Shayar ~ Attalia: Expression

Wednesday 6 May 2009

Expression

"Of All The Things You Wear,
Your Expression Is The Most Important"
~ Unknown

Posted by Shayar~Attalia at 3:06 pm

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~Shayar Attalia~

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Definition of Ghazal's

Although, many would know this, for some this could be informative.

There is Book / Dictionary / Collection of Sher's titled
"Aaina-e-Ghazal", which IMHO is a treasure for every Ghazal fan. In this there is a long essay "Ghazal Kya Hai ?" by Dr Arshad Jamaal.

The essay is written in Hindi, and is about History of Ghazal, its development, its milestones, important Shayar's etc. One part of it describes the definition of Ghazal. The following is loosely based on that. The essay talks only about what is a Ghazal. To that I have added in the following, what is not a Ghazal. So any mistakes in these parts, are mine. [These are enclosed in square brackets like this.] Classical Definition of Ghazal ~ Abhay Avachat

Also one thing should be kept in mind that, this is not Mathematics. So "Preciseness" of the "Definition" should not be questioned.

Ghazal in short, is a collection of Sher's which follow the rules of 'Matla', 'Maqta', 'Beher', 'Kaafiyaa' and 'Radif'.
It is important for Ghazal scholars to understand these terms.

To understand these terms easily, we will take an example.

Koi Ummid Bar Nahin Aati,
Koi Surat Nazar Nahin Aati,
Aage Aati Thi Haale Dil Par Hasi,
Ab Kisi Baat Par Nahin AatiHum Wahan Hain,
Jahan Se Humko Bhi,
Kucch Hamaari Khabar Nahin Aati
Kaabaa Kis Muh Se Jaaoge 'Ghalib',
Sharm Tumko Magar Nahin Aati

What is a Sher?
It's a poem of two lines. This definition is deceptively simple. Please note that, every Sher is a poem in itself! A Sher does not need, anything around it, to convey the message.

All the 4 stanzas in our example are independent Sher's.

So Ghazal is necessarily a collection of two-line-poems called Sher.
[So the Rafi solo "Rang Aur Noor Ki Baaraat Kise Pesh Karu" is NOT a Ghazal, as every stanza is of 3 lines, and not 2.]

What are other restrictions ? Many, and important ones.
[Any collection of Sher's is not Ghazal. Some good examples are; the famous Mukesh song from Yehoodi, "yeh mera deewaanaapan hai" ; and the title song of "dil apana aur preet parayi". Each stanza in these songs can be considered as an independent Sher, but they are NOT Ghazal's. To understand, why, we have to wait till 'Kaafiyaa, 'Radif'.]

What is 'Beher'?
'Beher' is the 'meter' of the Sher's.
It can be considered as the length of the Sher.
Both the lines in the Sher *MUST* be of same 'Beher'.
All the Sher's in one Ghazal *MUST* be of the same 'Beher'.
There are 19 (!!) kinds of 'Beher'.
But in simple terms, 'Beher' is categorized in 3 classes:
Short, medium, long.

The examples in [] and italicised are my additions, from Hindi Films.

Small :
Ahale Dairo-Haram Reh Gaye
Tere Deewane Kam Reh Gaye
[Also Talat song, "Dil-E-Nadan Thuje Hua Kya Hai"]

Medium :
Umr Jalwo Mein Basar Ho, Ye Zaruri Tho Nahin
Har Shab-E-Gam Ki Seher Ho, Ye Zaruri To Nahin
[And by Gulzar, "Ruke Ruke Se Kadam, Ruk Ke Baar Baar Chale"]

Long :
Ai Mere Humnashin, Chal Kahin Aur Chal, Iss Chaman Me Ab Apanaa Guzaaraa Nahin

Baat Hoti Gulon Ki, To Seh Lete Hum, Ab To Kaaton Pe Bhi Haq Hamaaraa Nahin
[The filmfare winner, "Manzile Apani Jagah Hai" !! Yes ! It IS a Ghazal. And the Shayar is Prakash Mehra!! Surprise!]

So Ghazal is a collection of Sher's of SAME 'Beher'.

What is 'Radif'?
In a Ghazal, second line of all the Sher's *MUST* end with the *SAME* word/s. This repeating common words is the 'Radif' of the Ghazal.

In our example, the 'Radif' is "Nahin Aati".
[Sometimes, the Ghazal becomes known by its 'Radif'. eg. "Zaraa Aahista Chal" sung by Pankaj Udhas.
On RMIM, I think, we all know one Ghazal by the 'Radif' as "Aahista Aahista".]

What is 'Kaafiyaa'?
'Kaafiyaa' is the rhyming pattern which all the words before 'Radif' *MUST* have.

In our example the 'Kaafiyaa' is: Bar, Nazar, Par, Magar, etc. This is a necessary requirement. Something which is followed even in the exceptions to all these rules.

So Ghazal is a collection of Sher's of same 'Beher', ending in same 'Radif' and having same 'Kaafiyaa'.
[That's the reason, why "Yeh Mera Diwanapan Hai" etc. are NOT Ghazals. There is no common thing which can be called 'Kaafiyaa' and 'Radif'. ]

What is 'Matla'?
The first Sher in the Ghazal *MUST* have 'Radif' in its both lines. This Sher is called 'Matla' of the Ghazal and the Ghazal is usually known after its 'Matla'. There can be more than one 'Matla' in a Ghazal. In such a case the second one is called 'Matla-e-Saani' or 'Husn-e-Matla'.
In our example, the first Sher is the 'Matla'.

What is 'Maqta'?
A Shayar usually has an alias ie. 'Takhallus' eg.
Mirza Asadullakhan used 'Ghalib' as his 'Takhallus' and is known by that.

Other examples are 'Daag' Dehlvi, 'Mir' Taqi Mir, Said 'Rahi', Ahmed 'Faraz' etc.

There is a Sher in a Ghazal, the last one, which has the Shayar's 'Takhallus' in it.

[A Shayar, can use the 'Maqta' very intelligently. He can "talk to himself" like one in our example. I have lots of favourite Sher's which are 'Maqta' of some Ghazal.
Some gems are:

Koi Nam-O-Nishan Puchhe To Ai Kaasid Bataa Denaa,
Takhallus 'Daag' Hai, Aur Aahiqon Ke Dil Me Rehte Hai

and

Jab Bhi Milte Hain, To Kehte Hain, "Kaise Ho 'Deep'",
Iske Aage Tho Koi Baat Nahin Hoti Hai

The first one uses the meaning of the 'Takhallus' to create the magic, and the second one is just simple, simply beautiful. ]

To summarize, Ghazal is a collection of Sher's (independent two-line poems), in which there is atleast one 'Matla', one 'Maqta' and all the Sher's are of same 'Beher' and have the same 'Kaafiyaa' and 'Radif'.

Exceptions and Important Points to Note:

Ghazal is just a form. It is independent of any language. eg. in Marathi also, there can be (and there are) good Ghazals.

Some Ghazal's do NOT have any 'Radif'. Rarely.
Such Ghazal's are called "Gair-Muraddaf" Ghazal.

Although, every Sher, should be an independent poem in itself, it is possible, that all the Sher's are on the same theme.
What famous example can be other than
"Chupke Chupke Raat Din Aasun Bahaanaa Yaad Hai".

In modern Urdu poetry, there are lots of Ghazal's which do NOT follow the restriction of same 'Beher' on both the lines of Sher.
[My example in 'Maqta', the Sher by Shakil, is one. ]
But even in these Ghazal's, 'Kaafiyaa' and 'Radif' are present.

The restriction of 'Maqta' is really very loose. Many many Ghazal's do NOT have any 'Maqta'. [ I think 'Maqta' was used in the earlier times, as a way to keep the credit. But since this is traditional, many Ghazal's do have a 'Maqta' just for the sake of it. Sometimes the name of the Shayar comes unnaturally in the last Sher of the Ghazal.

I hope this has enlighten you with some useful notes to understand and Enjoy Ghazals.

Ghazal Rudaad Hai Naakaamiyon Ki,
Ghazal Mehrumiyon Ki Daastaan Hai

Ghazal Riste Hue Zakhmon Ka Marham,
Ghazal Ek Chaaraa-E-Dard-E-Nihan Hai

Ghazal Ka Husn Hi Hai, Husn-E-Aalam,
Ghazal Ka Noor Hi Noor-E-Jahan Hai

Kahin Deep Jale' Kahin Kuldip Ki Yaad.

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