Just as Avon is identified with Shakespeare, so is Delhi with Mirza Ghalib. So popular is he that his couplets have become part of every day conversation. It is usual to hear “Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi Ke Har Khwahish Pe Dam Nikle” or “Ishq Par Zor Nahin Hain Ye Wo Aatish Ghalib, Jo Lagaye Na Lage Aur Bujhaye Na Bane”. He has not only inspired creative people, but has also impacted the everyday life of common man. The inclusive culture of Delhi owes some of its traits to the bard, whom many consider a sufi, who loved to have Deepwali ki barfi as much as sewaiyyan of Eid.
Celebrating this popularity, Sanatan Sangeet Sanskriti organised “Ghalib Ki Dilli: Words In The Garden”. The two-day festival witnessed a series of workshops, recitals, readings, walks, conversations, screenings, baithaks, mehfils and theatre. Each session was named after a famous Ghalib verse. Setting the ball rolling was Zahraab Ugara Hai Mujhe , a discussion featuring well known poets, Ashok Vajpeyi and Shamsur R. Faruqi and author Pavan K. Varma.
Vajpeyi pointed out that Ghalib’s works encompassed several bastis of Delhi, representing varied facets of the city. These is hope, tamasha, life’s worthlessness and celebration. “Ghalib said that if the world is a body, Delhi is its heart (yeh duniya mano jism hai aur Dilli uski jaan).” Agreeing, Faruqi said that Ghalib referred to Delhi as “jaan and jahaan”. “He wrote on other places he visited like Banaras and Calcutta but criticised Allabahad.” Stating that he added, “the reason was bed bugs!”, leaving the audience in splits. Varma said, Ghalib’s poetry reflected a lot of angst and anguish about what became of Delhi and its people post First War of Independence in 1857. “With British assuming power, he found the old customs and pageantry giving way to a new order; he didn’t like that. This tamasha was unacceptable yet didn’t kill him because of an indomitable fighting spirit.”
Progressive approach
Ghalib’s Delhi is still facing challenges from within and without.. That’s the subject of Dr. Sayeed Alam’s play, “Ghalib in New Delhi” that was staged during the event. “Amazed at his popularity today as compared to his lifetime, he would find it hard to negotiate life. He wouldn’t get his haveli because of lack of Aadhar card., would have to share a flat with a migrant from Bihar or have a Punjabi landlady,” said Alam. Will that depress him? “Struggling initially, he would recognise progress and change, to embrace it. Ghalib had observed that the British should be commended for introducing railways and electricity – tools of progress – in India.”
Many events presented Ghalib with a contemporary touch. Among them was Murad Ali’s recitation of the poet’s works accompanied with Raman on guitar. “I choose verses that reflected the poet’s romanticism highlighting his pain, longing, helplessness in his love for the nautch girl. The guitar was to give a modern touch.” On choosing the emotion of love, Ali said: “Irrespective of time, it is an eternal emotion that has remained unchanged.”
Sahil Vasudeva’s “ Shab-o-Roz Tamasha ” was a piano recital weaved around the theme of tamasha. “Taking a cue from Ghalib, I created narratives around what is taking places today. I took up issues like fake news, the cacophony raised about Indian sanskriti being in danger due to Western onslaught, beef ban and gau rakshas on rampage. While these were depicted in films, photographs and lights in the background, I played Western classical works by Sergie Rachmaninoff and Frederic Chopin.” Talking about the contrast, Sahil said, “It is to juxtapose my views as a young artist in today’s Delhi on national issues with Western compositions emphasising the ongoing tamasha.”
Adding colour and variety to the festival were events like the exhibition A Way To Gali Qasim Jan . The artworks by Prabir Krishna Deb and Santanu Chatterjee among others captured the rhythm, grace and beauty of the intricate culture embraced in his poetry, layered with wit and passion. Likewise, the curated dinner of 19th Century by Salma Yusuf Hussain too generated excitement. “I chose 20 dishes liked by Ghalib and prevalent in Shahjahanabad in his age. I found details in the books Yaadgar-E-Ghalib by Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali and Murraqa-E-Ghalib compiled by Prithvi Chander.” She included badam ka sharbat, shami kabab, yakhni, qorma gosht, seekh kabab, bhuna ghost, phool makhane ka salan among others. Of course, there was his favourite channa dal and lauki, channa ka halwa and lauki ke kabab but the emphasis was on non-vegetarian dishes. “Ghalib wrote in a letter that he loves meat, eating it even when sick and avoiding khichdi,” quipped Salma.
