHalib' aur kahaaN waaiz
par itana jaante haiN kal wo jaata tha ke ham nikle
waaiz = preacher/advisor
I selected few 'sher' as selection was left to my discretion,
though there are many other 'sher' which you would prefer or
rate them as better than those provided here. All in all
Ghalib will be remembered for the centuries to come and no
one can replace him. Hats off to Ghalib.
"haiN aur bhee duniya meiN suKHanwar bohot achche
kehte haiN ki 'GHalib' ka hai andaaz-e-bayaaN aur"
[suKHanwar = Poet]
