Date: Thu, 10 Oct 96 17:29:00 PDT
From: Ramesh Hariharan (rameshh@tp.ac.sg)
Subject: Ghalib: muddat huee hai yaar...

Who-else-but Ghalib can write ghazals of such caliber! Here I present one
more. Enjoy! Anyone recognize the 4th sher, from somewhere else?

1. muddat huee hai yaar ko mehmaaN kiye hue
josh-e-qadah se bazm chiraaGHaaN kiye hue

[It's been a while since I called my friend as a guest
A while since a gathering was heated up with the vigour of goblets]

2. karta hooN jama'a fir jigar-e-laKHt-laKHt ko
arsa hua hai daawat-e-mizhgaaN kiye hue

[Again, I gather pieces of my liver/heart
It's been a while since I treated my eyelids]

Treated as in partying. Ghalib's heart has broken into many pieces once
again, due to some sad news. It's been a while since he last cried. Now, the
news is so bad that he won't stop crying - a real treat for his eyelids.

3. fir waz'a-e-'ehtiyaat se rukane laga hai dam
barsoN hue haiN chaak girebaaN kiye hue

[Again, I feel uncomfortable because of my careful behaviour
It's been years since I tore my shirt]

A person who tears up his shirt is either mad, or clamours bcos of pitiable
state of affairs. Ghalib has, again, been hiding his actual state of
affairs of penury and sorrow, thanks to his careful behaviour. His normal
nature should have been to tear up his shirt. He is feeling ill at ease in
his mind, to such an extent that he is choking from it.

4. jee DhoonDta hai fir wohee fursat ke raat din
baiTHe rahaiN tasavvur-e-jaanaaN kiye hue

[My heart searches again, for those same old days and nights, when
I used to sit just like that, imagining about my beloved]

5. 'GHalib' hameiN na cheD ki fir josh-e-ashq se
baiTHe haiN ham tahayya-e-toofaaN kiye hue

['Ghalib' don't tease me with the enthusiasm of tears, for
I sit with the determination of facing a storm]

When a man cries, he either feels depressed, or consoles himself saying
"..no, this is not the way. i have to do something. crying is not the
solution". Ghalib is in the latter frame of mind. His repeated
crying (josh-e-ashq), has steeled him and he has the determination, now, to
face a storm. So he tells himself "Don't tease me and make me cry again. I
sit with a determination of facing a storm".

Dictionary : qadah = goblet; laKHt = piece; mizhgaaN = eyelid;
waz'a = conduct/behaviour; 'ehtiyaat = care; chaak = torn; girebaaN = collar;
tasavvur = imagination; tahayya = determined