Poet Nazrul Islam & Ghazal

Ghazal is a form of poetry originated from Persia, Turkey, Arabian Peninsula and other parts of the Middle East dating back to eighth century. The word Ghazal is derived from an Arabic word ‘gazal’. The verses of ghazal with metrical rhythm are built with couplets ( A format of two lines). The total lines in the whole poem vary from a range of five to twelve in numbers. They are rhymed on the same sound throughout the poem using the themes of love—love for the beloved one and love for God in praising Him and His creation of beautiful nature— the birds, flowers and beyond. Ghazal is normally set to music to uphold the resonance and appealing allusion of the theme.

Ghazal was transported from Persia (Iran) to South Asia in the 12th century due to the influence of Sufi mystics. The Muslim Sultanates (13th century) and later the Mughal Emperors (early 16th century to 18th century) of India encouraged and patronized the ghazal lyricists and singers. Although the Ghazal is most prominently a form of Dari poetry and Urdu poetry, today it is found in the poetry of many languages of the Indian sub-continent. Ghazal gained prominence in the thirteenth and fourteenth century. Thanks to Persian poets Rumi and Hafiz and later to Indian poets for producing ghazals that created classic literature. In the eighteenth-century, the Ghazal was written in Urdu. Among these poets Mirza Ghalib is the recognized master. Twentieth-century American poets also translated many ghazals of Mirza Ghalib. Adrienne Rich and Jim Harrison can be named here.

Poet Kazi Nazul Islam was first literary giant who introduced ghazal in Bengali literature with perfect lyrics, melody, modes and tal in accordance with true ghazal format. Thus he enriched the Bengali literature (since lyrics and music are the parts of literature).  

Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam wrote many ghazals. From some of his translated ghazal lyrics three are cited below:

1.  

[Musical Mode: Ghazal Bhairabi-kaharba]

"O the Nightingale, swing not today the branches of flower-buds, 

The slumberous buds still teeter in drowsiness!

Oh! blows there the northern wind day and night o’er the empty branches, 

The ghazal-singing southern breeze is yet to come, perplex’d are the honeybees!

The flower-princess will drop her veil off, with soothing touch

Of dew drops she will wake up with her cheek blushing much!

 

From the spring’s sprouting buds a deluge of flowers will bloom,

Smiles on the bud's face with dimple in the cheeks will loom!

O Poet, charm’d with sweet smell thou art drown’d in water finding no shore,

Thy bosom thou hadst fill’d up with flowers, today thine eyes will shed tears more!"

Comment:

This poem was written in Ghazal form with five couplets with rhymes. For a while Poet forgets the bitterness of life when he finds a joyous life around him. The buds of flowers of fagoon (spring month) will bloom soon, but he knows the momentary charm will not last long, tears will fill up his eyes soon. He wants to cherish the liveliness of flowers for a longer time with the touch of melodic ghazal-singing southern breeze. So, he urged the nightingale not to swing the branches of slumberous flower-buds. Buds will emerge anytime into blooming flowers.

2.

[Musical mode:Bhairavi Ghazal- dadra]

“O the charming, in my drowsiness you appear’d!

You I adored, you I adored, you I adored,

In monsoon-rain the Notobor dances,

With rhythms the rain spatters,

Silently you kiss’d my eyes sitting behind my head,

Besotted with passion my body is bloom’d,

Like a kadamba flower, pleasing, incomparable!

O my Master, my basket I fill’d with flowers 

That I had in my garden and to you I offer’d them all,

Oh! you pick’d up not my flowers, O the forgetful!

Unloosing my bun you took away my flower-garland,

I know not in my dream what I told you then,

So you left me, when woke up I cri’d and call’d---

O my belov’d, my belov’d, my belov’d!”

 

Comment:

This Ghazal lyric has seven couplets with rhymes.  The theme is an overture of deep adoration that comes from the heart of a beloved sweet heart.  She addressed her lover as Master whom she offered her love like flowers all she had in the garden, when she woke up she found her beloved master left her alone-- he was aggrieved and forgetful.

3.

[Musical Mode: Imon-mixed ghazal-kaharba]

“Sitting in seclusion

In a lonely mind why are you alone?

 

O the belle, let’s go unto the river

 To fetch water,

The forest cries there,

Resonates the call of rumbling in the waves of water!

In the wings of the geese the day ends, hides the she-bird

In the bosom of her belov’d!

In tearful eyes the two lover birds again

Part from each other, from the flute emanates raga baroan!”

Comment:

Poet describes the dejected feelings of a lonely girl at the setting hour of a day when the geese are flying. The flute emanates a classic raga baroan when the two lover birds are parting from each other. When the forest cries, only the murmuring of rumbling waves resonates.

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