After the defeat of the native forces in the battle of 1857, the British rule wreaked havoc on Emperor Zafar, his family and courtiers. But Ghalib’s life was saved.. and he was safe from all those troubles.
Mirza Ghalib
Poor financial condition. desire for a job He was called for interview in Delhi College. For the post of Professor of Persian. Then boarded the palanquin. The palanquin reached the college gate. But how did the job seeker get down in it? The college secretary was not even present at the gate to welcome him…!
This is not a film script. Read – Shahenshah of Urdu poetry from the pages of history Mirza Ghalib This really interesting story related to.
Ghalib was troubled by poverty all his life.
Mirza Ghalib was always a victim of poverty. The salary received from the court of Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was insufficient for his needs. On the other hand, the king’s own condition was also not very good. The Mughal Sultanate was confined to the Red Fort. The main source of income of the emperor was the pension received from the British. Ghalib was also troubled by the fact that despite all his efforts to please the emperor, the master poet Zauk used to overpower him in the court.
Zafar himself was also a poet of high status. But he had appointed Zouk as his teacher. It is obvious that Zouk used to get more amount of reward and Ikram from the court. Ghalib could not do anything even if he wanted to. On one occasion, he wrote, “When I return in the evening after flattering the emperor all the time, I am tired like a laborer.”
Zouk used to get preference in Zafar’s court
Ghalib always considered Zouk inferior to himself. Wrote that the person speaks the language of Bhatiyars. Ghalib was worried as to why the emperor still shows more favors to Zauk. William Dalrymple has quoted from ‘Hali-Yadgar-e-Ghalib’ in ‘Aakhri Mughal’, which Ghalib wrote to the emperor after all efforts failed.
“I am sure you must be proud that by the grace of luck there is a servant like Ghalib in your court whose ghazals have the heat of fire. Give me your attention which my art deserves. Cherish me like the light of your eyes and open your heart to receive me. Why mention the poets of Emperor Akbar’s era, when my existence testifies that your era is better than them in poetry.
That job interview!
Ghalib had to wait longer to achieve status and position like Zauk in the court. In the meantime, the needs forced him to try to get a job as Professor of Persian in Delhi College. Got interview letter. Ghalib reached the college riding in a palanquin. But after reaching the gate, he refused to get down.
For his status, Ghalib considered it necessary that the secretary of the college, Mr. Thomson, should welcome him at the gate. Thomson came out after a long time. Tried to convince Ghalib that he could be welcome in the governor’s court, but not in this condition, when he had come as a job candidate.
Ghalib replied, “I had agreed to do a government job because it would increase my respect more, not because it would decrease.” Thomson called himself punctual of government rules. “Then I hope you will forgive me,” Ghalib turned back.
The Last Days of the Mughal Empire and Ghalib’s Concerns
After Zauk’s death in 1854, Emperor Zafar appointed Ghalib as his teacher. He started getting the salary of this position. It was a matter of relief for Ghalib. However, Zafar did not appreciate Ghalib’s Ghazals much. But Ghalib’s concerns went beyond this. The sun was setting on the Mughal Sultanate. The old emperor was ill.
Distressed, Ghalib wrote, “What will happen now and what will become of me? I sleep under the shade of his wall. After a few days, he again wrote, “Mughal princes gather in the Red Fort and read their ghazals. But this court will not last long. Who knows whether all of them will meet tomorrow or not and even if they meet, what will happen after that? This gathering can disappear at any moment!”
started fighting with the British
After the death of Mirza Fakhru and the occupation of Awadh by the British, they found it necessary to seek someone else’s patronage for income. Meanwhile, Ghalib had started increasing coercion with the British. He used to make them aware of the etiquette and manners of the royal court. But Ghalib wanted something more than this.
For this he wrote an excellent ode in praise of Queen Victoria. Sent it through Lord Canning. Describing Malika as bright as stars in the ballad, he had scattered pearls of words. In Khushmad, by writing the Governor General as great as Sikandar and as brilliant as Faridun, hopes were placed on him. Then come straight to the point. Reminded Malika of the custom of royal courts to patronize poets, so that they could immortalize them with their poetry.
Request for pension from Queen Victoria
It was not known whether Iltiza Malika, who was immersed in the syrup of Ghalib’s words, read, heard or understood. That’s why after this, Ghalib wrote a letter directly to him and pleaded, “All the famous emperors of the date have filled the mouths of their poets and those who think of their betterment with pearls. They have been weighed with gold and given jagirs. ,
…And in the same way, it is the duty of the commendable Malika to give the title of Meher Khan to the petitioner Ghalib and spare Khilaat and give a few pieces from his Fayaji’s treasury, which in simple language means pension.
Ballads saved lives
Ghalib remained hopeful for a long time thanks to Malika and longing for a hefty pension. Though the pension is far away, even the message of thanks was not received. But the ballads written in the glory of Malika gave something more to Ghalib. After the defeat of the native forces in the battle of 1857, the British rule wreaked havoc on Emperor Zafar, his family and courtiers. But Ghalib’s life was spared… and he was safe from all those troubles, which had made life difficult for the people living around Zafar.
: Language Inputs