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For those who have joined
now, let me say few words about this Ghalib series.
Ghalib, his Ghazals, his poems, his genius, and his
wits have always fascinated millions of Urdu lovers including myself.
Those who want to read my previous work please send me an email request;
I will email back my previous explanations just for asking.
This is my 42nd
installment. I have received excellent response from lot of
friends; both Urdu and non-Urdu speakers. Please know that
this is my own, Asghar Vasanwala’s, work and
not a forwarding of someone else’s work as some of you thought.
Please forward this to your friends. Also please send me your
comments/complements. I will appreciate if you forward me email addresses of your Urdu/non-Urdu
friends.
Here is today’s verse (she’r) & its explanation in
Urdu, Gujarati,
and English
Please do visit my Ghalib website
www.Mirza-Ghalib.org for past issues and more. I guarantee
you’ll enjoy it
Bazm-e-shehnshah meiN ashaar ka daftar khula
In (Poetic) assembly of emperor
inaugurates a department of verses
Rakhiyo ya rab! yeh dar-e-ganjina-e-johar khula
Oh Allah! Let the door of this treasure
of brilliance remain open for ever
Shab huii, anjum-e-rakhshnda ka manzar khula
Night befell and scene of star studded
brilliant sky unfurls
Is takalluf se ke goya buutkade ka dar khula
With such glamour and hoopla as if door
of a temple has swung open.
Bazm=assembly, party
Shehshah=emperor (Bahadurshah
Zafar) Ashaar=plural of sh’er=verse,
verses
Daftar=office,
department Dar=door
ganjina=a hill, a treasure
Johar=talent, brilliance
Shab= night anjum=star
rakhshnda=shining, brilliant
manzar= scene
takalluf= glamour, hoopla
goya= as if, it can be
said buutkada=house of idol, a
temple
These are 1st &
2nd verse of Ghalib’s 14th ghazal.
Meaning:
During reign of Bahdur Shah Zafar, the last
emperor of Mughal dynasty, poetic assemblies were hosted in Red Fort
under his sponsorship. In 1st two lines Ghalib has pictured a
scene of such an assembly. He begins his Ghazal with a prayer. He begs,
“Oh Allah this assembly is a treasure of talent. Keep its doors open
forever”
In the next verse Ghalib
looks at the star studded sky and says, “Night has arrived and once
again scene of sky loaded with brilliant stars, has unfurled.” Then he
looks at a temple whose doors had just swung open and its idol
surrounded with brilliant lamps jumps out in Ghalib’s eyes. Hindus honor
their temples as holy; they also consider the lamps shining in temple
also sacred. Allah’s throne called Arsh is in heaven. His Arsh is
surrounded by brilliant stars. When the curtain of day’s drama goes
down, and with great fanfare night’s curtain goes up exposing starry
sky, to Ghalib it looks as if door of a temple has swung open, exposing
its brilliant lamps.
Urdu poets, in tradition
of Farsi and Arabic poetry, looks at God, Kaaba, mosque, pious zahid,
Imam, rituals, Etc with critic and taunt: an untraditional way. However
they revere idol, temple, Brahmin, and thing related to idols. This is
because poets call their beloved an idol, a Buut and worship her. Since
idols reside in temples and the Brahmin serves idol with such devotion,
poets honor both the temple and the Brahmin and every thing around them.
However they do it with utmost care; lest they be accused of blasphemy
by the religious right. They wrap their words with touches that could be
interpreted in different ways. By adoring prohibited things such as idol
worshiping and wine poets are able to attack idiosyncrasies of
established religions.
Ghalib shows his mastery
on that art in above verse. He looks at brilliant sky surrounding heaven
but compares it with lamps of a temple, as if lamps of temple were equal
or superior to stars.
Finer aspects of this
verse: In first two lines Ghalib has
said so much.—Wishes for Bahadurshah Zafar, calls poetic assembly a
department of poems, and poets as gallant and learned. The second verse
is even superior to first one. Ghalib call stars in sky lamps of a
temple.
Asghar Vasanwala
asgharf@roadrunner.com
July 4, 2007
April 27,
2007
Dear friends,
Over a period, many friends
have enquired with me meanings of Urdu words occurring in popular
Ghazals. They have also expressed deep desire to listen to ghazals sung
by popular singers.
I have a large collection of
Ghazals. So, I thought to upload one Ghazal at a time on
my web-space and
distribute the link to you. Please click above link; then enjoy
listening. I also have written the Ghazal words in English, Urdu and
Gujarati script and provided meanings of difficult words.
Please click or Ctrl+click
this link to listen
http://lists.elistx.com/archives/blank/200704/mp3q9Hnam5qEA.mp3
For my work on Ghalib please
Ctrl+click
my website
http://www.mirza-ghalib.org/about_us.html
and listen to ghazals sung by renowned singers. You’ll enjoy richly
Today's Ghazal is as
follows:
Singer: A B Chopra (?)
P oet: Shamim Jaipuri. For his video
click
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0VZkcFCaYkU&mode=related&search=
Music: The singer has a range that few
other singers have. Hindustani Music is based entirely on melody (raaga)
and the pace is determined by the taal. The co-ordination between the
singer and the tabalchi is noteworthy here and also the choice of the
taal. It is sung in perfect sur and on perfect taal. I don’t know the
Raag in which it is sung.
Film:
Non-film
Year:
???
Aaj meri shab-e-furqat ki sahar aa_ii hai Daybreak of my parting-night finally arrived today
Muddato.n baad teri rah-guzar aa_ii hai Darling! After ages here comes the street with your footprints
Shab-e-furqat
= shab
means night furqat means separation the night of separation.
The night without
her
Sahar=morning
Rah-guzar= Rah means way or street guzar means passing; street
Dekh to li-ji-ye mere Khun-e-tamanna ki bahaar Look! Look! spring-color of my bloodied longings
Jis ki surKhi meri aa.Nkho.n me.n utar aa_ii hai the rosiness of that blood has seeped into my eyes
Khun-e-tamanna=
bloody murder of my longings SurKhi
=redness
Tu ne to tark-e-muhabbat ki qasam kha_ii thi You swore you had broken all love relations with me
Kyo.n teri aa.Nkh mujhe dekh ke bhar aa_ii hai? Why then, your eyes drip even as you see me?
Tark-e-muhabbat = renouncement of love
Un ke pairahan-e-ra.ngii.n ki mahak hai is me.n I smell the scent of her colorful dress
Aaj kya baad-e-saba ho ke udhar aa_ii hai? Did the morning breeze glide from her side today?
pairahan-e-ra.ngii.n=colorful dress baad-e-saba= baad means breeze saba means morning; cool morning breeze
Is me.n kuchh un ki jafaye.n bhi to shaamil hai.n 'Shamim' Oh Shamim! Her cruelty is also partly guilty
Bevafa_ii ki jo tohamat mere sar aa_i hai Whereas betrayal blame has descended on my head alone.
jafaaye.N=cruelties
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