Mirza Ghalib [ 1796---1869]

Mirza Ghalib is undoubtedly the most famous shayar of Urdu who has been read for more than three centuries -- and still charms the poetry lovers with his deep philosophy and insights, as traced in his poetry.
In the beginning Ghalib used to write under the takhallus of 'Asad'.His full name was Mirza Assadullah Khan . Later he changed his pen name to Ghalib.Fond of his drinks he often bought drinks on credit.When his creditors filed police complaint against him, he was arrested & put behind the bars where he wrote:
' karz ki pite the meiy aur hame malum thaa,
rang layegi ye apni faka masti ek din'.

Ghalib was quite egoisic----sometimes a bitter man; bitter coz Ibrahim Zauq ,whom Ghalib considered less gifted than him, was the official court poet,an important position in the durbar of Delhi.This was the time when India was ruled, or rather misruled, by Bahadur Shah Zafar[ the last Moghul], who was himself a gifted poet. In fact, Zauq was the Ustaad of Bahadur Shah zafar, another fact which antagonised Ghalib. Ghalib was so egoistic that when he applied for the post of a persian teacher in Delhi Colege[ now known as Zakir Hussain College] he did not appear before the Selection Board coz when he went to the college for interview no body had come to receive him at the gate; so much inflated ego he carried.But despite his weaknesses he was a lovable character and a genius as a poet. Incidentally, he had a v unhappy married life & had no children.He was a carefree & liberated man; also had an affair, on the sly, with a courtesan.

Some of his creations coming randomly to my mind are given below:

aashiqee sabr talab aur tamanna betaab...........dil ka kya rang karroon KHoon-e-jigar hone tak............

-----------
dil hii to hai na sang-o-Khisht dard se bhar na aaye kyuu.N
roe.nge ham hazaar baar koii hame.n sataaye kyuu.N


[sang=stone, Khisht=brick]


dair nahii.n haram nahii.n dar nahii.n aastaa.N nahii.n
baiThe hai.n rahaguzar pe ham Gair hame.n uThaaye kyuu.N

------------
aah ko chaahiye ik umr asar hone tak
kaun jiitaa hai terii zulf ke sar hone tak


daam har mauj me.n hai halqaa-e-sad_kaam-e-nahang
dekhe.n kyaa guzare hai qatare pe gauhar hone tak

[daam = net/trap; mauj = wave; halqaa = ring/circle]
[sad = hundred; nahang = crocodile; gauhar = pearl]


aashiqii sabr-talab aur tamannaa betaab
dil kaa kyaa rang karuu.N Khuun-e-jigar hone tak

[sabr-talab=patient]


ham ne maanaa ke taGaaful na karoge lekin
Khaak ho jaaye.nge ham tum ko Khabar hone tak

[taGaaful=neglect/ignore]
-------------
hazaaro.n Khvaahishe.n aisii ki har Khvaaish pe dam nikale
bahut nikale mere armaa.N lekin phir bhii kam nikale


Dare kyuu.N meraa qaatil kyaa rahegaa usakii gardan par
vo Khuu.N jo chashm-e-tar se umr bhar yuu.N dam-ba-dam nikale


[chashm=eye; tar=wet; dam_ba_dam=continously]


nikalanaa Khuld se aadam kaa sunate aaye hai.n lekin
bahut be-aabaruu hokar tere kuuche se ham nikale


[Khuld=Paradise; be-aabaruu=disgrace; kuuchaa=street]

Lovers of urdu poetry would cherish his creaions for ever.Long live Ghalib.