The Lost Art of Ghazals
In the recent past, hip-hop is gaining traction in Bollywood and I couldn’t be happier. But, somewhere we have forgotten ghazals, a great literary device that evoked the purest human emotions.
Those who talk about hip-hop and craft beer, probably never experienced whisky and ghazals. The liquid gold hits previously unknown notes when enjoyed in the company of ghazals. There is something about ghazals and alcohol, almost half the ghazals eulogise drinking and the other half reminisce about lost love.
Listening to ghazals on vinyl is a treat reserved for a select few, we mere mortals don’t mind lending our ears to Spotify. But, the most wonderful experience one can enjoy is a ghazal concert. A place where the ghazal singer, the musicians and the audience, everyone feels grateful. When the audience joins the encore and recites the verse, it is a guaranteed goosebumps moment.
Ghazals have this mushayara kind of quality where the shayar (Ghazal singer in this case) recites each line twice as if commanding attention with the magic of the words alone. Like a sher when recited begins with a question and ends with an answer. Ghazals too do that albeit melodiously.
How else can you ask someone to f**k off without sounding rude? But, in a ghazal, you can.
Mujhko qadam qadam pe, bhatakne do vaa-izon
Tum apna kaarobaar karo, main nashe mein hoon
(vaa-izon = preachers)
A ghazal by nature asks for patience. In today’s 6-second Reels world, it is an alien concept and that is one reason ghazals are going extinct — I tell myself with a sigh!
These are just my observations and like most things, I could be wrong about ghazals as well.
Ab bhi dila raha hoon, yakeen-e-wafa magar
Mera na aetbaar karo, main nashe mein hoon
Liked this post? Tag your ghazal listener friends.
Phir be-khudi mein hadd se guzarne laga hoon main
Itna na mujhse pyaar karo, main nashe mein hoon
Image Courtesy: SoundCloud
#Ghazals #Music #Spotify #Hindi #Urdu
