Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Translation of Dewan-E-Ghalib


Dewan-E-Ghalib
Translated by Dr. Krishna Moorthy Mudigonda

The legendary Urdu poet, Mirza Ghalib, needs no introduction. Many music buffs in the Indian subcontinent and a significant diasporic south Asian community have a loyal kinship with his ghazals, biography, and his personal foibles. The bilingual poet, Dasaradhi (himself a noted Urdu poet and translator of Ghalib) once quipped in exasperation: “How come people throng to buy admission tickets to get into Urdu poetry recitations? Even if we give free admission, hardly we get a sizeable crowd for Telugu poetry gatherings.”
At any (performing) art event, a more pertinent question is: How many in the audience can really understand a poet’s intent? Or plumb into the depths of a word or phrase? A poet like Ghalib tries to encapsulate many years of keen observation (of life, nature) into a few lines of lyrical, at times rhyming succinct expression. Learned Urdu scholars and academic professionals have spent entire lives in deciphering Ghalib’s craft and musing.
Luckily, today in this modern Internet age, there are quite a few helpful tools for Ghalib fans. Several digital Urdu dictionaries and helpful devices for  Urdu-to-English transliteration are available. The avid admirer can also access numerous Ghalib songs on the Internet (both in video and audio formats). From Suraiya to Jagjit Singh, many a singer has rendered  the poet’s ghazals. Though I came late to appreciate Urdu ghazals, by sheer accident two rare cassettes landed in my lap: One contains ghazals with Talat Mahmood’s silky voice and the other has a well known song by the late Jalib (dil ki baat). 
                                         ---
            Dr. Krishna Moorthy’s recent English translation of Ghalib’s magnum opus received several encomiums both at the state level (Andhra Pradesh) and national level: It was warmly received by Kakatiya University (Warangal), Osmania University, and the Ghalib society (New Delhi). The massive 500 pages work not only contains English translation of each ghazal, it includes the original Urdu version (in Urdu script), followed by an English transliteration. Thus, it makes the Urdu ghazals accessible to a wider readership across the English and Urdu (and Hindi) speaking world, spanning several continents.
            The translator’s early life was spent in Warangal and Vijayawada. It was there during his high school days, he got attracted to the Urdu language. He continued his fascination with the language, its lyrical poetry, and Ghalib. That he has been able to keep his abiding interest in Ghalib’s magnum opus, despite his busy medical profession is itself a wonder. Dr. Krishna Moorthy bestowed the same precision and finesse to the translation, as he would (bring his professional skills) to a complex medical case.
          

Excerpts

The design of creation is the complainant of whose mischief of creation?
The outfit of every embodiment of the created picture is papery (perishable)

Delving deep through the hard times in solitude! Don’t ask me about that!
To get through from day to night is like the task of bringing the rivulet of milk through mountain of Bastion by Farhad

The emotion of lack of control on desire is only to be seen to be believed
It can be seen that the desire has finally got out of bounds
….. ….
The scope of the style of my poetry is very hard for you to find

Ghalib! Even in the state of imprisonment, my feet are restless to get out

The iron chain of imprisonment is very weak, like a singed hair that has no strength! (Page 1, Naqsh Faryadi…)
--- --- ---

For a sigh to be effective, it needs a life time!
Who is going to live, till your beautiful hair are subdued!
….. ….

I understand, that you wouldn’t ignore me
But I would be turned into dust, by the time you become aware of my message
(page 133)
---- --- ---
Oh innocent heart! What has happened to you? At least you can tell me what is the remedy for this pain?
 ….. ….
Oh God! When there is no one except you in this world.
Then what is all this tumult and uproar about?
(Page 274, Dile naadaan!)
--- --- ---
These fragrant flowers and these green meadows! Where did they come from?
What is cloud? What is air (wind)? What is the essence of the nature?
….. ….
I fully realize that GHALIB is a sort of a useless person
But what have you to lose! If you can get him as your slave without having to pay anything, What’s so bad about it?
(Page 275)
--- --- ---


This world is nothing other than an expression of uniqueness of the beloved. “GOD”
Where would we all be if beauty itself is not seeking it’s own awareness?
….. ….
Watching the spectacle with so much dejection, that I neither have an admonition nor an enthusiasm.
So helpless I am, that despite having a desire I am neither able to care for the world, nor for the religion.
(Page 395)
 --- --- ---
It is wrong boast and Bragg about one’s smartness in worldly things and nor one is aware of the benefits of worship.
The world and faith are merely sediments in the cup of unknowing!
….. …
Union with beloved is like a paint on the back of a mirror, that is essential for the mirror to give an image!
….. …
Who has seen the passionate feelings of people of the world?
Who has seen the effect in the cries of broken hearts?
(Page 396)
--- --- ---

            
        Copies are available from the author. Soon, the book will be available in digital form, suitable for reading on electronic readers. Certainly without a question, this is a valuable addition to anyone's personal library and an invaluable compendium for all Ghalib enthusiasts. The translator richly deserves kudos for expending extraordinary effort, time, and patience.The publisher, Mrs. Shakuntala and Dr. Vijay Mohan Rao must be commended for their unstinted support to the project.

Copyright 2012


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