Ghalib’s grave – treasury of meanings is under the ground
The inscription on Ghalib’s tomb-stone in Arabic and Persian followed by translation:
a hai’yii ya qaiyuum
rashk-e-’Urfi va faKhr-e-Talib murd Asadullah Khan Ghalib murd
kal maiN Gham-o-andoh meN baa khaatir-e-maHzuuN
tha turbat-e-ustaad pe baiTha hua Ghamnaak
dekha jo mujhe fikr meN taareeKh ke, Majruuh
haatif ne kahaa *ganj-e-ma’ani hai tah-e-Khaak*
the qita (composed four verses) is by Mir Mahdi Majruuh; the phrase contains the chronogram of 1285 AH
—
The Alive, The Eternal [these are two of the names of Allah]
the envy of Urfi and the pride of Talib has died, Asadullah Khan Ghalib has died
[Urfi and Talib were Persian-Indian poets]
yesterday in sadness and mourning, grief-afflicted too
I sat by the Master’s grave with sorrow profound
seeing me thinking of a tareeKh, Majruuh [taareeKh = chronogram]
a heavenly voice said, “treasury of meanings is under the ground”
details of inscription from Ghulam Rasul Mehr’s book.
translated into English by Vasmi Abidi
Thanks for posting this here!
Bahut sundar… I had been to Nizamuddin, but out of courtesy to my hosts (not be over-bearing), i curbed my desire to visit Ghalib’s Tomb. Designed by Zain Yar Jung of Hyderabad. (who designed Iqbal’s tomb too). Zain Yar Jung was a fine architect… and constructed gr8 buildings with lime-mortar. High platform (Kursi)…stairs lead to a Mehrab (Baghdadi / moorish / with graphic jaalis)… High roof w/Fatehpuri slope Chaj`jaa… Gr8 [sometimes using the temple / mandir carved supportings].
I am not an architect but i have observed buildings built by Zain Yar Jung minutely. His masterpieces are scattered over Hyderabad (AP). Osmania University (Arts College Block)… though designed by Austrian architect (Jasper)… was executed to finish by Zain Yar Jung. “Hyderabad House” in Delhi.. etc.
Those Karigars – masons – died – with the culture… what a treasure was lost. Now we see buildings built at great cost… but there is no beauty. People may say.. these buildings are “functional”.. i am willing to accept that argument.. but functionality must be complemented by beauty. Except for that Japanes/Chinese Architect.. (i forgot his names)… who se high rises have beauty. Lack of land is one reason… so they are building up… whereas the Moghul Construction is based on land-scaping of environment/gardens.
One final point : Church Architecture is vertical. Muslim Architecture is Horizontal. Zain Yar Jung’s buildings are mostly (if not all) horizontal, in character. Tks for the picture.
GD
Thats beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
When Ghalib says ‘Majruuh’, does he mean the poet ‘Majruuh’?
Irfan
these lines were composed by the poet Majruh..
GD Saheb: thanks for providing such a detailed account. I did not know about many of these facts.
Beautiful Raza sahab. Thanks for posting the inscription and its translation. When I visited Ghalib’s grave, it was evening and it was too dark to make out what was written, without seeming to be prying unduly.
[...] Emily Dickinson’s, which is just a five minute walk from where I live in Amherst, Massachusetts.). Check out this blog for a picture and translation of the inscription on Ghalib’s tombstone. (Added July 12, [...]
It seems it was written by one of his students…obviously Ghalib left his style to him…what a beautiful way to close a great chapter in history of poetry…
beautiful inscription. I can’t believe i missed seeing it while been to India!!! thanks for sharing
Ghalib symbolizes the beautiful Pakistani soul. People say this is an ideological nation. I say this is a spiritual nation. Just follow the path of Ghalib, from Uzbekistan to Mughal Hindustan and then the shattering of the dream in Delhi in 1857. Seventy years later, you have Pakistan.
[...] Rumi discovers that there is a mountain of meaning below Ghalib’s grave: The inscription on Ghalib’s tomb-stone in Arabic and Persian followed by [...]
[...] http://www.razarumi.com/2008/07/11/ghalibs-grave-tre asury-of-mea… The inscription on Ghalib’s tomb-stone in Arabic and Persian followed by translation: a hai’yii ya qaiyuum rashk-e-’Urfi va faKhr-e-Talib murd Asadullah Khan Ghalib murd kal maiN Gham-o-andoh meN baa khaatir-e-maHzuuN tha turbat-e-ustaad pe baiTha hua Ghamnaak dekha jo mujhe fikr meN taareeKh ke, Majruuh haatif ne kahaa *ganj-e-ma’ani hai tah-e-Khaak* the qita (composed four verses) is by Mir Mahdi Majruuh; the phrase contains the chronogram of 1285 AH — The Alive, The Eternal [these are two of the names of Allah] the envy of Urfi and the pride of Talib has died, Asadullah Khan Ghalib has died [Urfi and Talib were Persian-Indian poets] yesterday in sadness and mourning, grief-afflicted too I sat by the Master’s grave with sorrow profound seeing me thinking of a tareeKh, Majruuh [taareeKh = chronogram] a heavenly voice said, “treasury of meanings is under the ground” details of inscription from Ghulam Rasul Mehr’s book. translated into English by Vasmi Abidi Posted 2 months ago. ( permalink ) [...]
[...] by translation: a hai'yii ya qaiyuum rashk-e … translated into English by Vasmi Abidi … [ http://www.razarumi.com [...]
addap to evry one ,i missed all my be4r peerdeez who hved been passed away b4r n i misssed my grad grand father nasair uddin galib n nana hazat shams uddin galib baut sayy peerdee gulazar chuki hai n v r nt in galibz gazals bt v r 4rm raja galib jung family of magbara e galib itz in hyerebad n most probebli our all london kay cases r in letication soo if ny gud oppsite lawer can solv soo they can cntct 2 dis id
they are the heart of india