Mirza Ghalib - The pinnacle of Urdu poetry

Mirza Ghalib is one of extremely popular Urdu poets. He led a revolution in Urdu poetry with his words. According to the critic Ahmed Sarvar, "Ghalib gave brain to our poetry which was till then dominated by the people of heart."

His real name was Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan and later on he took the `nom de plume' of 'Ghalib'. He was born in the city of Agra, of parents with Turkish aristocratic ancestry, probably on December 27th, 1797. His parents expired when he was just 5 years old. He grew up at his mother's family. At the age of 13, he was married to the daughter of Nawab Ilahi Baksh 'Maaroof' and then moved to Delhi. In Delhi he devoted his full concentration to poetry. Soon he mastered the Persian language. Ghalib was always proud of his persian poetry but he is known more by his Urdu prose and poetry. In material dimensions, Ghalib's life never really took root and remained always curiously unfinished. In a society where almost everybody seems to have a house of his own, Ghalib never had one and always rented one or accepted the use of one from a patron. He never had books of his own, usually reading borrowed ones. He had no children; the ones he had, died in infancy, and he later adopted the two children of Arif, his wife's nephew who died young in 1852. Ghalib's one wish, perhaps as strong as the wish to be a great poet, that he should have a regular, secure income, never materialized. He always lived his life lacking money. He died in 1869.

In Urdu ghazals, that previously oriented around themes of love and beauty, it was Ghalib who added all the facets of life. Because of him the canvas of Urdu ghazals became very extended.

In his own words,

Huyi Muddat Ke Ghalib Mar Gaya Par Yaad Aata Hai
Har Ek Baat Pe Kahna Ke Yeh Hota To Kya Hota

It has been a long time Ghalib died, still he comes to mind
His saying in every word that if this happens then what happens

Some of his shers (couplets)


jalaa hai jism jahaan dil bhee jal gaya hoga
kuredate ho jo ab raakh, justjoo kya hai ?

When the body has burnt, so must have the heart
Now that you scratch the ashes, whats the desire?

unke dekhe se jo aa jaatee hai munh par raunaq
woh samajhte hain ke beemaar ka haal achcha hai

Just a look at her brings a brightness on my face
And she thinks the sick man is feeling well today

hamko maaloom hai jannat ki haqeeqat lekin
dil ke khush rakhne ko, ghalib yeh khayaal achcha hai

I do know the fact about the heaven but
To keep the heart happy, it is a good idea Ghalib!

taa fir na intezaar mein neend aaye umr bhar
aane ka ahad kar gaye aaye jo khwaab mein

So that while awaiting I get no sleep over the ages ahead
She promised to come, the one who came in the dream