The Ghazal - Part IV

The last few episodes of this series were supposed to contain 'case studies' of select Ghazals. But I realized that there are no 'select' Ghazals. Most Ghazals are good. And there are lots and lots of good Ghazals. This made me lose enthu in this series a bit. But I have revived my enthu because I simply have to post this particular Ghazal by Ghalib.

This Ghazal appears in the voice of Chitra Singh in the serial Mirza Ghalib by Gulzar. It is sung at a very slow, leisurely pace sometimes to the accompaniment of soulful saarangi and sometimes without any music at all. There are long gaps between shers (actually screenplay and dialogue) and this makes it sound even more leisurely and slow-paced. It's an ideal Ghazal to sing when you are taking a walk or fixing your room - long periods of silence and then you say, ok let me sing the next sher now. And since the Ghazal is sung to a slow pace, there is scope for packing in a lot of emotion if you can and want to.

Like I have said before, each Ghazal is made special by only one or two really really good shers. The rest are so-so shers, there to add bulk and consistency. The very good sher in this Ghazal is the second one: 'Qafas mein mujh se...'. I started liking this Ghazals only when I had looked up the meanings of 'Qafas' and 'Rudaad' in an online urdu dictionary.

The last sher, the Maqta, is omitted in the TV serial. This is unfortunate since a Ghazal is heavily incomplete without the Maqta.

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Kisi ko deke dil koi nawasanj-e-fugaan kyon ho,
Na ho jab dil hi seene mein, to phir mooh mein zabaan kyon ho



[nawasanj-e-fugaan : loud noise]
I am still trying to get a hang of these opening lines. Any help around?



Qafas mein mujh se rudaad-e-chaman kahate na dar hamdam,
Giri hai jis pe kal bijli, woh mera aasheyan kyon ho



[Qafas: jail ; Rudaad: news]
Go ahead, tell me the news of home, my friend, when you visit me in jail,
Relax now, The house you say where lightning struck yesterday, why should we suppose it's mine?



Yahi hai aazmaana to, sataana kis ko kehate hain,
Adu ke holiye jab tum, to mera intehaan kyon ho



[aazmaana: trying; sataana: paining; Adu: rival]
I can't take your trials, my dear, they are now on the verge of being irritatingly painful,
by-the-by since you are already committed to my rival, what is the point of these trials anyways?



Wafa kaisi kahan ka ishq jab sar phodana thehera,
To phir aey sang-dil tera hi sang-e-aastaan kyon ho



[sang: stone; aastaan:home; sang-e-aastaan (perhaps): doorstep made of stone]
All love is the same, it boils down to breaking one's head
So why then, o stone-hearted one, should I choose your door-step for this purpose (I'll go someplace more sympathetic)



Nikaala chahata hai kaam kya taanon se tu Ghalib,
Tere be-meher kehane se, woh tujh pe meherabaan kyon ho



[meher: mercy; taana maarna: nag]
Oh Ghalib, you try in vain to get your way through nagging
Will she be merciful to you just coz you call her merciless?


Apologies for the translations having turned out light-hearted and un-serious. I am sure the Ghazals sounds best when sung with heart-wrenching melancholy. But I am feeling quite cheerful at the moment. Writing has that effect on me. Meanwhile might I suggest you set your hands on Mirza Ghalib, the serial. Video CDs if possible (Neena Gupta sings this Ghazal while she is getting her hair done for the evening). Music CDs/cassettes otherwise. And listen to this Ghazal. It will be worth the trouble. And you will like it much better, now that you know what 'Qafas' and 'Rudaad' mean.