1.4

this is long because i won't beposting over the weekend.

if you enjoy urdu as a language, reading ghalib is an absolute must. he writes of love and philosophy and god and wine and all of this in a manner that is sometimes introspective sometimes irreverent and sometimes deeply insightful. even his subtle tongue-in-cheek humour comes through as a pleasant surprise while wading through heavy urdu couplets.

born mirza asadullah baig khan in agra to aristocratic parents, he spent most of his life in delhi [chandni chowk to be precise]. he used the takhallus ‘asad’ [ meaning lion] as well as ‘ghalib’ [meaning dominant or powerful] interchangeably. married at the age of thirteen, he fathered seven children none of whom survived. he lived on state patronage, credit or his friends’ generosity, never really working for a livelihood. [info from wikipedia]
no wonder he had the time and energy to be such a prolific writer. ghalib is one of my all-time favourites.

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
[chasm-e-tar = wet eyes; 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]

bharam khul jaaye zaalim tere qaamat kii daraazii kaa
agar is turraa-e-purapech-o-Kham kaa pech-o-Kham nikale
[qaamat=stature; daraazii=length/delay; turra=ornamental tassel worn in the turban] [pech-o-Kham=curls in the hair]

magar likhavaaye koii usako Khat to hamase likhavaaye
huii subah aur ghar se kaan par rakkhar qalam nikale

huii is daur me.n ma.nsuub mujhase baadaa-ashaamii
phir aayaa vo zamaanaa jo jahaa.N se jaam-e-jam nikale
[ma.nsuub=association, baada_aashaamee=having to do with drinks]

huii jinase tavaqqo Khastagii kii daad paane kii
vo hamase bhii ziyaadaa Khastaa-e-teG-e-sitam nikale
[tavaqqo=expectation; Khastagii=injury, daad=justice] [Khasta=broken/sick/injured, teG=sword, sitam=cruelity ]

muhabbat me.n nahii.n hai farq jiine aur marane kaa
usii ko dekh kar jiite hai.n jis kaafir pe dam nikale

zara kar jor siine par ki tiir-e-pursitam nikale
jo vo nikle to dil nikale jo dil nikale to dam nikale

Khudaa ke vaaste pardaa na kaabe se uThaa zaalim
Kahii.n aisaa na ho yahaa.N bhii vahii kaafir sanam nikale

Kahaa.N maiKhaane ka daravaazaa 'Ghalib' aur kahaa.N vaaiz
par itanaa jaanate hai.n kal vo jaataa thaa ke ham nikale
[vaaiz=preacher]