ASAD - 25

Originally posted on rec.music.indian.misc in 1995

This is the quarter century of this series. It's time to have a GHalib's Sher. It's also time to have a Sher praising some great Shayar. Now it will be great, if we have both. It's possible, because GHalib was not just proud of his own greatness, he also had the rare ability to recognize someone elses greatness. So here it goes.

In his tele serial "GHalib", Gulzar coceived a nice situation for this Sher. GHalib is going somewhere, when he hears a begger singing a GHazal. He gets mesmerised by the Poetry, and asks the name of the Shayar to the begger. The begger tells him. GHalib, still under the magic spell of the GHazal, thinks of the following Sher.

reKHta = an old name for the Urdu Language

reKHta ke tum hi ustaad nahiN ho, 'GHalib'
kehate haiN, agale zamaane me, koi 'Mir' bhi tha!!

Yes! The GHazal sung by the begger was by "Mir Taqi 'Mir'" who is often called as "Shenhenshah" of Urdu GHazal. And the GHazal was "patta patta, buta buta" !! A real tribute by Gulzar to the greats !

This is the best compliment I have ever heard. A great person praising himself and another great person in one shot. GHalib ko hamara salam!

BTW, "GHalib" means "conqueror" while "Mir" means "chief/leader"! Does it add to the beauty of the Sher ? :-)

- Abhay.
ASAD _also_ stands for "A Sher A Day" !