• Published : 21 Nov, 2024
• Category : Announcement
• Readings : 16

• Tags : Mirza Ghalib,Biography,Ghalib poems,Poetry,Urdu Shayari

Mirza Ghalib, one of the most iconic poets in the history of the Urdu language, has captivated readers across generations with his elegant verses and profound insights into the human condition. Yet, despite his universal appeal and revered status, his poetry remains, for many, an enigma—admired but not fully understood. GHALIB: The Life, Times, & Poetry of Mirza Ghalib by Faiyaz Ahmed, a remarkable book that offers both an insightful narrative of his life and a selection of his most celebrated ghazals, seeks to bridge this gap and bring Ghalib’s world to readers in an accessible, engaging way. The Universality of Ghalib’s Vision Abdur Rahman Bijnori, a distinguished Urdu scholar, famously described India as being blessed with two divine books: The Holy Vedas and The Divan-e-Ghalib (Ghalib’s collected poetry). This reverence underscores the unique place Ghalib holds in the cultural and intellectual landscape of the subcontinent. Ghalib’s poetry speaks to universal themes of love, loss, existential despair, and the search for truth, making it relevant not just to the Urdu-speaking world but to humanity as a whole. However, despite Ghalib’s immense popularity, his poetry can be difficult to access for readers unfamiliar with the nuances of Urdu or Persian, the languages in which he composed his masterpieces. Faiyaz Ahmed’s Ghalib addresses this challenge by offering English translations of 99 of his most famous ghazals, enabling a wider audience to engage with his work. The translations are paired with a thorough examination of Ghalib’s life, providing context to his verses and helping readers appreciate the personal and historical influences that shaped his writing. A Blend of Life and Poetry Unlike other works on Ghalib that focus either on his life or his poetry, this book offers an integrated approach. By presenting both biographical details and a carefully selected collection of his poems, it allows readers to understand not just the beauty of Ghalib’s language, but also the depths of his thoughts and emotions. His life—marked by personal tragedy, financial struggles, and the political upheavals of 19th-century India—adds layers of meaning to his poetry, making his verses all the more poignant. Ghalib’s ghazals often reflect his personal struggles, his complex relationship with spirituality, and his dissatisfaction with the world around him. Through these poems, Ghalib challenges conventional notions of love, fate, and religious orthodoxy, offering a vision of life that is both intellectual and deeply emotional. The accompanying biographical narrative in this book helps contextualize these themes, providing insight into the circumstances that gave rise to Ghalib’s introspective and often revolutionary ideas. Accessible to All Readers Every Urdu speaking household, across the world, has two books that it revers—the Holy Quran and the Divan-e-Ghalib. But both, unfortunately, are usually placed in the highest shelf which few in the family can reach. They grace the home but do not form part of the household. They are more revered than read. This book attempts to bring Ghalib closer to those who aware of him as a great poet but are not familiar with his life and vaguely acquainted with his poetry. The English translations are not only accurate but also poetic, capturing the essence of Ghalib’s intricate metaphors, his wit, and the beauty of his expression. A Tribute to the Urdu Language In addition to being a biographical account and a poetic anthology, this book is a tribute to the Urdu language itself, and to its genesis as a vehicle for profound artistic expression. Ghalib’s work is central to the intellectual heritage of Urdu, and his mastery of the language elevates it to new heights. Understanding Ghalib’s poetry is, in many ways, an invitation to appreciate the beauty and depth of Urdu as a literary tradition. Faiyaz Ahmed’s Ghalib is an essential read for anyone interested in exploring the life and work of this towering figure in world literature. As the author says, “After reading about his life and these translations, if any reader is inspired to read Ghalib in Urdu, the love and effort that has gone in preparing this book would be abundantly rewarded.”   GHALIB: The Life, Times, & Poetry of Mirza Ghalib by Faiyaz Ahmed is out now.  Pick your copy from Amazon.