Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ganesh bihari srivastav tarz (1928-2008). There are conflicting records about the date of birth, but 1928 appears more credible. BA LLB from lucknow. He worked in various legal and administrative positions. Started composing around 1949. Brother of kishan bihari noor. This is a beautiful tribute to the Ghazal format.
1
duniya bani to hamd¹ o sanaa² ban gayii Ghazal
utra jo noor³, noor-e Khuda ban gayii Ghazal    1.praise (usually of god) 2.praise, admiration 3.light
The poet goes back to the moment of creation. There was reason to praise god and admire the beauty of creation. Both of these were done in the form of Ghazal. Thus, Ghazal is co-created with the cosmos! When light descended (into the cosmos), then the brilliance of the Ghazal became the light of god. Thus, Ghazal is divine.
2
goonja jo naad¹-e brahma² banii raqs³-e mahr⁴ o maah⁵
zarre⁶ jo thartharaaye⁷ sadaa⁸ ban gayii Ghazal     1.sound (in both arabic/urdu and sanskrit), used here as ‘song’ 2.creator in the hindu tradition 3.dance 4.sun 5.moon (sun and moon used here to mean all cosmic bodies) 6.particles, matter 7.movement 8.sound, call
In the hindu tradition there is a song of creation, in the Christian tradition god said, ‘let there be light’, in islam allah said, ‘kun’, meaning, ‘Be’. Thus when the sound of brahma the creator echoed, it became the dance of cosmic bodies. When this matter moved, it created the sound of the Ghazal. Once again, the Ghazal was created at the very beginning along with the cosmos.
3
chamki kahiiN jo barq¹ to ehsaas² ban gayii
chhaa’ii  kahiiN  ghaTaa to adaa³ ban gayii Ghazal    1.lightning 2.feelings, emotions 3.style, coquetry, romantic playfulness
In urdu poetic tradition ‘saavan ki ghaTa’ is associated with awakening romantic feelings. Thus when lightning flashed (bringing hopes of rains) emotions expressed themselves as Ghazal. When rain bearing clouds spread then Ghazal expressed itself as romantic playfulness. Thus, Ghazal is inextricably associated with human emotions.
4
aandhi chali to qahr¹ ke saanche² men Dhal³ gayii
baad-e-sabaa⁴ chali to nashaa ban gayii Ghazal     1.calamity 2.mould 3.cast 4.morning breeze
When storms arose, the Ghazal was cast in the mould of a calamity and when the morning breeze blew it became intoxicating. Thus, the whole range of human emotions from sadness/calamities to pleasure and joy are expressed in Ghazal.
5
haivaaN¹ bane to bhuuk banii be-basii² banii
insaaN bane to jazb³-e vafaa⁴ ban ga’ii Ghazal    1.animals 2.helplessness – used here to mean without a will of their own, instinct 3.short for jazba, meaning emotion/passion 4.faith, love – used here to mean higher emotions
Thus, in animals Ghazal is expressed as the base biological needs – hunger/survival and instinct. In humans Ghazal transformed into higher emotions.
6
uTThaa jo dard-e ‘ishq to ashkoN¹ men Dhal² gayii
be-chainiiyaaN³ baRhiiN to du’aa ban gayii Ghazal     1.tears 2.cast, dissolved 3.restlessness, yearning
When the pain of love arose, Ghazal dissolved into tears. When yearning increased, Ghazal became a prayer.
7
jaagii havas¹ to ban ke uThi sho’la²-e sharaab
TooTa jo sabr³ laGhzish-e-paa⁴ ban gayii Ghazal    1.lust, strong desire 2.flame 3.sabr TooTna-loosing forbearance/control, succumbing to lust 4.staggering steps
The disappointed lover tries to drink away his sorrow but when his forbearance is lost and he drinks too much, then he staggers. Does the poet see this as a form of Ghazal!
8
zaahid¹ ne pii to jaam²-e fanaa³ ban ke rah gayii
rindoN⁴ ne pii to jaam²-e baqaa⁵ ban gayii Ghazal     1.preacher, orthodoxy 2.cup 3.destruction 4.revelers 5.survival, happiness
The orthodox preacher lectures about fire and brimstone. So, when he ‘drinks’, his Ghazal becomes a message of fire and brimstone, punishment, destruction. As opposed to orthodoxy is the rind/reveler – used here in the broad sense of sufi, mendicant, liberal, accepting of all faiths or unfaith. Thus, when the ‘rind’ drinks the Ghazal becomes the song of pleasure and acceptance.
9
arz¹-e dakkan meN jaan² to dilli meN dil banii
aur shahr-e lakhna’uu meN hina³ ban gayii Ghazal     1.land 2.soul 3.henna
This has reference to the early development of Ghazal. It is generally accepted that it rose in the dakkan – quli qutub shah and vali dakkhani are well recognized Ghazal shu’ara. Thus, Ghazal acquired its soul in the land of the dakkan and acquired fine feelings in the dehli school. When it came to lukhnau it became colourful.
10
dohe, rubaa’ii¹, nazm, sabhii tarz² the magar
asnaaf³-e shaa’eri ki Khuda ban gayii Ghazal   1.quatrain, four line verse 2.pen-name of the poet, style, genre 3.genre of verse
While there were genres of verse like the doha/couplet, rubaa’ii/quatrain, nazm/poem, the Ghazal became the ‘god of versification’.