Mirza Ghalib

na tha kuchch to KHuda tha, kuchch na hota to KHuda hota
duboya mujhko hone ne, na hota maiN to kya hota ?

huaa jab GHam se yooN behis to GHam kya sar ke kaTne ka
na hota gar juda tan se to zaanooN par dhaRa hota

[ behis = shocked/stunned, zaanooN = knee ]

huee muddat ke ‘GHalib’ mar gaya par yaad aata hai
wo har ek baat pe kehana, ke yooN hota to kya hota ?

[ muddat = duration/period ]

‘arz-e-niyaaz-e-ishq ke qaabil naheeN raha
jis dil pe naaz tha mujhe wo dil naheeN raha

[ niyaaz = desire/an offering ]

jaata hooN daaGH-e-hasarat-e-hastee liye hue
hooN shamma’a_kushta darKHur-e-mehfil naheeN raha

[ hastee = life/existence, shamma’a_kushta = extinguished lamp,
darKHur = worthy ]

marne ki ‘ei dil aur hee tadabeer kar ki maiN
shaayaan-e-dast-o-baazu-e-qaatil naheeN rahaa

[ tadabeer = solution/remedy, shaayaan = worthy, dast = hand,
baazoo = shoulder ]

bararoo-e-shash jihat dar-e-aaina_baaz hai
yaaN imtiaz-e-naakis-o-qaamil naheeN rahaa

Mohammed Asadullah Khan “Mirza Ghalib” is one of India’s most popular poets, skilled in Urdu and Farsi (Persian). The Tomb of Ghalib is next to Hazrat Nizamuddin’s Mazaar. The tomb is made of white marble, and is worthy of the poet. The location is rather squalid, though. The tomb complex is usually kept locked; apparently there are loads of drug addicts in the area.

The inscription on the tombstone is in Persian - Ghalib’s house in Ballimaran, Chandi Chowk, Old Delhi back in the day when I lived in the city. Here’re a couple of assorted verses:

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]