Ghalib Kaun Hai?

His Life, Our Times

First editions of his manuscripts, samples of his handwriting... The Ghalib festival aims to bring Bahadur Shah Zafar’s favourite poet back into the mainstream.

Paromita Chakrabarti



New Delhi, September 13: Poochtay hai woh keh Ghalib kaun hai
Koi batlayein keh hum batayein kya!...
Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib’s doubts about his popularity have long been proved unfounded. With the Ghalib festival underway in the Capital, one of the most prolific poets of the 19th century is back in the limelight.

‘‘Even today people across all age groups can identify with the poet. I wanted to bring Ghalib back into the mainstream,’’ says festival organiser Rakshanda Jalil. Titled “Ghalib: His Life, His Times”, the fest consists of an exhibition of rare first editions of the poet’s manuscripts, samples of his handwriting, lithos, drawings, portraits and items of everyday use like hookahs and spitoons from Ghalib’s era. There are photographs of the havelis Ghalib resided in, including the one he lived in after his marriage. Another interesting item on display is the robe that noblemen of Ghalib’s time used to wear.



The items have been sourced from various museums, from the Ghalib Institute in Delhi, and from private collections. Though Ghalib had refused the offer to become Bahadur Shah Zafar’s court poet, he was the Mughal ruler’s favourite muse and teacher, and supervised Zafar’s amateurish attempts at poetry. However, after the fall of the king, Ghalib spent his last days in poverty.

Besides the exhibition, the festival also includes ghazal renditions, and a talk on ‘Ghalib ki Dilli’ by Mushirul Hasan, vice chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia University. Also planned are readings from Ghalib’s letters by theatreperson Habib Tanvir. ‘‘Ghalib’s verses open up a different world. They give us insights about a Delhi we’ve only heard of, or read about. So his letters will be interesting,’’ says sarod player Sharan Ramji, who was impressed by the exhibition.

Jalil wants more youngsters to attend the festival. ‘‘The older generations, who are clued in about Hindi and Urdu literature do attend such festivals,’’ she says. The 41-year-old is a visiting fellow at Jamia Millia Islamia, a book editor and translator, a columnist and the driving force behind Hindustani Awaaz, an organisation she started in July 2003 to popularise Hindi and Urdu culture.

Jalil has many other programmes lined up. Coming up next is a festival on Munshi Premchand in October, and another programme with Gulzar on his work Raat Pashmine Ki on October 27. But Ghalib remains close to her heart. ‘‘He was one of the foremost geniuses of Delhi’s cultural renaissance. What makes him special is the fact that he was part of a very tumultuous age—he saw the 1857 mutiny, the fall of the Mughals—and his work reflects the angsts that he, and others of his time, suffered from,’’ says Jalil. In December, she is also planning to organise another festival in Old Delhi in the haveli where Ghalib used to reside. ‘‘That’s perhaps one of the most befitting backdrops for a programme on him,’’ she says.
(The festival is on at India International Centre till September 17. For details call 2461-9431.)

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=99433

you can find the details about this program here :
http://www.iicdelhi.nic.in/program/program_detail.asp?ProgId=656&CatgId=2