ASAD - 75

Originally posted on rec.music.indian.misc in 1997

Another quarter is over. And keeping with the tradition (!) it's time to have a sher by GHalib. So here it is, a typical GHalib sher. Enjoy !

[ These are not necessarily difficult words, but still ... ]
goyaa = "jaise" (as if)
dabistaaN = school
naale = plural of naalaa meaning weil/lament or "aart_naad"
ghazal_KHWaaN = GHazal gaane_waalaa [ That's how the dictionary defines this word. So it seems to indicate a singer and not poet.]

maiN chaman me kya gayaa, goyaa dabistaaN khul gaya !
bulbule sun_kar mere naale, ghazal_KHWaaN ho gayi !!
- GHalib

What a sher ! What a sher !! His going into a garden opened a school, where even "bulbul"s became "ghazal_KHWaaN" by listening to his wails. Amazing imagination. It says so many things. He says he was unhappy, and so he cried. His cries were so powerful that, just by listening to them even birds learned how to sing GHazals. You can also also say that the world (chaman) has joined him in his sorrows. It also equates poetry (or a part of it) with expressing one's pains and sorrows.

Simply beautiful !

[ Can ghazal_KHWaaN mean a poet ? I think yes, why not ? It's not be the literal meaning according to my dictionary, but should we stick to it ? In old times, in absence of the print media, poems were recited, sung in Mushaairas and were spread by mouth. Many a times we see the phrase 'GHazal kehanewala' being used for a poet. Also I think there were not many 'GHazal singers' at that time :-) So, IMHO, we can consider it to mean a poet. Then the sher becomes more beautiful !! ]

And as is his habit, he is also subtly praising himself, IMHO ! And for all this and many other reasons, I am a GHalib-bhakt.

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