Ghalib today

Part One (Let Ghalib help you speak colourfully)

Readers may please recall my blog post on Shakespeare at;

http://anindecisiveindian.blogspot.com/2021/03/shakespeare-for-laymen-like-me.html

and on Ghalib at:

http://anindecisiveindian.blogspot.com/2020/12/remembering-ghalib-on-his-birth.html

Having checked out how the bard influenced and elevated English language by inventing phrases and idioms, we can seek to do the same for Ghalib in continuation of the nuances that we looked at in the second blog post. Finding this influence was not so easy as Ghalib practically invented a genre of poetry and a style of prose but it is not easy to assign to him invention of idioms and phrases. On the other hand, his poetry lives on our tongues, springing out at opportune moments in everyday life. Innumerable misras from his ghazals have found usages for which they were hardly intended; there is a commonplace employment of these beautiful lines in a simplistic manner, keeping aside the idiom, the ironies, the paradoxes, the wordplay, the far-fetched metaphors, the imagery, the mysticism, like the divine becoming popular in its earthly form of literal meaning and apparent metaphors.

One pointer about Ghalib for those who are not very conversant with his poetry- Ghalib has become such a giant in the field of Urdu poetry that he is naturally open to wide-ranging misuse, mostly in terms of wrong attribution and misquotes. Occasionally, some friends forward to me some pedestrian shairi, apparently attributed to Ghalib in ignorance. On being advised about the fake, there is that inevitable question, “The sher looked good. How to ascertain if a sher is indeed written by Ghalib?” My stock reply, tongue in cheek, “Well if you are able to understand it, rest assured that it cannot be Ghalib.”

My objective here is not to assume some high pedestal and try to decipher the abstruse nature of Ghalib’s poetry from my mediocre pulpit but to make it more accessible to my readers and friends. I present some examples and invite them to use these misras in appropriate situations and see for themselves how appealing and elegant their discourse can become. (If you find the list too long, let me tell you, the list is endless and I have put together only a fraction in two parts, this being part one; I suggest you read cursorily and pick up what you find useable)

Original sher(s) by Ghalib (Present colloquial or even written usage; the lines which have found such usage are in bold. Meanings of only tough words have been given merely to follow the perspective.)	Used frequently in conversation today (The usage may have been distorted, or made light-hearted; there is no attempt to explain the deeper interpretation here, only the context in which it is used today.)
Bāzīcha-e-atfāl hai duniyā mire aage hotā hai shab-o-roz tamāshā mire aage (Bāzīcha-e-atfāl: children’s play)   Mat pūchh ki kyā haal hai merā tire pīchhe tū dekh ki kyā rañg hai terā mire aage     Phir dekhiye andāz-e-gul-afshānī-e-guftār rakh de koī paimāna-e-sahbā mire aage (gul-afshānī-e-guftār: flowery style of conversation, sahbā:wine)   Aashiq huuñ pa māshūq-farebī hai mirā kaam majnūñ ko burā kahtī hai lailā mire aage   Hai maujzan ik qulzum-e-ḳhūñ kaash yahī ho aatā hai abhī dekhiye kyā kyā mire aage (maujzan ik qulzum-e-ḳhūñ: stormy river of blood)   Go haath ko jumbish nahīñ āñkhoñ meñ to dam hai rahne do abhī sāġhar-o-mīnā mire aage (jumbish: movement)   Ham-pesha o ham-mashrab o hamrāz hai merā Ghālib ko burā kyuuñ kaho achchhā mire aage (ham-mashrab: of same disposition)	The second misra is spoken by someone who is running down any goings-on which they do not like.   Used for deriding someone who is embarrassed face-to-face due to some wrongdoing.   A grandiose statement about one’s articulation.       Claiming oneself to be a deft and slick operator.     Quoted to drive home that many interesting things would come to pass with the speaker at centrestage.     Spoken to convey one’s fortitude and perseverance       Cited when one is defending a friend in a situation.
ham ko ma.alūm hai jannat kī haqīqat lekin dil ke ḳhush rakhne ko Ghālib ye ḳhayāl achchhā hai	Used in part or in full to express that the reality of things is known but it is a good thought to let the illusion remain.
ishq ne Ghālib  nikammā kar diyā varna ham bhī aadmī the kaam ke	Employed in part or in full to express, that one was once a force to reckon with.
Na thā kuchh to ḳhudā thā kuchh na hotā to ḳhudā hotā Duboyā mujh ko hone ne na hotā maiñ to kyā hotā Huī muddat ki Ghālib mar gayā par yaad aatā hai vo har ik baat par kahnā ki yuuñ hotā to kyā hotā	This is a great mystical creation of Ghalib and its deep sense notwithstanding, the first sher is used in a situation when one wants  to express his involvement in something that has been spoilt by others and the second sher to describe a cavilling and cribbing person.
Ye na thī hamārī qismat ki visāl-e-yār hotā agar aur jiite rahte yahī intizār hotā (visāl-e-yār: meeting with one’s lover)   Tire va.ade par jiye ham to ye jaan jhuuT jaanā ki ḳhushī se mar na jaate agar e'tibār hotā   Koī mere dil se pūchhe tire tīr-e-nīm-kash ko ye ḳhalish kahāñ se hotī jo jigar ke paar hotā (ḳhalish: uneasy prick)   Rag-e-sañg se Tapaktā vo lahū ki phir na thamtā jise ġham samajh rahe ho ye agar sharār hotā (Rag-e-sañg:vein of stone, sharār: spark)   Gham agarche jāñ-gusil hai pa kahāñ bacheñ ki dil hai ġham-e-ishq gar na hotā ġham-e-rozgār hotā (agarche jāñ-gusil:although heart-breaking)   Kahūñ kis se maiñ ki kyā hai shab-e-ġham burī balā hai mujhe kyā burā thā marnā agar ek baar hotā   Ye masā.il-e-tasavvuf ye tirā bayān Ghālib tujhe ham valī samajhte jo na bāda-ḳhvār hotā (masā.il-e-tasavvuf: mystical matters, valī: great saint, bāda-ḳhvār: wine-drinker)	Recalled by someone in a situation of any unfulfilled desire, bad luck or long futile wait.   Adduced in a situation of a false promise but wistful all the same.   Quoted in respect of lovers or people who injure with finesse, either mischievously or through blandishment.   Cited in an intensely sad situation, at times in jest.     Quoted when some sadness is inevitable apart from the pain in love.     One speaks of this in self-pity when they think of something as their due but it is not forthcoming.   Cited in self-aggrandizement.
Aashiqī sabr-talab aur tamannā betāb dil kā kyā rañg karūñ ḳhūn-e-jigar hote tak (sabr-talab: seeking patience)   Ham ne maanā ki taġhāful na karoge lekin ḳhaak ho jā.eñge ham tum ko ḳhabar hote tak (taġhāful: neglect)	When patience is being tested by desires conflicting with failures.     Similar to the above.
Har ek baat pe kahte ho tum ki tū kyā hai tumhīñ kaho ki ye andāz-e-guftugū kyā hai (andāz-e-guftugū: style of conversation)   Jalā hai jism jahāñ dil bhī jal gayā hogā kuredte ho jo ab raakh justujū kyā hai (justujū: quest)   Ragoñ meñ dauḌte phirne ke ham nahīñ qaa.il jab aañkh hī se na Tapkā to phir lahū kyā hai   Rahī na tāqat-e-guftār aur agar ho bhī to kis umiid pe kahiye ki aarzū kyā hai (tāqat-e-guftār: strength to speak)   Huā hai shah kā musāhib phire hai itrātā vagarna shahr meñ Ghālib kī aabrū kyā hai (musāhib: associate)	Used for anyone who keeps diverting a conversation.     Said to someone who is showing curiosity (and sham empathy) in someone’s misfortune.   Cited when one is not impressed by maudlin or foolishly sentimental behaviour by someone.   Recalled in a situation when one is embarrassed to enquire anything.     The first misra referred to decrying a pompous person and the second said usually in jest, to self-deprecate.
Bas-ki dushvār hai har kaam kā āsāñ honā aadmī ko bhī mayassar nahīñ insāñ honā (dushvār: difficult, mayassar: available)	First misra quoted in a situation when even a simple job turns out to be difficult (due to cussedness or apathy of someone else) and the second misra for anyone devoid of empathy.
Vo firāq aur vo visāl kahāñ vo shab-o-roz o māh-o-sāl kahāñ (shab-o-roz o māh-o-sāl: night, day, month,  year)   Ham se chhūTā qimār-ḳhāna-e-ishq vaañ jo jāveñ girah meñ maal kahāñ (qimār-ḳhāna: gambling den)   Fikr-e-duniyā meñ sar khapātā huuñ maiñ kahāñ aur ye vabāl kahāñ (vabāl: calamity)	Spoken while ruing or reminiscing good old days       Spoken when one has quit something which they wish to eschew or if when talking of their own modest means.   Quoted when someone is expressing one’s lack of temperament, craftiness or energy for doing something.
Dost ġham-ḳhvārī meñ merī sa.ī farmāveñge kyā zaḳhm ke bharte talak nāḳhun na baḌh jāveñge kyā (ġham-ḳhvārī: consolation)   Khāna-zād-e-zulf haiñ zanjīr se bhāgeñge kyuuñ haiñ giraftār-e-vafā zindāñ se ghabarāeñge kyā (Khāna-zād-e-zulf: captured by (lover’s) tresses, zindāñ: prison)   Hai ab is māmūre meñ qaht-e-ġham-e-ulfat Asad ham ne ye maanā ki dillī meñ raheñ khāveñge kyā	Recited when one has death-wish or a tendency to cause harm to themselves, also the limitation of friends’ role in one’s misfortune     Employed, a bit pretentiously, when someone is trying his commitment or resolve for something.     Used to convey hopelessness of a situation when one is advised to take up a very difficult task.
Qaid-e-hayāt o band-e-ġham asl meñ donoñ ek haiñ maut se pahle aadmī ġham se najāt paa.e kyuuñ (Qaid-e-hayāt o band-e-ġham: prison of life and fetters of sadness)	Cited to convey that life is full of sadness and disappointments.
Ham kahāñ ke daanā the kis hunar meñ yaktā the be-sabab huā Ghālib dushman āsmāñ apnā (daanā: knowledgeable, yaktā: skillful)	Cited by someone when people go after them unnecessarily.
Tañgi-e-dil kā gila kyā ye vo kāfir-dil hai ki agar tañg na hotā to pareshāñ hotā	Used in a situation where every outcome is adverse but one has to live with them.
thī ḳhabar garm ki Ghālib ke uḌeñge purze dekhne ham bhī ga.e the pa tamāshā na huā	Employed in jest when the promise of a grand show or revelation turns into a damp squib.
Bulbul ke kārobār pe haiñ ḳhanda-hā-e-gul kahte haiñ jis ko ishq ḳhalal hai dimāġh kā (ḳhanda-hā-e-gul: smiling flowers)	Cited in jest about any strange romantic situation or disappointment.
Tum salāmat raho hazār baras har baras ke hoñ din pachās hazār	Frequently heard as a birthday wish but most of us have been unaware of its origin.
kam jānte the ham bhī ġham-e-ishq ko par ab dekhā to kam hue pa ġham-e-rozgār thā	Quoted in a situation of multiple personal issues or struggles.
jaan dī dī huī usī kī thī haq to yuuñ hai ki haq adā na huā	Said when some seemingly good behavior or a nice job is actually inconsistent or counter-productive
maiñ ne majnūñ pe laḌakpan meñ Asad sañg uThāyā thā ki sar yaad aayā	Used when someone decides not to injure or castigate someone at the last moment as everyone is vulnerable.
reḳhte ke tumhīñ ustād nahīñ ho Ghālib kahte haiñ agle zamāne meñ koī 'mīr' bhī thā	Cited in false modesty while acknowledging oneself as great, usually in jest.

(to be continued...)