Mirza Ghalib

baaziichaa-e-atfaal hai duniyaa mere aage
hotaa hai shab-o-roz tamaashaa mere aage

[baaziichaa-e-atfaal = child’s play]

ik khel hai aurang-e-sulemaa.N mere nazadiik
ik baat hai ejaaz-e-masiihaa mere aage

[aurang = throne; ejaaz = miracle]

juz naam nahii.n suurat-e-aalam mujhe manzuur
juz vaham nahii.n hastii-e-ashiyaa mere aage
[juz = other than; aalam = world; ashiyaa = things]

hotaa hai nihaa.N gard me.n seharaa mere hote
ghisataa hai jabii.n Khaak pe dariyaa mere aage

[nihaa.N = hidden; gard = dust]
[seharaa = desert, jabii.n = forehead]

On the life and times of India’s great poet. A collection of his letters to patrons and students in Surat, Baroda, 1859-1869. original letters, poetry translated and in Urdu, many illustration. will be a standard work on Indian and Urdu literary traditions, Ghalib. excellent production

Based on the life and work of arguably the greatest eastern poet of the nineteenth century, Mirza Ghalib, the author presents a creative and interesting biography. The narrative is based on the interweaving of two main motifs–the poet’s destiny and his creative work.

The best of Mirza Ghalib, one of the greatest Urdu poets, is presented in this compendium. Each of the 104 ghazals, 7 miscellaneous nazms, and 68 selected letters are presented in the original Urdu text, with a parallel translation in simple, lucid English, and a transliteration in Roman script for readers who are not familiar with Urdu in Persian script.