Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza taqi beg maa’el dehlavi (1850-1931) has a large corpus with quite a few of his Ghazal composed in the style of Ghalib. He started composing at the age of 14 and it is reported that he met with Ghalib several times but did not seek or receive any tutoring. Perhaps he considered that presumptuous because he was too young and Ghalib was in his final years. He moved to jaipur in 1875 and lived there until his passing. His work, scattered among many friends was collected and published as his ‘kulliyaat’ – complete works – in three volumes, under the sponsorship of the rajasthan sahitya academy. This is one of five long Ghazal that maa’el himself has composed with the qaafiya/radeef of ‘zarf-e qadah-Khwaar dekh kar’ and is linked to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’ along with many others of other shu’ara.
1
har mauj¹-e mai² ko matla³-e anvaar⁴ dekh kar
piita huN ek jaam⁵ no sau baar dekh kar   1.wave 2.wine 3.emergence, rising (sunrise) 4.rays of light 5.cup (of wine)
The ripples in the goblet of wine are like waves. These waves create sparkling light, like the rays of the sun at dawn. This sight is so beautiful that the poet/wine lover drinks only after regarding each cup of wine a hundred times.
2
piir-e-muGhaaN¹ ne phaiNk di dastaar² dekh kar
saaGhar³ ko shaiKh⁴ rah gaye naachaar⁵ dekh kar    1.chief wine-maker 2.ceremonial cap 3.cup of wine 4.preacher 5.helpless
The shaiKh is notorious about preaching against wine-drinking but he secretly enjoys drinking wine. He has come to the tavern on the sly to drink. But when the chief wine maker saw his cap (part of his ordained attire – a symbol of authority) he threw away the wine in the cup fearing a reprimand. The poor shaiKh could only watch the wine cup helplessly.
3
dii maikashoN¹ ne shaiKh² ko taa’ziim³ sarv-qad⁴
bhiigi hui Khizaab⁵ meN dastaar⁶ dekh kar     1.wine lovers, patrons of the tavern 2.preacher 3.respect, honour 4.standing tall like a cypress 5.hair colour 6.ceremonial cap, turban
The shaiKh is at the tavern (where he is not supposed to be). He is sweating, perhaps in apprehension. Of course, the shaiKh is grey-haired but uses hair colour in order to look younger. But the sweating teases out the Khizaab and it shows up on his turban. Of course, the patrons of the tavern see all this, but they want to encourage him. So they give him a standing ovation for being courageous enough to come to the tavern.
4
qaatil¹ jo mast²-e naaz³ hai, maqtal⁴ meN shor hai
Doobi hui sharaab meN talvaar dekh kar   1.killer, beloved 2.intoxicated 3.self-regarding, coquetry 4.field of slaughter
The classical image of the beloved is that she is obsessed with her own beauty, out and about displaying her coquetry. Her admirers and aspirants to her love are gathered in her lane and she is out with drawn sword to slaughter them. Of course, the sword is dripping in blood as if it has been dipped in red wine. All of this causes a commotion in the field of slaughter – but the commotion is not about the fear of being killed but about ‘sword dipped in wine’.
5
karne lage tamaam¹ namaazi² dua-e-Khair³
vaa’ez⁴ ko maikade⁵ ka tarafdaar⁶ dekh kar    1.all, total 2.prayer gathering, congregation 3.pray for safety/survival/well being 4.preacher 5.tavern 6.partisan, protector
There is some undefined dispute regarding the tavern. It turns out that the preacher is sympathetic to the cause of the tavern (perhaps because he is a patron on the sly). The congregation is surprised. It is not clear whether they are happy to see the preacher support the tavern or fearful of the wrath of god that he is doing so. Both interpretations are possible. If they are happy, they offer prayers for the continued well being of the preacher. If they are fearful, they pray for their own survival and forgiveness against the possible wrath of god.
6
yaarab¹ bura ho tauba² ka fasl³-e bahaar⁴ meN
ro ro diya huN Khaana⁵-e Khammaar⁶ dekh kar    1.O lord 2.repentence, forswear 3.season 4.spring 5.house of 6.wine seller, tavern keeper
The poet/wine lover (in a moment of weakness) has repented and sworn off wine. Now it is spring and he regrets having sworn off wine. He comes upon the house of the wine seller and weeps copiously.
7
kya jaane kya hai dil meN biThaaya keh jiite haiN
piir-e-muGhaaN¹ ki shakl² ko maiKhwaar³ dekh kar    1.chief wine-maker, tavern keeper, saaqi, beloved 2.face 3.wine-lovers
Who knows what the saaqi has put into their minds. All wine lovers live because the see the face of the saaqi i.e., they are totally dedicated to her, live only for a glimpse of her.
8
rindaan¹-e baada-Khwaar² ko taskiin³ de bhi de
saaqi nigaah⁴-e mast⁵ se ek baar dekh kar   1.revelers 2.wine-drinking 3.comfort, satisfaction 4.glance 5.intoxicated, intoxicating
O saaqi, give some comfort to these wine-drinking revelers by looking at them at least once with your intoxicating glance.
9
piite hi jaam¹ shaiKh² to hairat³ meN rah gaya
har baada-kash⁴ ko vaaqaf⁵-e asraar⁶ dekh kar   1.cup of wine 2.preacher 3.amazement 4.wine-drinker 5.knowing of 6.secrets, mysteries
As soon as the shaiKh took a drink of the cup of wine, he was struck with amazement that every wine-drinker was aware of the secret. What was this secret/mystery and why did it dawn on the preacher when he took a drink? The mystery could be the pleasure of wine-drinking. The amazement could be that everyone knew, and he had been missing out. Alternatively, the mystery could be his own secret wine-drinking. As soon as he took a sip, he realized that everyone else knew about it (that it was never a secret) and was amazed at how they could have known.
10
piir-e-muGhaaN¹ ne shaiKh² ka kya kya kiya Khayaal³
masjid meN raat bhar use bekaar dekh kar    1.chief wine-maker, saaqi 2.preacher 3.consideration, courtesies
O, what courtesies did the saaqi not offer (out of pity) the preacher, when she saw him with nothing to do all night long in the masjid. On the one hand the preacher is portrayed as the hard disciplinarian and on the other the saaqi is courteous, considerate and loving. There is another dig at the masjid with the contrast that there is revelry and merriment in the tavern all night long and only idleness and boredom in the masjid.
11
mastaana¹ ban gaye dar-o-diivaar²-e maikada³
har baada-kash⁴ ke jaam⁵ ko sarshaar⁶ dekh kar     1.intoxicated 2.doors and walls, building 3.tavern 4.wine-drinker 5.cup 6.satiated, filled
Every client of the tavern is being taken care of and served well. All their cups are full (refilled thoughtfully by the saaqi). Seeing this the very building of the tavern feels intoxicating.
12
shiishe¹ ke TooTne ka to sadma² ho dil pe shaiKh³
maiN aur Khush huN maikada⁴ mismaar⁵ dekh kar     1.bottle, flask 2.shock, sorrow 3.preacher 4.tavern 5.ruined, destroyed
It appears that in this she’r the shaiKh has reverted to his conventional role. He has come to the tavern as a disciplinarian/enforcer and has broken bottles/glasses of wine. How can I not go into a shock of sorrow at this O, shaiKh. It isn’t that I am happy to see the maikada destroyed.
13
kii aisi ek nigaah¹ ke dam-bhar² meN kuchh na tha
piir-e-muGhaaN³ ne josh⁴-e qadah-Khwaar⁵ dekh kar    1.glance 2.one moment 3.chief wine-maker, saaqi 4.noise, disturbance 5.wine drinkers
The saaqi is responsible for the decorum in the tavern. When the wine-drinkers got a little rowdy and noisy, she cast such a glance at them that in just one moment there was none of the noise left – everything went quiet.
14
vaa’ez¹ ke hosh² uR gaye diivaar-e Khuld³ se
maiKhaane⁴ ki mili hui diivaar dekh kar    1.preacher 2.senses, composure 3.heaven 4.tavern
The preacher lost his senses/composure when he saw that heaven shared a wall with the tavern! That which he had thought was evil turns to be joined at the hip with heaven.
15
bismil¹ bhi mast² ho gaye qaatil³ ke haath meN
mauj⁴-e sharaab-e-naab⁵ si talvaar dekh kar    1.sacrificial offering, lovers 2.intoxicated, satiated 3.killer, beloved 4.wave 5.pure/strong wine
This plays on the image of the beloved (or saaqi) as a killer with drawn sword out to kill her lovers/admirers who also happen to be wine lovers. When they see the sword, which is curved like the wave/ripple of wine, they feel satiated and intoxicated.
16
aye tauba¹, toRta na tujhe, rashk² aa gaya
piir-e-muGhaaN³ ke saath meN maiKhwaar⁴ dekh kar    1.penitence, foreswearing 2.envy 3.chief wine-maker, saaqi 4.wine lovers
The poet/wine-lover has repented and sworn off wine. But he has broken his promise and explains it, directly addressing pentinence personified. O Penitence, I would have broken my promise, except that I became envious when I saw other wine-lovers with the saaqi.
17
aaii ajal¹ rasiida² ye kahta hai duur se
tauba³ ko meri Khaana⁴-e Khammaar⁵ dekh kar    1.death 2.complete and ready 3.repentence 4.house of 5.wine-seller
It seems that the “house of the wine-seller” is the subject and the principal in this she’r and is speaking directly. It has spotted the poet/wine-lover from afar but knows that he has become penitent and sworn off wine and says, ‘here comes someone who appears ready for death’.
18
is Dar se is meN rooh¹-e an-al-haq² saraa³ na ho
piita nahiN huN jaam⁴ to sarshaar⁵ dekh kar   1.spirit 2.‘I am the Truth – aham brahmasmi’ 3.singer as in ‘Ghazal-saraa’ 4.cup 5.full, satiated
This has reference to the story of mansuur al-hallaaj, a sufi scholar/philosopher, who declared ‘I am the Truth’ declaring is one-ness with the divine. He was declared a heretic and sentenced to death, offered a pardon, if he recanted. He refused and chose to die. This is used as a symbol of rebellion against absolute authority and orthodoxy. When he sees a cup brimming full with wine, he thinks that it is satiated, completely satisfied and at peace, like mansuur was, and about to sing out ‘an-al-haq’. Therefore, he does not drink it up. Leaves it in peace. Alternatively, he does not drink it, because he is afraid that it might sing out and the poet would end up losing his head over it. He seems to admit that he does not have the courage to do so.
19
piir-e-muGhaaN¹ ne jaam² inaayet³ kiya mujhe
tauba⁴ ka roz⁵-e eid gunahgaar⁶ dekh kar    1.chief wine-maker, saaqi 2.cup 3.grant, bestow 4.penitence 5.day of 6.sinner
The poet/wine-lover has repented and sworn off wine. But on the day of eid he gives in to temptation and decides to break his promise of penitence. Thus he is ‘tauba ka gunahgaar’ – a transgressor against penitence. When the saaqi sees him thus on the day of eid, he gladly bestows upon him a cup of wine.
20
Takra¹ ke kar diya sar-e tauba² ko choor choor
maiKhaane³ ki bahaar⁴ meN diivaar dekh kar    1.striking, hitting 2.penitence 3.tavern 4.spring
The poet/wine-lover has repented and sworn off wine. But then it is spring and he sees the wall of the tavern. He strikes the head of penitence against the wall and shatters it to pieces i.e., he breaks his promise to stay away from wine.
21
piir-e-muGhaaN¹ ka shaiKh² ko hona paRa muriid³
piina sharaab-e-naab⁴ ka dushvaar⁵ dekh kar   1.chief wine-maker, saaqi 2.preacher 3.follower, devotee 4.pure/strong wine 5.difficult
Normally, the shaiKh and the saaqi are on opposite sides. It is very difficult for the shaiKh to change sides but then to become a follower/devotee of the saaqi will be even more difficult. But he had to do it because drinking pure/strong wine proved very difficult and he had to get lessons from the saaqi.
22
mujh ko ye Gham¹ keh Khaana-e-tauba² na gir paRe
Khush ho rahe haiN, abr ko maiKhwaar³ dekh kar   1.pain – used here to mean fear 2.house of penitence 3.wine-lovers
Many wine-lovers have repented and sworn off drinking. But it is spring and spring rain clouds gather overhead. In poetic convention, this is a time for celebration, singing dancing and drinking. The poet/wine-lover looks at fellow wine-lovers around him (who have all sworn off drinking) and sees that they are elated at seeing spring clouds. This is an indication that they are ready to break their vow. He is afraid that the ‘house of penitence’ is about to collapse.
23
maa’el¹ mere suKhan² ki ye Ghalib ne daad³ dii
dete haiN baada⁴ zarf⁵-e qadah-Khwaar⁶ dekh kar   1.pen-name of the poet 2.verse, shaa’eri 3.praise, valuation 4.wine 5.capacity 6.wine-drinker
The poet is imagining that Ghalib is praising him for his verse. Said Ghalib …
girni thi hum pe barq-e tajalli na tuur par
dete haiN baada zarf-e qadah-Khwaar dekh kar
Wine is given/served after assessing the capacity of the wine-drinker. Mount tuur did not have the capacity to bear the lightning strike that was served to it and burnt down. But here it seems that Ghalib says that god has given maa’el the ability to compose verse after assessing his capacity and finding him fully capable.