Date: Mon, 28 Oct 96 09:47:00 PST
From: Ramesh Hariharan (rameshh@tp.ac.sg)
Subject: Ghalib: haiN aur bhi duniya meiN...
Another who-else-but Ghalib ghazal,
which has become immortal for its
"maqta"(the last sher in a ghazal,
where the poet would normally leave
his takkallus - alias). Enjoy!
1. hai bas ki har ek unke ishaare meiN
nishaaN aur
karte haiN muhobbat to guzarata hai gumaaN aur
[In her every indication/expression, the aim is
something else
If she is in love(with me), then the feeling that (I) get is
something else]
2. tum shaher meiN ho to hameiN kya GHam ?
jab uTHeNge
le aayenge baazaar se jaakar dil-o-jaaN aur
[If you are in the city, then what sorrows do I
have? when I get up
(I) will go to the bazaar and get a different beloved for myself]
Ghalib's lover seems to have left him and gone
off to another place, and
he has not got up from the place where he has been sitting,
waiting for
her. Now, when she is back in the city, Ghalib, just like a upset
kid, is
trying to taunt his beloved by saying "So what if you are
back! I am or
was never upset in you absence or in your presence. I will get
another
beloved for myself. You just wait and see."
3. leta, na agar dil tumhe deta, koee dam
cheiNn
karta, jo na marta koee din, aah-o-fuGHaaN aur
[If I had not given you my heart, I would have
breathed easily for some more time
If I had not died every day, I would have clamoured and cried for
some more time]
So well known for his play of words, Ghalib
here puts himself in a
catch-22 situation, and confuses us. He says "Look! Since I
gave you my
heart, I have lost my peace of mind, since I am apprehensive,
whether you
will reciprocate or not, etc, etc. At the same time, I would like
to say
that If I had done so(giving your heart to someone means that you
symbolically no longer live, as your heart is not with you), I
would have
clamoured and cried for you to recognize my love". Ghalib
will have no
peace of mind, no matter what!
4. haiN aur bhee duniya meiN suKHanwar bohot
achche
kehte haiN ki 'GHalib' ka hai andaaz-e-bayaaN aur
[There are a lot more very good poets in the
world, but
They say that "Ghalib" has a style of poetry different
from the others]
If a man praises himself, we say that he is
boasting. However, when poets
attain the fame and status, as did Ghalib, such shers were
allowed
because, no body could deny their greatness. This sher by
Ghalib, is a
self-praising one.
Dictionary : gumaaN = doubt/suspicion; Khursheed
= sun; taab = power/courage;
nihaaN = hidden; fuGHaaN = clamour; suKHanwar
= poet