Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. Elizabeth Kurian ‘Mona’ (1949-living) is a poet in many languages – urdu, English, hindi, and her mother tongue malayalam, with published books in each. A true blue hyderabadi, she is a late comer to urdu, but apparently good at it as well as in love with it. She learnt urdu through a correspondence course offered by jaami’a-e millia islamia, dehli. She has written four urdu books of Ghazal/nazms. She took early retirement from a management position in Reserve Bank of India and now pursues her passion in poetry. The poet herself has done an English recomposition also in Ghazal format, which is an extremely difficult thing to do.
1
zindagi hi meri ban gayii hai Ghazal
saath jab se mere chal paRi hai Ghazal     I like to interpret it this way … The Ghazal has become a major focus/pleasure of my life. Ever since I discovered its beauty, it has stayed with me.
2
mahki mahki¹ fazaaeN² haiN chaaroN taraf³
jab se baaGh-e suKhan⁴ meN khili hai Ghazal     1.fragrance 2.breeze 3.directions 4.verse, poetry
Ever since the Ghazal bloomed in the garden of poetry, a fragrant breeze blows in all directions.
3
ek shaa’er pe rab¹ ka karam² dekhiye
ek ata³ ban ke us ko mili hai Ghazal    1.god 2.benevolence, grace 3.boon
Behold god’s grace. The Ghazal is granted to the shaa’er as a boon.
4
ye kahiN oas¹ hai motiyoN ki tarah
to kahiN aaNsuoN ki nami² hai Ghazal     1.dew drops 2.dampness, wetness
Sometimes it reflects the beauty and pleasure of pearl-like dew drops and sometimes it reflects tears of sorrow.
5
ye dhule aasmaan par hai dhanak¹
saat raNgoN ki jaadugari hai Ghazal    1.rainbow
On the rain washed sky it is the beauty of a rainbow with the magic of seven colours. maKhdoom mohiuddin also writes … https://urdushahkar.org/shaaer-makhdoom/ … this is what he does when composing a Ghazal …
kuchh qaus-e quzh se raNgat li kuchh noor churaaya taaroN se
6
saath dene radiif¹ aage aage chali
qaafiyoN² ko jo le kar chali hai Ghazal     1.refrain 2.rhyming sound/word preceding the refrain
The Ghazal has a formal structure with the two lines/misra of the first she’r couplet carrying the refrain and the rhyming word. The second misra in each succeeding she’r carries the rhyme and refrain. The poet celebrates the mutually helpful journey of the radiif and qaafiya along the path of the Ghazal.
7
shaam mujh ko kisi kii jo yaad aa gayii
us ke Gham meN nayii ek hui hai Ghazal    The poet remembers someone (could be a long lost friend) and the bitter-sweet memory makes the creative juices run in the form of a new Ghazal.
8
us ne uTh kar jagaaya mujhe niim-shab¹
is tarah bhi kabhi jaag uThi hai Ghazal     1.middle of the night
us=someone who has not been named. Contextually, it could mean the Ghazal itself … in which case the creative thought of Ghazal itself wakes her up in the middle of the night and a new Ghazal ‘wakes up’. But the reader can give the context a different twist. Someone could be a long dormant relationship which wakes the poet up and impels her to compose.
9
baat karti nahiN sirf¹ mahboob² ki
vaqt³ ke saath ab chal rahi hai Ghazal     1.only 2.lover or beloved 3.times
The Ghazal has an undeserved reputation of being only about the beloved. Thus, the poet declares that it does not only talk about the lover or beloved. It marches along with the times i.e. writing about current issues/thoughts.
10
lab¹ pe hai vaah² to aah³ dil se uThe
bazm⁴ meN saaz⁵ par jab chhiRi hai Ghazal     1.lips 2.exclamation of praise 3.sigh 4.gathering 5.music
The scenario is one of a mushaa’era gathering where the poet recites a Ghazal – either musically in tarannum or ‘that-ul-lafz’ in rhythmic recitation. In either case because of the Ghazal structure it sounds musical. Thus the audience acclaims vaah-vaah even as the musical Ghazal evokes sentiments perhaps of nostalgia or of sorrow.
11
sun-ne vaale to madhosh¹ hi ho gaye
jab kisi ne murassa² kahi hai Ghazal    1.intoxicated, elated 2.bejwelled, decorated with jewels
Once again the scenario is that of a mushaa’era. The poet recites a Ghazal sprinkled with jewels of musically composed thoughts and the audience is elated as if drunk with pleasure.
12
bhaaye mona na kyuN us ki ek ek ada¹
vo haNsiN² hai, bahut chulbuli³ hai Ghazal    1.style, coquetry 2.beautiful 3.mischievous, teasing
The imagery is of a Ghazal like a playful maiden. She is beautiful and teases with coquetry. O, mona, why would not her every coquettish gesture feel pleasing. After all, the Ghazal is like a beautiful, mischievous and teasing maiden.

Recomposition in English, in Ghazal format by the poet herself
1
My life transformed into a Ghazal
Ever since with me is the Ghazal
2
Its fragrance spreads in all directions
In poesy’s garden blooms the Ghazal
3
Behold God’s grace upon a poet
As a boon he receives the Ghazal
4
Somewhere it is a pearl-like dew drop
Elsewhere, dampness of tears is Ghazal
5
It is a rainbow in the clear sky
A seven hued magic is Ghazal
6
Refrain leads the way for guidance
Coyly follow rhymes of the Ghazal
7
Memories come to meet me at twilight
Missing someone created a new Ghazal
8
It woke me up in the middle of the night
Sometimes in this way awoke a Ghazal
9
It speaks not merely of the beloved
Abreast of times now is the Ghazal
10
Praise from lips and sighs from heart arise
When rendered with music is the Ghazal
11
Listeners become intoxicated with joy
When someone recites an ideal Ghazal
12
Are not its traits adorable, mona
So lovely and lively is the Ghazal