From: rege@bongo.Berkeley.EDU (Ashutosh G. Rege)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.poems
Subject: Some poetry in (gasp,no!) Urdu
Date: 20 Nov 1992 10:28:21 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: bongo.berkeley.edu



I must say I was rather taken aback by the bitterness generated by the
Urdu debate, especially on the "no" side; though I agreed with the
general premise of not letting too many splinter groups, there seemed
to be no room for indulgence at all. Ah well, as Faiz says :

	Lab par hai talkhi-e-mai-e-ayyam varna Faiz,
	Hum talkhi-e-kalaam par maayal zaraa na the

	My lips have tasted the bitter wine of life, Faiz
	I was never by temperament given to a bitter style.
	
Anyway, I would like to state at the onset that I am not a native
speaker of Urdu, and at best at an intermediate state of learning it. 
I do speak Hindi well, and Hindi shares a large basic vocabulary with 
Urdu. However Urdu poetry tends to use a lot of Arabic and Persian and 
that's when I run to my trusty Urdu dictionary. I was however fascinated 
with Urdu ever since a child, the hypnotic lilting tones, those wonderful 
throaty sounds. Its almost like they decided to take the best sounds of 
Arabia, Persia and India and make a new language.  There is an Urdu word 
which captures everything about Urdu for me, its 'nazakhat', said properly 
it means 'delicateness' or 'elegance'. And that is the saddest part of 
posting Urdu to a newgroup : _listening_ to Urdu poetry is more than half 
the gratification and what would you do with but a moiety ? But, not 
cured and endured. 

More sadness is to come though and that is the fact that Urdu poetry, 
especially classical Urdu poetry, is often concerned with mood and
style. As the Master himself said :

	Yun to hain duniyaa mein aur sukanvar bahut achhe
	Kahte hai key Ghalib ka hain andaaz-e-bayaan aur

	There are indeed many wonderful poets in this world,
	But, they say, Ghalib's style is something else. 

The problem then is conveying this style, this mood, and English, love it 
though I do, sometimes is not quite the adequate vehicle. But we will 
persevere and perhaps something good will come out of it. 

Then of course there is the script itself, borrowing willy-nilly from
Arabic and Persian with Indian additions and modifications
(and context-sensitive!). But, enough gushing. Onto the Master himself:
Asadullah Khan Ghalib (1797-1869) or Mirza Ghalib as he's better known. 
(translation adapted from "Masterpieces of Urdu Ghazal" by K.C. Kanda)

	I haven't hosted my friend for long
	Nor held a feast ablaze with wine.

	I gather together the bits of my heart once more
	An age has passed last I feasted my eyelashes.

	The curbs of convention choke by breath again
	Long it has been since I rent my cloak.

	Love comes again asking after my heart's wounds
	Bringing with it loads of salt for balm.

	With eyelashes for brush, blood of heart for dye
	I'm ready to paint florals on my robe.

	Deserting the edifice of self-esteem
	I set out again for the street of reproach.

	Passion is awatch for a buyer again
	Offering its heart and soul and sense.

	Charmed by its hypnotic contents
	I long to re-open the letter of my love.

	Lust on a roof-top, looks for a prey
	Her sable locks spread across her face.

	Desire wants a duel once more
	The daggers of her glances, sharpened with kohl. 

	A fresh, blooming beauty my eyes crave 
	A face flushed and flowering, all aglow with wine.

	I wish to lie once again at someone's door
	My head sunk deep in debt to the gateman's grace.

	Long again I for the leisurely days of yore
	To sit back and contemplate on my beloved. 

	Provoke me not, Ghalib, I am brimming with tears
	Ready at a touch, to unleash a flood.


Note on the translation : I have changed Mr. Kanda's translation wherever
I felt the essence was being lost, so if the ghazal doesn't read well
all blame is mine. All brilliance is naturally Ghalib's. 

Of course, most everything has been lost in the translation so use
your imagination a bit :-)

Also note : 'rent' in the third couplet is as in tear (though a 
firangi friend of mine makes a case for the commoner meaning :-))

If perchance you connoisseurs of poetic delicacies find this humble
offering from the East somewhat intriguing, I might be persuaded
to post from the other Master, yes, Faiz. 

And of course there's the little matter of posting the original 
in (transliterated) Urdu.

Ashu Rege

	Phir dekhiye andaaz-e-gulfshaani-e-guftaar
	Key rakh de koi paimaana-e-sahbaa mere aage