Ghazal ~ Poetry with Panache

Ghazal ~ Poetry with Panache

India is a land of synthesis and syncretism! She is an oceanic phenomenon, embracing magnanimously the various streams and tributaries in her unfathomable depths. Such is the breadth of her acceptance that, in her civilizational sweep, she has a place for every culture, faith, practice and thought. Diverse denomination of varied hue finds expression here.

In this land of saints and savants, peers and paighambars, one finds an unmistakable stamp of Hindustaniat in the warp and weft of the Indian idiom! Be it the bhakti movement or the sufiyana silsila, every movement has been suffused with the surging spirit of sanatanic splendor!

This fact gets demonstrated amply in the Indo-Islamic synthesis – a coming together of culture and religion, a mating of minds and a melding of thoughts, leaving each entity to retain its identity, yet adding up to the mosaic of Indic cosmopolitanism. Such is the impact of that union that the principal forms of Urdu poetry like Qaseeda, Ghazal, Rubayee, Musnavi, Marsiya, Nazm, Mujra, Qawwali transformed this country into a revolutionary realm of artistry and creativity.

These performing arts were in its nascent stages in the earlier era of Delhi Sultanate. From the synthesis of Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Sanskrit, Hindi and other Indian dialects emerged Urdu as the Zubaan-e-Awaam (ज़बान-ए-अवाम) (language of the masses) which sooner developed as a literary language, rich in thought and refined in expression. In other words, Urdu poetry blended Adaa (अदा) panache and style and Adab (अदब) decorum and etiquette in a cohesive fusion.

It is purely in the Mughal Era that the flowering and fruition of the quartet, namely, Ghazal ~ Nazm ~ Mujra ~ Qawwali happened. The Mughal Badshahs, apart from being connoisseurs of arts and learning, gave it a robust fillip, leaving the sub-culture as-is!

Genesis and Genetics of Ghazal

ग़ज़ल ही उर्दू ज़बां की आबरू और आन है,

ग़ज़ल ही शेर~ओ~सुख़न का जिस्म है और जान है।

ग़ज़ल की अपनी क़वाइद, नग़मगी, तर्ज़~ए~बयां,

ग़ज़ल की ये ख़ुसूसियत ही, ग़ज़ल की पहचान है।

ग़ज़ल का हर शेर यूं तो है बंधा इक बहर में,

फिर भी इक दूजे से वो आज़ाद और अंजान है।

ग़ज़ल में बस ‘क़ाफ़िये’ ही मिलते हैं दिल की तरह,

ग़ज़ल वर्ना दिल शिकस्तों की हसीं दास्तान है।

शेर~ओ~सुख़न: Couplets, Poetry

क़वाईद: Rules and regulations; Grammar

नग़मगी: Lyrical content

ख़ुसूसियत: Speciality

तर्ज़~ए~बयां: Melodic articulation of an emotion or expression

बहर: Song length or meter

क़ाफ़िया: Rhyme structure

दिल शिकस्त: Heart broken

Ghazal is a bouquet of emotions, sensitivity, rich and poignant poetry and music and holds the prestige of being known as the Pride of Urdu literature (उर्दू ज़बान की आबरू) and Life of Urdu Poetry (उर्दू शायरी की जान). The Ghazal originated in the 10th century in Persia more as a lyrical genre and has traveled a long way to reach our shores, literally and metaphorically. As a musical genre, it became popular in the 19th century.

The Ghazal originated from the Qaseeda (क़सीदा) which is a poem or panegyric in praise of the kings and emperors in Persia and Arabia or of a nobleman, philanthropist or benefactor… The opening part of the Qaseeda in which the poet generally talks about the Almighty, beauty, love, nature, life and death is called Tamheed (तमहीद) (Introduction) or Tashbeeh (तशबीह) (Comparison). Over a period of time, the Tamheed or Tashbeeh got detached and developed into what is called as Ghazal.

The literal meaning of the Arabic word Ghazal is “Talking to women” and the poetic definition in Persian is “Conversation with the beloved” – ‘सुख़न अज़ ज़नान गुफ़्तन’ !
Shairi (poetry), Mausiqui (music) and Jazbaat (emotions) are the basis of Ghazals.

While a Qaseeda had a minimum of 12 to 13 verses or couplets and ran into more than 100 verses, a Ghazal was restricted to 7 to 12 verses and because of its brevity, settled as the more acceptable and popular form of poetry. The collection of Ghazals is called Deewaan (दीवान) and the collection of all forms of poetry, Bayaaz (बयाज़).

Gamut and Grammar of Ghazal

Sher : The Arabic word Sher (शेर) means a couplet i.e. a poem in two lines, each line known as Misra (मिसरा). Each Sher is a ‘complete poem’ in itself; it is self-sufficient – detachable and quotable – and provides a complete description or expression of a thought or idea. The plural of Sher is Ashaar (अशआर) and a collection of many couplets or Sher is a popular genre of Indian music known as Ghazal.

Generally, each Sher is free or independent (आज़ाद) of the other in thought (ख़याल) and topic (मौज़ू) but not in its structure. It is also possible that a single theme runs through all the couplets (as heard in films where the main purpose is to highlight emotions related to a specific situation or mood). Such a Ghazal is called Musalsal Ghazal (मुसलसल ग़ज़ल) and most of the Hindi film Ghazals fall under the gamut of Musalsal Ghazal.

The Ghazal ordains her own lyrical content and connotation, gamut and grammar, rules and requirements, articulation and enunciation i.e. नग़मगी और ग़नाइयत मौज़ू, क़वाइद, लब-ओ-लहजा, तर्ज़-ए-बयां.

The important features or parameters of a Ghazal are :

Sher (शेर) (couplet),

Matla (मतला) (the opening couplet),

Radeef (रदीफ़) and Qaafiya (क़ाफ़िया) (the rhyme scheme),

Maqta (मक़ता) (the concluding couplet with the takhallus (तख़ल्लुस) i.e. pen name of the poet (optional) in the Maqta.

Behar (बहर) (meter or length of a line)…

Matla : The opening couplet or Sher of a Ghazal is called the Matla and, as a rule, both the lines of the first couplet MUST rhyme with one another. For example :

आज सोचा तो आंसू भर आये,
मुद्दतें हो गईं मुस्कुराए।

Radeef – Qaafiya : The two rhyming words in the Matla are called the Qaafiya. In the above Matla, the rhyming words are आये and मुस्कुराये. In most cases, the Qaafiya is followed by a single word, a set of words or a full phrase which is called the Radeef.

The opening couplets (Matla) of two ghazals are given as illustrations :

रस्म-ए-उलफ़त को निभायें तो निभायें कैसे,
हर तरफ़ आग है दामन को बचायें कैसे।

उनको ये शिकायत है के हम कुछ नहीं कहते,
अपनी तो ये आदत है के हम कुछ नहीं कहते।

In the Matla of the first Ghazal, the rhyming words nibhaayen (निभायेँ) and bachaayen (बचायेँ) are the Qaafiyas and the the single word Kaise (कैसे) which follows the Qaafiya in both the lines is the Radeef.

In the Matla of the second Ghazal, the rhyming words shikayat (शिकायत) and aadat (आदत) are the Qaafiyas and the set of words … hai ke hum kuch nahin kehte (है के हम कुछ नहीं कहते) which follow the Qaafiya in both the lines is the Radeef.

From there on, the second line (मिसरा) of each couplet needs to rhyme with the Matla or opening couplet throughout the Ghazal. For example, the second Sher of the Ghazal goes

कुछ कहने पे तूफ़ान उठा लेती है दुनिया,
अब इसपे क़यामत पे है के हम कुछ नहीं कहते।

In this Sher, the word Qayamat (क़यामत) is the Qaafiya and the set of words which follows … hai ke hum kuch nahin kehte, the Radeef.

At times, the Radeef may not be there as in the Ghazal आज सोचा तो आंसू भर आये…
Such a Ghazal without the Radeef is called a Ghair-muraddaf Ghazal (ग़ैर मुरद्दफ़ ग़ज़ल). But even in such cases, the Qaafiyas must be present… आये – मुस्कुराये in the said Sher.

Maqta : The last couplet where the poet’s pen name (takhallus – तख़ल्लुस) generally appears is called the Maqta (मक़्ता ) . The literal meaning of Maqta is ‘property’ and connotes the poet’s ownership of the Ghazal.

‘मजरूह’ लिख रहे हैं वो एहल-ए-वफ़ा का नाम,
हम भी खड़े हुए हैं गुनहगार की तरह।
(From the Ghazal हम हैं मता-ए-कूचा-ओ-बाज़ार की तरह – Dastak).

The above mentioned Maqta (last couplet) of the Ghazal ‘Hum hain mataa-e-koocha-bazar ki tarah’ penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri has the poet’s pen name (takhallus) i.e ‘Majrooh’ in the last couplet.

Other instances of film Ghazals where the poet has used his pen name are :

कितना है बदनसीब ‘ज़फ़र’ दफ़न के लिए,
दो गज़ ज़मीन भी न मिली कू-ए-यार में।
(From the Ghazal लगता नहीं है दिल मेरा उजड़े दयार में – Lal Qila)

ये महकती हुई ग़ज़ल ‘मख़दूम’,
जैसे सेहरा में रात फूलों की।
(From the Ghazal फिर छिड़ी रात बात फूलों की – Bazar)

The above two ‘Maqtas’ from the Ghazals of Bahadur Shah ‘Zafar’ and ‘Makhdoom Moinuddin’ have the pen names of the poets: ‘Zafar’ and ‘Makhdoom’ respectively.

Behar : Behar is the meter or the length of a  line of a couplet. It is the most essential feature of a Ghazal and needs to be followed strictly while writing one. Both the lines (Misra) in the sher MUST be of the same Behar or length. Also, ALL the Shers in a Ghazal MUST be of the same Behar. If the couplets are not in the same Behar or length, the composition is called imperfect and not considered as a Ghazal; the extra or redundant letter or word which obstructs the flow and fluency while reciting is called sakta (सक्ता).

The Behar indicates or determines the type and the number of words that should appear in each Sher of the Ghazal. The rules of Behar are linked to the number of words and the articulation and pronunciation of words, the basic units of which are the vowels, consonants and / or their combination. There are about 20 – 25 types of Behars (may be more also). However, generally the Behar is categorized in three classes viz. short, medium and long depending upon the length of the misra (i.e. the first line of the Sher).

Some of the most commonly used (or at least heard in film songs) Behars are the one used in the following Ghazals. For illustration, Ghazals of legendary maestro Madan Mohan (hailed as the Ghazal King) falling within the gamut and grammar of Ghazal have been enumerated.

Behar I

Behar II

Behar III

The different couplets in each of the three categories are in the same Behar. As such, one can ‘read or recite’ fluently and with considerable ease, the lyrics of one couplet in the Behar of the other within each category. To illustrate again, the lyrics of Yoon hasraton ke daagh mohabbat mein dho liye can be read with the same flow and fluency of Unko ye shikayat hai ke hum kuch nahin kehte or any other couplet mentioned in the list of Ghazals mentioned in Behar I

However, when it comes to the art and craft of setting the lyrics to a tune, the composer is beset with a challenge and his ingenuity is put to test. He or she has to keep in mind the linguistic sound pattern as determined by the vowels, consonants, combination of words as also the emotions, feelings and sensitivities underlying the couplet as highlighted by the Qaafiyas and Radeef. The composer then treats melodically the words, the Qaafiyas and Radeef with appropriate breaks and breathers, pauses and punctuations to highlight and heighten the mood and emotions of the lyrics. In view of this, singing the lyrics of one couplet to the tune of another WILL not only set a discordant and incongruous note but also dilute, gainsay or negate the emotions underlying the lyrics of the couplet.

As such, the Behar has a much greater effect and control in the composition of a Ghazal though the contribution or importance of the other parameters cannot be undermined.

There are two ways of reading or reciting the couplets – Tahtullafaz (तहतुल्लफ़ज) i.e. reading or reciting the couplets in a normal or some animated manner without any musical element. The other one is in Tarannum (तरन्नुम) i.e. in a rhythmic and musical way. In common parlance, they are also called ‘Mushaire ki Tarz’ i.e. a typical style in which the couplets are recited in Mushairas. Instances of such ‘Mushaire ki Tarz’ adapted, embellished and heard in films are Ghazals or Nazms like:

Jin raaton mein neend ud jaati hai,

Sar-e-mehfil jo jala parwana,

Taqdeer ki gardish kya kam thi,

Door hote nahin jo dil mein raha karte hain,

Tang aa chuke hain kashmakash-e-zindagi se hum,

Humko tumhare ishk ne kya kya bana diya,

Jurm-e-ulfat pe hamen log sazaa dete hain,

Kisiki yaad mein duniya ko hain bhulaaye hue,

Baad muddat ke ye ghadi aayi… to name a few.

Subject Matter : Originally, the subject matter related to beauty and love and the pain and loss in love but gradually, it became a metaphor for other worldly topics. By the time the Ghazal reached the 13th and 14th century, the gamut of topics expanded from gham-e-jaanan (ग़म-ए-जानां) to gham-e-dauran (ग़म-ए-दौरां) i.e. from women and their beauty to wine and wit and from pain in love to patriotic fervour and praise of almighty to social and political commentary of the contemporary times.

Nazm : The Nazm is an Arabic term which means stringing together of pearls! She is an artistic sequencing of words and lines and a major part of this form of Urdu poetry is written either in rhymed verses or in prose form. While the Ghazal is a more popular form of subjective poetry, the Nazm exemplifies the objective kind.

A Nazm is often resorted to for narrative, descriptive, didactic or satirical purposes with a single presiding thought or theme, logically evolved, developed and concluded with any metrical arrangement that suits the subject or mood. However, progressive writers of the 20th century have exploited the freedom and flexibility of the Nazm; they have taken the liberty of breaking the tradition of Radeef and Qaafiya and have adopted the medium of blank verse or free verse and use of lines of unequal length.

Some of the popular Nazms of Madan Mohan (many of them written within the gamut and grammar and other parameters of Ghazal) are as under :

Mujra : Mujra is an animated form of dance originated by courtesans (Tawaif) during the Mughal era. Traditionally, the Mujra was performed at Mehfils (a courtly get together for entertainment of a select audience) and in special houses called Kothas. During Mughal rule in the Indian subcontinent and in other places, Mujra was a traditional family art and often passed down from mother to daughter. The profession was a cross between elegant art and exotic dance with the performers, who served mostly as courtesans, regaling the Mughal royalty or wealthy patrons.

The Mujra is a part or a variation of the classical form of dance, Kathak and inherits a lot of intricate hand movements from the latter. Although it is believed that the gestures and  movements in the Mujra have suggestive connotations, most Kathak artistes perform the Mujra quite gracefully and in a dignified manner. Mujra inherits from Kathak a lot of intricate hand movements and the use of the hands in Indian dancing is probably better than in dancing anywhere else.

The richly orchestrated Ghazal, ‘Jab jab tumhen bhulaya tum aur yaad aaye from the historical film “Jahan Ara” has been stylized and composed as a Mujra by Madan Mohan.

Qawali : The Qawali is derived from the Arabic word Qaul which means utterance of the Prophet. A Qawwal is someone who sings a Qaul and Qawali is what a Qawwal sings. It is a musical form associated with the samaa, a spiritual concert, of the Chishti sufi silsila. Generally, the lyrics or poetry in a Qawali implicitly has a spiritual connotation though sometimes the lyrics can be wildly secular or outright pleasure driven. The main themes of Qawali are love, devotion, a quest, search or longing of man for the Divine Being. In other words, in its religious context, it is an exultant and ecstatic ritual which leads the listeners – those with a penchant for poetry – to a state of bliss and trance, guides them towards a spiritual communion with the saints, connects them with the Prophet and eventually with God (Allah)… i.e. a poetic and philosophical journey from Humanity to Divinity, from the Earthly to the Ethereal.

Dr. Iqbal’s famous Ghazal ‘Kabhi ae haqeeqat-e-muntazar nazar aa libaas-e-majaaz mein’ with philosophical and  spiritual connotation has been set to Qawali tune by Madan Mohan in the film “Dulhan Ek Raat Ki”. Similarly, the Ghazal, ‘Unse nazren mili aur hijaab aa gaya, Zindagi mein haseen inquilab aa gaya (film “Ghazal”) has been given a rhythmic melody in Qawali style.

Hindi Cinema has encapsulated engagingly this grand synthesis. Scores of films made in the 40s, 50s, 60s have captured the essence of the quartet Ghazal ~ Nazm ~ Mujra ~ Qawali by employing them beautifully, both in the narrative as well as songs. Through the poetic expression with Ada and Adab, poise and panache, Hindi films and film songs have attempted to explore and extrapolate the Indo-Islamic narrative and understand the finer nuances of that grand socio-economic and religio-cultural encounter !!

As the popular saying goes, “Knowledge without Ada and Adab is like fire without wood and Ada and Adab without knowledge is like spirit without a body.”

A list of popular Ghazals from Hindi films down the years is given below:

Errors and Omissions Exempted!!

Manohar ‘Mohabbat’ Iyer

Photos Courtesy: Google