Ghalib's letters
Vasmi Abidi
Reading the letters written by Ghalib is almost as much fun as
reading his shairi. sometimes even more fun, because he includes
shairi in his letters, along with explanatory remarks. Also, his
unique sense of humor shines through in many places.
In one letter he writes:
"Hazrat, here is a verse in the Bengali idiom which I brought back as
a souvenir from Kalkatta in 1829 for the entertainment of my nearest
and dearest:
Tum kahe the raat men aaenge so aaye nahin
qibla banda raat bhar is gham se kuchH khaaye nahin.
"
I found this sher delightful!
Another interesting thing is the way he signed off, usually with a
rhyme:
"Javaab ka talib, Ghalib" or "nijaat ka talib, Ghalib".
I was hoping to try the same tarkeeb, but found it is really hard to
rhyme with my name :). The best I could come up with is:
banda-e-jahaan-e-tilasmi,
Vasmi
===
Ref: "Urdu Letters of Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib", translated and
annotated
by Daud Rahbar, State University of New York Press.
Jamil Ahmad
> Alupers ko adab.
>
> Reading the letters written by Ghalib is almost as much fun as
> reading his shairi. sometimes even more fun, because he includes
> shairi in his letters, along with explanatory remarks. Also, his
> unique sense of humor shines through in many places.
>
> In one letter he writes:
> "Hazrat, here is a verse in the Bengali idiom which I brought back as
> a souvenir from Kalkatta in 1829 for the entertainment of my nearest
> and dearest:
>
> Tum kahe the raat men aaenge so aaye nahin
> qibla banda raat bhar is gham se kuchH khaaye nahin.
> "
>
> I found this sher delightful!
Indeed, Ghalib's letters are a pleasure to read. What strikes one on
reading them is the spontaneity and "be-takallufi" of the writer.
I copy one of the letters he wrote to someone who had sent him a
ghazal for correction.
"Hazrat! Ghazal saraa-sar hamvaar o zauq angez hai. aik she'r meN
aik lafz banaaya gaya. Aik she'r ka pehla misra' badal diya gaya
Momin Khan ke is misre' meN taraddud kia hai
"tum se dushman ki mubaarak baad kia"
'se' ba-ma'ni 'az' nahiN hai balkeh ba-ma'ni misl o maaniNd hai, ya'ni
"chooN to dushman agar tehniyat dahad bar aan cheh 'aitebaar" [If an
enemy such as you congratulates me, how can I believe.]
"vasl ke va'de se ho shaad kia
tum se dushman ki mubaarak baad kia"
ya'ni agar tum ne kaha keh lo mabaarak ho, kal ham aa'yeN ge ya tumheN
bulaayeN ge, ham aise va'de se kia khush hoN. tum jaise dushmanoN ke
mubaarak dene se kia hota hai.
Ghalib
19 March 1864
Obviously, the person to whom this was written had sought
clarification of Momin's she'r. Ghalib explained that "tum se" here
means "tum jaise, or like you", not "from you". This shows that no
point was too small or trivial to ask of the great poet, who would
then give a clear explanation, including translating the line in
question into Farsi, if that cold make it clear.
It might be interesting to see what the corrections were that Ghalib
made to the ash'aar that were sent to him. In the collection of
Ghalib's letters edited by Mahesh Parshad, the following information
appears about the "islaah" ghalib gave to his correspondent (junoon
Barelvi).
[Junoon] ne 11 she'r islaah ke liye bhaije haiN. in par islaah ka
tazkarah hai. ...
teesre she'r ka aik lafz badla hai:
dil laga kar dil kahiN lagta nahiN
ishq hai yaa rab, koi aazaar hai
[Ghalib ne] "hai" ko kaaT kar "kia" baRhaaya:
ishq yaa rab kia koi aazaar hai
aaThvaaN she'r tha:
vasl kia, bosa nahiN milta hameN
ishq mazdoori nahiN begaar hai
[Ghalib ne] misra' badal diya:
bosa us lab se kabhi milta nahiN
-----------
Small changes, but how they improve the verses!
> Another interesting thing is the way he signed off, usually with a
> rhyme:
> "Javaab ka talib, Ghalib" or "nijaat ka talib, Ghalib".
>
> I was hoping to try the same tarkeeb, but found it is really hard to
> rhyme with my name :). The best I could come up with is:
>
> banda-e-jahaan-e-tilasmi,
> Vasmi
I better not try that kind of rhyme with MY name. The first rhyming
word that came to mind was down right insulting.
So, faqat
Jamil
Nita
> rhyme:
> "Javaab ka talib, Ghalib" or "nijaat ka talib, Ghalib".
I was under the impression that he signed off most of his letters as
Mirza Nausha. Can someone confirm or refute this?
Thanks
Nita
Jamil Ahmad
Of the many letters that I've seen in published collections, I don't
recall any one being signed off as Mirza Nausha. Most were just signed
off with "Ghalib"; others, variously with "Asad", Asadullah",
"Asadullah Khan", "Asadullah be-dast gaah", "Ghalib-e-be-navaa",
"najaat ka taalib Ghalib", "javaab ka taalib, Ghalib", "daad ka
taalib, Ghalib", " 'afoo ka taalib, Ghalib", "marg-e-naagaah ka
taalib, Ghalib".
Jamil
Vasmi Abidi
naqsh fariyaadii hai kis kii shoKhii-e-tahariir kaa
kaaGazii hai pairahan har paikar-e-tasviir kaa
Well, here's an explanation in his own words (*)
Whose saucy hand is the reason
for the outcry of script?
Every object portrayed
is wearing paper garments.
"It was a custom in Iran for everyone who came before a judge to seek
redress to wear paper garments. This was the same as carrying a lit
torch in daylight or carrying a blood-smeared bit of fabric wound
around the tip of a piece of bamboo, which are also demonstrations of
a clamoring for justice. So the poet muses and wonders whose
saucy-spirited pen-strokes are the cause of the loud outcry for
justice, every line of the portrayal being clad in paper apparel. The
idea is that though existence, like pictures, is mere make-believe, it
is nevertheless a source of pain, sorrow and woe."
========
(*) Daud Rahbar's translation in "Urdu letters of Mirza Asadullah
Khan Ghalib."
The above is from a letter from Ghalib to Mohammad Abdur Razzaq
Shakir.
I do not have access to this material in the original urdu.
If someone does, could they please post it here?
Best regards,
Vasmi
Vijay Kumar
>If someone does, could they please post it here?
>
Vasmi Sahib, the she'r in question is indeed considered one of the
more difficult ones to understand, even by Ghalib standards. I post
below the Ghalib tashreeh in Urdu, as well the take by some other
literati. I forewarn however that people may still be none the wiser,
as I am; as the tashreeh itself is quite difficult to follw. Be as it
may, here goes. First Ghalib himself:
"iiraan meN rasam hai keh daad Kh'waah (faryaadii) kaaghaz ke kapRe
pehan kar haakim ke saamne jaataa hai, jaise misha'al din ko
jalaana-Khoon aalood kapRa baaNs par latka kar le jaana- bas shaair
Khyaal karta hai keh naqsh kis kii shoKhii-e-tehriir kaa faryaadii hai
jo soorat-e-tasaviir hai- is kaa perahan kaagh'zii hai, ya'ani hastii
agar cheh misal-e-t'saveer-o-aitbaar-e-mehaz ho,
moajab-e-raNj-o-m'laal-o-aazaar hai"
ab mulaahiza farmaaeN keh is she'r se shaarheen ne kya kya n'taaij
aKh'z kiie haiN:
Saiid: "insaan kii be-bood hastii aur k'shaa kash-e-hayaat ka naqshaa
alfaaz meN kheeNchaa gaya hai-haasil she'r ka yeh hai keh hastii
Khwaah voh kisii cheez kii bhii ho, ba'ais-e-t'kaleef-o-raNj hai-
hatta keh tasveer tak bhii jo keh siraf aik hastii-e-mehaz hai-
ba-z'baan-e-haal faryaad kar rahii hai keh mujh ko hast kar ke kyoN
raNj-e-hastii meN mubtlaa kiia jaisaa keh is kii kaagh'zii perahan se
zaahir hai".
Aasi-o-s'haa: "maulaana room ne is mafhoom ko in asha'ar meN ada kiia
hai:
bashn'waaz nae chooN hakaayat me kuNd
vaz judaaii-e-haa shikaayat me kuNd
kaz neeshaaN ta maraa berbadah aNd
az naziiram mardozan naleedah aNd
matlab yeh hai keh asal se judaa hone ke ba'ad izt'raarii kefiiat
paidaa honaa zaroorii hai, nae jab neestan se judaa hotii hai to us
meN faryaad karne kii quwa'at paida ho jaati hai- is tarah jab tasviir
kaaghaz banaaii jaatii hai to vuh apne kaaghazii libaas kii ba-daulat
naqaash kii shoKhii-e-taKhliiq kii z'baan-e-haal se faryaad karne
lagtii hai"
BeKhud: " 'har paikar-e-tasveer' se muraad jumlaa haivaanaat,
jamaadaat aur nibaataat se hai aur yeh saarii cheezeN fanaa hone
vaalii haiN- jab maujodaat-e-aalam kaa yeh haal ho to naqsh-e-hastii
ka apnii be-sabaatiii par faryaadii honaa shayar ke
tqaKhayyal-e-bulaNd aur ghair ma'amoolii jiddat ka saboot-e-kaamil
hai".
t'baa t'baaii: "kaagh'zii perahan pehanane kaa rivaaj na kahiiN dekha
aur na kahiiN suna. jab tak is she'r meN koii aisa laf'z na ho jis se
f'naa fii allah hone kaa shauq aur hastii-e-aitbaarii se nafrat
zaahir ho, us vaqat tak ise ba-ma'anii nahiiN keh sakte. musannaf ki
gharaz yeh thii keh naqsh-e-tasveer faryaadii hai hastii-e-be-aitbaar
aur be-tauqeer ka aur yihii sabab hai kaaghazii perahan hone kaa.
she'r meN hastii-e-be-aitbaar kii guNjaaish na ho sakii. is sabab se
keh qafiia mazaahim thaa aur maqsood thaa mat'laa kehna. is liie
hastii ke badle shoKhii-e-tehriir keh diia. she'r be-ma'anii hai". !!!
tabaa t'baii ke ilaavah t'maam shaarheen is she'r ko ba-ma'anii
bataate haiN. kaaghzii perahan pehnane ke s'maaj ke saboot meN yeh
asha'ar pesh kiie jaa sakte haiN:
taa keh dast qadar ma z'dast to bar bood qalam
kaaghzii perahan azdast qadar bao m'raad
baba afghaanii
kaaghzii jamah b'posheed ao badar gaah aamad
zadah-e-Khatir man taa bad hii daad miraa
k'maal ismaailii.
This is a verbatim quote from the book "Bayaan-e-ghalib sharah
Deewaan-e-Ghalib" by Aaga Muhammad Baqar. (The three exclamation marks
after t'baa t'baaii's comments are, however, mine:-))
Regards,
Vijay Kumar
Vasmi Abidi
> I forewarn however that people may still be none the wiser,
> as I am; as the tashreeh itself is quite difficult to follow.
You said it!
Vaah Vijay Sahab, main to sirf original urdu ki ummeed kar raha tha,
magar aapke lajavaab javaab se to ummeed bhi hairaan ho gayee!
Saiid ki tashreeh kuChh had tak mere palle paDi, so isi se dil ko
behla loonga.
tbaa tbaai's criticism is priceless! (did he always write like that?)
Aapne itna kuCh yahaaN likhne ki zahmat ki, iska bahut bahut shukria.
yaqeenan, Alupers me aur bhi honge jinhe yeh paDhkar bahut lutf aaya
hoga.
Regards,
Vasmi
Raj Kumar
Ghaalib ke is mash_hoor she'r par jo mufassal iqtebaas aap ne baham
pahuNchaaya hai, us ke liye sabhi ALUPers aap ke mamnoon-o-maqrooz hoN
ge. meri apni jaanib se aap ka bahut bahut shukriya.
On the lighter side, please hear this little story.
[To enjoy the story fully, one should re-read the very lucid tashreeh
of Saiid, as given below].
>
> Saiid: "insaan kii be-bood hastii aur k'shaa kash-e-hayaat ka naqshaa
> alfaaz meN kheeNchaa gaya hai-haasil she'r ka yeh hai keh hastii
> Khwaah voh kisii cheez kii bhii ho, ba'ais-e-t'kaleef-o-raNj hai-
> hatta keh tasveer tak bhii jo keh siraf aik hastii-e-mehaz hai-
> ba-z'baan-e-haal faryaad kar rahii hai keh mujh ko hast kar ke kyoN
> raNj-e-hastii meN mubtlaa kiia jaisaa keh is kii kaagh'zii perahan se
> zaahir hai".
kahaani yeh hai ke Aligarh ke aek mushaa'ire meiN, jahaaN Majaaz bhi
maujood the, kuchh Khwaateen apne saath apne chhoTe chhoTe bachchoN ko
bhi le aayeeN. husn-e-ittefaaq se, jab Majaaz apna kalaam paRh rahe
the to aek bachche ne zor zor se rona shuroo' kar diya. Majaaz ne
fauran apne kalaam ko roka aur, jis taraf se rone ki aavaaz aayee thi,
us taraf ishaara karte huye bulaNd aavaaz meiN bole:
"naqsh faryaadi hai kis ki shoKhi-e-tehreer ka?" :-))
aan ki aan meiN, mushaa'ira qahqaha-zaar ban gayaa.
Raj Kumar
Vijay Kumar
>(did he always write like that?)
>
> Regards,
> Vasmi
Vasmi Sahib, to answer your question, here is another example of T'baa
T'baaii's commentary. This time he comments on just the last quarter
of this gem by Ghalib:
koii mere dil se puucche, tire tiir-e-niimkash ko
yeh Khalish kahaN se hotii, jo jigar ke paar hota
T'baa T'baaii: 'jo' ka 'vao' vazan se saaqit hai aur yeh durust
balkeh fasiih hai. lekin is ke saaqit hone se do 'jeem' j'maa ho gae
aur t'naafar paida ho gaya. yeh Khoobii-e-mazmoon hai keh aisii batoN
ka koii Khayaal nahiiN karta.
Yes, I find him, er, priceless:-)
Regards,
Vijay Kumar
Jamil Ahmad
> t'baa t'baaii: "kaagh'zii perahan pehanane kaa rivaaj na kahiiN dekha
> aur na kahiiN suna. jab tak is she'r meN koii aisa laf'z na ho jis se
> f'naa fii allah hone kaa shauq aur hastii-e-aitbaarii se nafrat
> zaahir ho, us vaqat tak ise ba-ma'anii nahiiN keh sakte. musannaf ki
> gharaz yeh thii keh naqsh-e-tasveer faryaadii hai hastii-e-be-aitbaar
> aur be-tauqeer ka aur yihii sabab hai kaaghazii perahan hone kaa.
> she'r meN hastii-e-be-aitbaar kii guNjaaish na ho sakii. is sabab se
> keh qafiia mazaahim thaa aur maqsood thaa mat'laa kehna. is liie
> hastii ke badle shoKhii-e-tehriir keh diia. she'r be-ma'anii hai". !!!
>
> tabaa t'baii ke ilaavah t'maam shaarheen is she'r ko ba-ma'anii
> bataate haiN. kaaghzii perahan pehnane ke s'maaj ke saboot meN yeh
> asha'ar pesh kiie jaa sakte haiN:
>
> This is a verbatim quote from the book "Bayaan-e-ghalib sharah
> Deewaan-e-Ghalib" by Aaga Muhammad Baqar. (The three exclamation marks
> after t'baa t'baaii's comments are, however, mine:-))
>
> Regards,
>
> Vijay Kumar
Vijay Sahib:
Your posting of the various people's interpretation of this engmatic
she'r has solved a curious enigma of my own, which I was not able to
resolve.
Jean Mareek (I may have the spelling wrong) is an eminent Czech
orientialist, regarded along with Ann-Marie Schimmel as the foremost
Western authority on Urdu poetry. Mareek is doing research on Ghalib.
He once said: "Ghalib is undoubtedly the greatest of Urdu poets, but
he is also the most difficult to understand. I once asked Faiz Ahmed
Faiz the meaning of the first she'r in Ghalib's divan. Faiz replied
that this is a merely a beautiful she'r and in a she'r it is not
necessary to express a particular thing or idea."
Mareek went on to say, "I know the meaning of every single word
individually, but when I tried to understand the she'r as a whole, I
could not."
Now undoubtedly Mareek has read at least a few of the 40 books or so
that have been written to explain Divan-e-Ghalib, and must have read
Ghalib's letter dealing with the she'r. Faiz too, being so well read,
must have come across these explanation. (Faiz once said in an
interview that he kept a copy of the divan at the place where he
worked and another copy under his pillow, so that he could read it
almost every day. Also, noteworthy is the fact that Faiz called his
first book "Naqsh-e-Faryaadi".) Then how come these two authorities
were unaware of the conventional meaning of the she'r? In short, this
was what had always puzzled me.
Now after reading the article posted by Vijay Sahib, I believe that to
Mareek and Faiz, like Tabaatabaa'i before them, the conventional
meaning was just not convincing enough, and they held the view that
the meaning, if any, is not what Ghalib gave or what others have
given.
The fact that Ghalib himself interpreted it in a certain way is quite
irrelevant. Artist creates but is not the best person to interpret
the creation.
iraadatmand
Jamil
Sana Ali
I found your post to be very enlightening as well as interesting.
Alup is blessed to have assets like you :-)
Please keep posting.
Khair andaish
Sana
jamil...@my-deja.com (Jamil Ahmad) wrote in message news:<9d8ed87c.01081...@posting.google.com>...
Jamil Ahmad
> Mohtaram Jamil Sahab
>
> I found your post to be very enlightening as well as interesting.
>
> Alup is blessed to have assets like you :-)
>
> Please keep posting.
>
> Khair andaish
>
> Sana
Salaam. IhsaanmaNd nooN keh aap ne hauslah-afzaai farmaa'i. agar
aa'indah kuchh kehne ke qaabil baat hu'i to zaroor post karooN ga.
aap se bhi guzaarish hai keh vaqtan favaqtan apne khayaalat se hameN
mustafeed rakheN.
iraadatman
Jamil