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Mirza Ghalib Urdu Poet

Mirza Ghalib was born in December of 1797. He was destined to become considered one of the best poets in the Urdu language, though he lived most of his life on government sponsorship and patronage from friends. He never made his living as a writer. While this might be somewhat disturbing to struggling young writers and artists, it actually attests to the nature of one’s creative passion being paramount to their personality and life pursuit. Ghalib strongly believed that his work would be most recognized after his death, and he was correct. He is one of the most written about and studied Urdu poets. Guests may even find his words displayed in the best Delhi five star hotels.

One of Ghalib’s most recognizable writings is his work in ghazals. This is a poetic form that consists of refrains and rhyming couplets. His ghazals are sung with various arrangements and interpretations throughout the world. He wrote in both Persian and Urdu, though his Urdu writings are by far the most popular. Ghalib is responsible for a transition in the thematic content of ghazals. Traditionally, they were intended to express the anguish of love, though Ghalib began incorporating philosophical ideas into his work. He wrote about life experiences and its mysteries as well as various other subjects.

Ghalib’s personal life was unconventional and often problematic. He was considered by many to be a rake and at one time was arrested for gambling. While he seemed to enjoy his reputation, an arrest would generally cause shame to an individual. He married young, at around the age of 13, which was common to the time. He and his wife had seven children and none of them survived. The trauma and grief this caused him is visible in his writings. His relationship with his wife has also been the subject of potential controversy. His wife was a well respected, religious conservative, while Ghalib was extremely free spirited and had very little connection to religion. He died in February of 1867 in Delhi.  And the house in which he lived has been turned into a museum.

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