Mirza Ghalib

• miltee hai KHoo-e-yaar se naar iltihaab meiN
  kaafir hooN gar na miltee ho raahat ‘azaab meiN
  [ KHoo-e-yaar = lover’s nature/behavior/habit, naar = fire,
  iltihaab = flame, ‘azaab = sorrow ]
• kab se hooN, kya bataaooN jahaan-e-KHaraab meiN ?
  shab haaye hijr ko bhee rakhooN gar hisaab meiN
  [ jahaan-e-KHaraab = world of problems, shab = night,
  hijr = separation ]
• taa fir na intezaar meiN neeNd aaye ‘umr bhar
  aane ka ‘ahad kar gaye aaye jo KHwaab meiN
  [ taa = so that, ‘ahad = promise ]
• qaasid ke aate-aate KHat ik aur likh rakhooN
  maiN jaanta hooN jo woh likhenge jawaab meiN
  [ qaasid = messenger ]
• mujh tak kab unkee bazm meiN aata tha daur-e-jaam
  saaqee ne kuchch mila na diya ho sharaab meiN
  [ bazm = meeting/"mehafil", saaqee = bar tender ]
• jo munkir-e-wafa ho fareb us pe kya chale ?
  kyooN badGHumaaN hooN dost se dushman ke baab meiN ?
  [ munkir-e-wafa = one who denies loyalty, fareb = illusion/fraud
  badGHumaaN = suspicious, baab = company ]
• maiN muztarib hooN wasl meiN KHauf-e-raqeeb se
  Daala hai tumko weham ne kis pech-o-taab meiN
  [ muztarib = anxious/disturbed, wasl = meeting with the lover,
  KHauf = fear, raqeeb = opponent, pech-o-taab = predicament ]
• mai aur haz’z-e-wasl, KHudaa_saaz baat hai
  jaaN nazr denee bhool gaya iztiraab meiN
  [ mai = bar, haz’z-e-wasl = joy of meeting, KHudaa_saaz = god’s gift,
  iztiraab = anxiety ]
• hai tevaree chaDee huee andar naqaab ke
  hai ik shikan paDee huee tarf-e-naqaab meiN
  [ shikan = wrinkle, tarf = eyelid ]
• laakhauN lagaav, ik churaana nigaah ka
  laakhauN banaav, ik bigaaDna itaab meiN
  [ itaab = anger ]
• woh naala_dil meiN KHas ke baraabar jagah na paaye
  jis naale se shigaaf paDe aaftaab meiN
  [ naala_dil = crying heart, KHas = hay/grass, shigaaf = crack,
  aaftaab = sun/face ]
• woh sehar muddaa talbee meiN na kaam aaye
  jis sehar se safina ravaaN ho saraab meiN
  [ sehar = magic, muddaa talbee = fulfillment of a desire,
  safina = boat, ravaaN = move, saraab = mirage ]
• ‘GHalib’ chutee sharaab, par ab bhee kabhee-kabhee
  peeta hooN roz-e-abr -o- shab-e-maahtaab meiN
  [ abr = clouds, roz-e-abr = cloudy day, maahtaab = moon ]

It is well-known that Ghalib was a prolific letter writer and also a calligrapher of no mean distinction. The visitors to the museum can witness some of Ghalib’s writings in his hand-written postcards, letters and pension papers. There are also dummies of delicious foods that Ghalib enjoyed, like, seekh kabab, shammi kabab, dahi, pasande, murg massalam, kofta, dal chana, karela, yakhni, maash ki dal, besani roti. Standing there in the museum one can just smell the aroma of all these mouth-watering gourmet dishes. Alongside are displayed a silver glass with intricate engravings, a silver bowl, a soup spoon and other pieces of cutlery which belonged to Ghalib. Even the clothes of Ghalib, his shoes and his walking stick are exhibited. Ghalib had a great passion for chess and gambling, this is evident by the display of Ghalib’s personal chessboard made out of cloth with wooden pieces. One of the favourite pastimes of Ghalib was kite-flying. His charkhi, which is on display in the museum, bears testimony to him being a great patangbaaz. There have been artists, like Saadquin, Chagtai and Cpt. Sayyal who have illustrated his couplets in painting or in stone carvings some of which can be seen in the museum.

Ghalib Academy is situated opposite the Qawwali hall of the holy shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Nizam Uddin Aulia near the mausoleum of Ghalib, in the bustling by-lane of Nizamuddin. This place is also a stone’s throw from the tombs of two celebrated poets Amir Khusro and Abdur Rahim Khan Khanan. Built in the architectural style contemporaneous to Ghalib, the Academy’s building has ornamental canopies and embellishments with delicate lattice work along with modern adaptations in order to meet the requirements of the present day. Set in the midst of historical residuum, the place breathes the bewitching grace resembling the times and life of Ghalib. The Academy was established on the death centenary of Ghalib in 1969. It was inaugurated by another Ghalib fan and a man with a name in the world of Letters, President Zakir Hussain. The Academy was equipped with an auditorium, museum and a conscientiously built library, to serve as a melting-pot for all research and discourse on Ghalib and his times.