1/60: Mirza Ghalib

tum salaamat raho

hazaar baras

har baras ke hon

din pachaas hazaar

may you stay well

for a thousand years

may each of those years

have fifty thousand days

Theme:Miscellany (44)

2/60: Mirza Ghalib

ishq par zor nahin

hai ye wo aatish, ghalib

ki lagaaye na lage

aur bujhaaye na bane

we have no power over love,

it is a burning fire, ghalib

lights up without being lit, and

once lit, can’t be extinguished

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

3/60: Mirza Ghalib

muddat huyi hai

yaar ko mehmaan kiye huye

josh-e-qadah se

bazm charaaghaan kiye huye

it has been a while since

i had my friend as a guest

with the gathering all lit up by

the vigor and zeal of wine

Theme:Friends, Family & Community (108)

4/60: Mirza Ghalib

hazaaron khwahishen aisi ki

har khwahish pe dum nikle

bahut nikle mere armaan

lekin phir bhi kam nikle

thousands of aspirations

each would consume a life

many desires came true

but still just not enough

Theme:Hopes, Aspirations & Dreams (33)

5/60: Mirza Ghalib

gham-e-hasti ka 'asad'

kis se ho juz marg ilaaj

shamaa har rang mein jalti hai

seher hote tak

who can cure, ‘asad’,

the sorrow of existence except death

the lamp burns in every color

until the dawn arrives

Theme:Creativity, Philosophy & Enlightenment (30)

6/60: Mirza Ghalib

iqraar mein kahaan hai

inkaar ki si khoobi

hota hai shauq, ghalib

us ki naheen naheen par

where is the refusal's fun

in ready acceptance

so much charm there is, ghalib,

in her repeated rejections

Theme:Beauty, Charm & Union (84)

7/60: Mirza Ghalib

chaahte hain

khoob-ruuyon ko ‘asad’

aap ki soorat to

dekha chaahiye

for pretty faces

you are so keen, 'asad'

you should take a look

at your face once

Theme:Miscellany (44)

8/60: Mirza Ghalib

yaa-rab, vo na samjhe hai

na samjhenge meri baat

de aur dil un ko

jo na de mujh ko zabaan aur

oh god, she doesn’t understand me

nor will she ever

either give her another heart

or give me more eloquence

Theme:Voice, Expression & Language (61)

9/60: Mirza Ghalib

umr bhar, ghalib,

ye hi bhool karta raha

dhool chehre pe thi

aur aaina saaf karta raha

all through life, ghalib,

kept making the same mistake

the dust was on my face, but

kept cleaning the mirror

Theme:Miscellany (44)

10/60: Mirza Ghalib

rau mein hai rakhsh-e-umr

kahaan dekhiye thaame

na ye haath baag par hai

na paa hai rikaab mein

this horse of life is galloping away

not knowing where it will stop

the reins not in my hand

nor my feet in the stirrup

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)

11/60: Mirza Ghalib

kab woh sunti hai

kahaani meri

aur phir vo bhi

zabaani meri

when did she listen

to my sorry state

that too when i

narrated it myself

Theme:Voice, Expression & Language (61)

12/60: Mirza Ghalib

ji DhoonDta hai phir wahi

fursat ke raat din

baiThe rahen

tasavvur-e-jaanan kiye hue

the heart keeps searching

for those days and nights of leisure

sitting...just enmeshed

with the thoughts of my beloved

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

13/60: Mirza Ghalib

ishq se tabiyat ne

zeest ka mazaa paya

dard ki dawa pai

dard-e-bedawa paya

from love did my being

find the joy and fun of life

found a cure for pain

found a pain without a cure

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)

14/60: Mirza Ghalib

qaasid ke aate aate

khat ek aur likh rakhuun

main jaantaa huun

jo vo likhenge jawaab mein

while the messenger returns

i will keep another letter ready

for i know what

she would be writing in reply

Theme:Voice, Expression & Language (61)

15/60: Mirza Ghalib

khulta kisi pe kyon

mere dil ka mamla

sheron ke intikhaab

ne ruswa kiya mujhe

why should my heart’s matters

be open for all to see

my selection of poetry

has brought me enough infamy

Theme:Voice, Expression & Language (61)

16/60: Mirza Ghalib

naala juz husn-e-talab

aye sitam-ijaad nahin

hai taqaaza-e-zafa

shikwa-e-bedaad nahin

the lament, just a desire for beauty

o cruelty, not an act of creation

it is a demand for healing

not a complaint of separation

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

17/60: Mirza Ghalib

begaangi-e-khalq se

bedil na ho, ghalib

koyi nahi tera, to meri jaan,

khuda hai

with people’s indifference

don’t be dismayed, ghalib

if in the world you have none,

so be it, there is god for you

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

18/60: Mirza Ghalib

haan woh nahin khuda-parast

jaao wo bewafa sahi

jis ko ho deen-o-dil azeez

us ki gali mein jaaye kyun

yes, she is not a believer

yes, she is unfaithful too

if you so value faith and heart

then why keep going to her street

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

19/60: Mirza Ghalib

dard-e-dil likhuun kab tak

jaaun un ko dikhla duun

ungliyaan figaar apni

khaama khoon-chakaan apna

for how long will i write of my pain

maybe i should go show her

my wounded fingers

and my blood-drenched pen

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

20/60: Mirza Ghalib

raagon mein daudte phirne ke

hum naheen qayaal

jab aankh hi se na Tapka to

phir lahoo kya hai

that which courses through veins

i don't much care for

if it doesn't drip from the eyes

how can it be blood?

Theme:Miscellany (44)

21/60: Mirza Ghalib

humko maloom hai

jannat ki haqeeqat lekin

dil ko khush rakhne ko 'ghalib'

yeh khayaal achchha hai

i do understand

the truth about heaven, but

to keep my heart happy, ghalib

it is a comforting thought

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

22/60: Mirza Ghalib

raat din gardish mein hain

saath aasmaan

ho rahega kuchh na kuchh

ghabrayen kya

day and night the seven skies

keep rotating and revolving

something or else keeps happening

why be so panicked

Theme:Nature, World & Universe (44)

23/60: Mirza Ghalib

kya farz hai ki sab ko

mile ek sa jawaab

aao na ham bhi sair karen

koh-e-tur ki

why is it necessary that

everyone gets the same answer

come, let’s go explore

the mountain of Sinai

Theme:Quest, Journey & Destination (44)

24/60: Mirza Ghalib

bas ki hun 'ghalib'

asiri mein bhi aatish zer-e-pa

mu-e-aatish deeda hai

halqa meri zanjeer ka

in captivity too, i am still ‘ghalib’,

with fire under my feet

i can still see the ring of passion

around my shackles

Theme:Hopes, Aspirations & Dreams (33)

25/60: Mirza Ghalib

manzil milegi

bhaTak kar hi sahi

gumrah to wo hain

jo ghar se nikle hi nahi

we will reach our goal

even if we stray a little

truly lost are the ones who

don't even come out of home

Theme:Quest, Journey & Destination (44)

26/60: Mirza Ghalib

chipak raha hai badan par

lahu se pairaahan

hamaare jaib ko ab

haajat-e-rafu kya hai

my bloodied clothes are

sticking to my body

what is the point of

mending a tear in my pocket

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

27/60: Mirza Ghalib

aata hai daag-e-hasrat-e-dil

ka shumaar yaad

mujh se mere gunah ka hisaab

aye khuda, na maang

the painful scars of unmet desires

keep coming to my mind

don't from me also ask, oh god,

an account of my sins

Theme:Hopes, Aspirations & Dreams (33)

28/60: Mirza Ghalib

ye masail-e tasawwuf

ye tera bayaan, ghalib

tujhe hum wali samajhte

jo na baada-khvaar hota

these mystical discussions

and your unique narration, ghalib,

we would have deemed you a saint

had you not been a drinker

Theme:Creativity, Philosophy & Enlightenment (30)

29/60: Mirza Ghalib

ghair len mehfil mein

bosey jaam ke

hum rahen yoon

tishna-lab paigaam ke

while all others in the gathering

are enjoying their drinks

i remain thirsty for

news of you

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

30/60: Mirza Ghalib

is saadgi pe kaun

na mar jaaye, ai khuda

ladte hain aur haath mein

talwaar bhi nahin

who wouldn’t lay down his life,

oh god, at this innocence

she fights but without

a sword in her hand

Theme:Miscellany (44)

31/60: Mirza Ghalib

na sataish ki tamanna

na silay ki parwah

agar nahi hain mere ashar

mein maane na sahi

no craving for appreciation

nor a concern for reward

if my words makes no sense

it is what it is

Theme:Voice, Expression & Language (61)

32/60: Mirza Ghalib

aashiqui sabr-talab

aur tamanna betaab

dil ka kya rang karuun

khoon-e-jigar hote tak

love demands patience

but desire is restless

how shall i color my heart

until it is finally vanquished

Theme:Heart, Mind & Memory (58)

33/60: Mirza Ghalib

kalkatte ka jo zikr kiya

tu ne hum-nasheen

ek teer mere seene

pe mara, ke hai

when you mentioned Kolkata

oh my dear friend

you shot an arrow

straight into my heart

Theme:Home, Country & Belonging (23)

34/60: Mirza Ghalib

us lab se mil hi jaayega

bosa kabhi to haan

shauq-e-fuzool-o-

jurat-e-rindaana chaahiye

from those lips, am sure

to get a kiss one day

just needs pointless passion

and careless courage

Theme:Beauty, Charm & Union (84)

35/60: Mirza Ghalib

kahan maikhaana ka darwaaza, ghalib

aur kahaan waiz

par itna jaante hain

kal wo jaata tha ke hum nikle

where’s the tavern’s entrance, ghalib,

and where is the preacher

i know only this…yesterday,

when i was coming out, he was going in

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

36/60: Mirza Ghalib

chand tasveer-e-butaan

chand haseenaon ke khutoot

baad marne ke mere ghar se

yeh saamaan nikla

some pictures of my idols

a few letters from beautifuls

after my death, these are what

turned out in my home

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

37/60: Mirza Ghalib

baad-go main raha

rahine-sitmaha-e-rozgaar

lekin tere khayaal se

ghafil nahin raha

though i was a prisoner

to the cruelties of daily life

i never lost

the thoughts of you

Theme:Heart, Mind & Memory (58)

38/60: Mirza Ghalib

zaahid, sharaab peene de

masjid mein baith kar

ya wo jagah bata de

jahaan par khuda na ho

oh priest, allow me to drink

sitting here in the mosque

or, show me a place

where there is no god

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

39/60: Mirza Ghalib

‘asad’ khushi se

mere haath paanv phuul gaye

kaha jo usne

zara mere paanv daab to de

‘asad’, with joy

my limbs were rendered immobile

when she said

please press my feet

Theme:Beauty, Charm & Union (84)

40/60: Mirza Ghalib

apni gali mein mujhko

na kar dafan baad-e-qatal

mere pate se khalaq ko

kyon tera ghar mile?

please don’t bury me

in your lane after my murder

why should people find your house

while looking for me

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)

41/60: Mirza Ghalib

phir dekhiye

andaaz-e-gulafshaani-e-guftaar

rakh de koyi

paimaana-e-sahbaa mere aage

you watch

the style of my fun, flowery speech

after someone

places a glass of wine in front of me

Theme:Voice, Expression & Language (61)

42/60: Mirza Ghalib

jahaan tera naqsh-e-qadam

dekhte hain

khayaabaan khayaabaan iram

dekhte hain

wherever i see

the prints of your footsteps

i see in that garden

the garden of paradise

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

43/60: Mirza Ghalib

arz-e-niyaaz-e-ishq

ke qaabil nahin raha

jis dil pe naaz tha mujhe

vo dil nahin raha

no longer worthy

of the blessings of love

the heart i was once proud of

that heart is no more

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

44/60: Mirza Ghalib

bazeecha-e-atfal hai

duniya mere aage

hota hai shab-o-roz

tamaasha mere aage

a play of children

this world before me

a spectacle unfolds

every day and night before me

Theme:Nature, World & Universe (44)

45/60: Mirza Ghalib

jis bazm mein tu naaz se guftaar

mein aawe

jaan kaalbad-e-soorat-e-deewar

mein aawe

in the gathering where you come

speaking with grace

life takes form

and appears all around

Theme:Voice, Expression & Language (61)

46/60: Mirza Ghalib

thi woh ik shakhs ke

tasavvur se

ab woh

raanaai-e-khayaal kahaan

that was triggered by

imagining a person

where is that

fantasy now?

Theme:Creativity, Philosophy & Enlightenment (30)

47/60: Mirza Ghalib

ghalib chhuTi sharaab

par ab bhi kabhi kabhi

peeta hoon

roz-e-abr-o-shab-e-mahtaab mein

ghalib has given up drinking

but, still, once in a while

i enjoy a drink

on cloudy days and moon-filled nights

Theme:Nature, World & Universe (44)

48/60: Mirza Ghalib

dekhna taqreer ki lazzat

ke jo us ne kaha

main ne ye jaana ke

goya ye bhi mere dil mein hai

behold the charm of his speech

as what he said, i figured...

resonates within me

as if it is in my heart too

Theme:Voice, Expression & Language (61)

49/60: Mirza Ghalib

sau baar band-e-ishq se

aazaad hum huye

par kya karen ki

dil hi aduu hai faraagh ka

a hundred times, i have

broken free from the bonds of love

but what can i do...

for my heart is freedom's enemy

Theme:Heart, Mind & Memory (58)

50/60: Mirza Ghalib

ranj se khugar hua insaan to

miT jaata hai ranj

mushkilein mujh par padi itni ke

aasaan ho gayee

if a person gets accustomed to grief

then grief disappears

so many difficulties have come upon me

that it has become easy to bear them

Theme:Grit, Resilience & Courage (36)

51/60: Mirza Ghalib

seene ka daagh hai woh naala

ke lab tak na gaya

khaak ka rizq hai woh qatra

ke dariya na hua

it remains a scar on the heart

the lament that didn’t reach the lips

it remains a part of the dust

the drop that doesn’t become the river

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

52/60: Mirza Ghalib

dil hi to hai na sang-o-khisht

dard se bhar na aaye kyun

royenge hum hazaar baar

koyi hamen sataaye kyun

it is a heart, not a stone or a brick

why won’t it be filled with pain

we may weep a thousand times

why should others care or bother

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

53/60: Mirza Ghalib

agar ruk jaaye meri dhadkan

tho maut na samajhna

kayi baar aisa hua hai

federer ko yaad karte karte

if my heart stops a while

don’t presume I am dead

many a time it so happens

when i recollect federer!

Theme:Heart, Mind & Memory (58)

54/60: Mirza Ghalib

karne gaye the us se

taghaful ka hum gila

ki ek hi nigaah

ki bas khaak ho gaye

i had gone to complain

about being ignored

with just one glance

i turned into dust

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

55/60: Mirza Ghalib

fakat baal rangne se

kuch nahi hota, ghalib

kuch naadaniyan bhi

kiya karo jawan rehne ke liye

just by coloring your hair

nothing will happen, ghalib

do some crazy stuff

to retain your youth

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)

56/60: Mirza Ghalib

eh na thi hamaari qismat ke

visaal-e-yaar hota

agar aur jeete rehte

yahi intezaar hota

it wasn’t in my fate

to be with my beloved

had i lived longer, i would

only have waited in vain

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

57/60: Mirza Ghalib

nazar lage na kaheen

uske dasto baazoo ko

ye log kyon mere

zakhm-e-jigar ko dekhte hain

may no evil eye fall

on her hands and arms

why do these people

keep gazing at my heart’s wounds

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

58/60: Mirza Ghalib

husn-e-farogh-e-sham-e-sukhan

duur hai, asad

pahle dil-e-gudaakhta

paida kare koi

the beauty of an illuminating

lamp of eloquence is far away, ‘asad’

first, let someone create a heart

that is burnt and melted in love

Theme:Creativity, Philosophy & Enlightenment (30)

59/60: Mirza Ghalib

seekhe hain mah-rukhon ke liye

ham musavvari

taqreeb kuch to

bahr-e-mulaaqat chaahiye

i learned to paint for the sake of

the moon-faced ones

something is needed

to gain an acquaintance

Theme:Creativity, Philosophy & Enlightenment (30)

60/60: Mirza Ghalib

koyi ummeed bar nahi aati

koyi soorat nazar nahi aati

maut ka ek din muayyin hai

neend kyun raat bhar nahi aati

no hope comes to pass

no face seen anywhere

death has a fixed day to arrive

why then doesn't sleep come all night

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)