Customer Reviews

Love Sonnets of Ghalib, Deluxe Edition

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If you are like me-passionate about urdu poetry and shairy, but cant read urdu-this book is for you.
Ghalib, undoubtedely, is one of world's best writers ever. But everybody knows that, so lets just talk about this book.
This is indeed a labour of love. Just flipping through the pages, one can see how much hard word has gone into it. But more than that, you will realize how passionate the writer is about Ghalib and about urdu poetry. To translate and explain thousands of couplets is no mean feat. And I salute the auther for this wonderful work.
Each and every shair-couplet- of Ghalib has been given in urdu, also in roman script so that if you can speak hindi/urdu/hindustani, but cant read urdu, you can recite the couplets in original. Then he has translated it literally, in two sentences. Which is really wonderful work, and those who dont understand urdu can appreciate the beauty of ghalib's work.
But it doesn't end here, then the author goes on to explain what Ghalib meant by that couplet. Ghalib's poetry is not always forthcoming and easy to understand. It has many facets to it. A deep hidden meaning, philosophical overtures, social and political satires, historical and religious references-and most times-Ghalib's irreverence to them. And one can interpret it in many ways. The author explains in detail, going on to pages sometimes to explain one couplet. This is where the depth of author's hard work shows. I didn't always agree with him on the real or hidden meaning of some couplets-but then, that's Ghalib for you. You can take it the way you want, and the way one would interpret it would depend on that person himself.
The artwork was a bit disappointing but having said that, this book is worth its weight in gold.
I hope author is going to continue his work and give us Mir, Iqbal, Faiz-------. I for one would keep my ears close to ground and wait eagerly.

I highly recommend this book to all lovers of urduu poetry. It is particularly useful to serious students of the Ghazal form for whom interpreting Ghalib has always been an "issue". Not only does Dr. Niazi dwell at length on the imageries used by Ghalib, but in many cases also gives contextual references to incidents in Ghalib's life to help interpret a couplet better. Again, some couplets/terms (eg. kAGhazI paErahan) are understood only within a historical/social context - and Dr. Niazi provides the same in such cases. Note that each couplet is followed by a LITERAL (not idiomatic) translation and then by an elaborate explication. The explication also addresses multiple inherent interpretations if they exist. Dr. Niazi also points out, in many cases, erroneous interpretations that are in vogue.

Budding/Fledgeling poets may use this work to enhance their own understanding of symbols and idioms as used in urduu poetry (in addition to making sense out of the obscurity that is Ghalib). For established scholars this book can serve as a ready reference (or sanity check!).

Note: While the couplets are presented first in the original persian script, they are also transliterated using the roman script for the benefit of those who do not read the original.

Love and poems of love are universal; how an Eastern mind presents its dilemmas of love are remarkably rendered by the most famous poet of the East--Mirza Ghalib. Beautiful Urdu calligraphy with ample English explication makes reading this poetry from a distant culture a true delight.

Mirza Ghalib is the greatest Urdu poet and has no living peers. So to attempt to evaluate his works, by anyone living today, is farcical; it would be like writing a critique on Shakespeare by someone living today (one may try). We have to make do with what may have been recorded by Ghalib's true peers.

Comparing Ghalib to Shakespeare, as is often done, is wrong as well. Shakespeare was primarily a dramatist. Ghalib mostly wrote verse. Ghalib's poetry is sung in royal courts, Mushairas (gathering of lovers of poetry), Hindi and Urdu movies and on street-corners, even today. His work was panoramic in its extent and didn't limit itself to the theme of 'love'. Shakespeare's exquisite works of drama and sonnets are taught in schools and read mostly by an elite group. This is a pity.

Ghalib did not write "Sonnets". Sonnets are 'little poems' of usually, rhyming fourteen lines, that originated in Italy and was copied by authors in other languages including English. Shakespeare wrote several lovely ones. Ghalib wrote in an entirely different style, couplets, which rhymed sweetly as well.

Mr. Niazi's translations are quite worthy, if sometimes academic. The accompanying Urdu lines are helpful to those who have mastered the Arabic script used by Urdu. Since Urdu and Hindi are parallel languages and a great many of the readers (like me) are Hindi speakers, it would have been helpful if the couplets were printed in Hindi as well (afterall the book was published in India, not Pakistan). The transliteration in the limited Roman script is difficult to read, if not downright impossible to comprehend, even for someone used to the language.

The overall effort is excellent and praiseworthy. There are other worthy English translations of Ghalib's poetry available as well.

This book is worthwhile having and probably one of the best books I have.
It is in Urdu, Roman script, English translation and there is an interpretation.
Ghalib himself writes: "For how long shall I write about the anguish of the heart? Instead, I should go and show her my wounded fingers and the blood-dripping pen."

I think this poem says it all :o)

A real gem of gift by Mr. Niyazi to the literary lovers who can know what a master-piece of work Ghalib left behind. Commendable job by the author translating the deewan..I recommend not to rush and read like a novel but a verse a day will be a pleasure..just experience.. it

shahab

I just receieved this Book today and it looks like a life-long thing to have. All the Ghazals have been provided in Urdu for Urdu readers, in Hindi Transliterated in english with the complete english meaning. Though One I found "Hazaron khwahishen aisi" that's missing atleast 2 of the original Shers so I'm not sure if other ghazals have been abridged too?

Ghalib's sonnets are legendary to all Hindi/Urdu speakers of the sub-continent and this is the most comprehensive and lucid collection of Ghalib's sonnets I have ever come across. Ghalib's play of words and the incredible depths of his thoughts in the most simplest words has transcended centuries. For non Urdu readers, this is a chance to delve into that beauty. The transliteration and the explanation that follows is very well written and the author's passion and labour of love for Ghalib's works is evident on every page. Definitely the best in the market.

Translating Ghalib is no easy feat. The authors have done a brilliant job in translating master pieces of Mirza Ghalib.

Besides the transliteration, there is excellent interpretation of the ghazals with historical context provided.

One can see that a lot of effort went into this book. Many of the words have been translated but many have been left out as well.