International Journal of English

and Literature (IJEL)

ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Vol. 6, Issue 2, Apr 2016, 33-40
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd

METAPHORS OF YORE A STUDY OF SELECT METAPHORS IN URDU GHAZALS

K. TEJASWANI
Department of English, GITAM University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
ABSTRACT
The word Ghazal has more than one meaning, but literally it means conversing with women. Ghazals are a very
important part of Urdu literature and have roots in Persian literature and Arabic traditional poetry techniques. The normal
ghazal is brief and contains one or more ideas. The themes range from love and devotion to God and human beings, praising
the might of man, afflictions and greatness of human race. Some ghazals which contain a single theme have been used as
songs in Hindi movies.
Urdu poets generally adhere to traditional techniques of ghazal. In fact, that is the main reason for the liberal use of
conventional and classical metaphors and symbols which were quite widespread in Arabic and Persian poetry. In spite of the
interval extending to centuries, those who hold on to their unrequited love, find solace in the couplets of the Urdu poets
ranging from Amir Khusrau to Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

make the common mans life easier like the light bulb also end up erasing an entire range of memories or identity of previous
generations. Many symbols and metaphors used in Urdu Ghazals are based on the relationship of mankind with certain
customs in life. For example the lighting of a candle or a diya in the evening, going to the river bank or a lake to fill water,
nightingales singing in rose gardens etc. Regrettably, with changing times these commonplace incidents which are used as
metaphors with deep philosophical meaning in Ghazals are becoming incomprehensible. The paper briefly explores the system
of metaphors in select Urdu ghazals and attempts to study the effect of times on certain metaphors like candle (shama), garden
(chaman) and tavern (maikada).
KEYWORDS: Urdu Ghazals, Metaphors in Urdu Ghazals, Symbols in Urdu Ghazals

Received: Feb 29, 2016; Accepted: Mar 08, 2016; Published: Mar 15, 2016; Paper Id.: IJELAPR201607

INTRODUCTION
Contrary to widespread belief, Ghazals [1] are not restricted to love alone. The themes of ghazals range from
love for God, praise for humanity, love between two persons, grief of unrequited love, misery of separation, daily life,
etc. Among these ghazals, the ghazals that describe love for another person and the travails they undergo for
reciprocation of their love endure forever. Readers who find themselves in similar situation have great affinity towards
this type of ghazals. Poets generally wax lyrical about the beauty of their beloved and the suffering they have to undergo
to prove that their love is true in these types of ghazals. Urdu poets celebration of the deep wounds caused by unrequited
love through immortal verses haunt people in similar situations. The readers end up with memories of their beloved and
the bygone days. The exhilarating intoxication that accompanies true love is once again welcomed in their memories [2].

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Original Article

Unfortunately, changing times leave their impact on people and their lifestyles. What has been taken for granted by
the previous generation may be considered as frivolous or ridiculous by the next generation. Invention of articles or gadgets to

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K. Tejaswani

Ghazal poetry is highly symbolic in nature. From the Persian poetic tradition, ghazals inherited elegance and
symbolic art form. Most of the metaphors used in ghazals are intertwined with symbols and this led to the development of
an entire system of metaphor symbol system.
The symbol1, chaman or rose garden forms a basis for many other symbols related to it like the gul and bulbul.
Again, the gul and bulbul lead to further symbols like gulchin, baghban, qafas, and sayyad. Also, chaman is a symbol for
seasons or mausam which again leads to bahaar, barsat, and khizan. One of the frequently used symbolic pairs is the gul
and bulbul or the rose and the nightingale. The rose garden is the abode in which they reside and it is a symbol for heaven
or the residence of the beloved. The nightingale with all its mundane problems and efforts represents the worldly life. The
bond between the gul and bulbul is used as a metaphor to portray affiliations like the love between the loyal ashiq
(nightingale) and the unpredictable mashooq (rose flower) and the bond between the devotee and the Almighty. Metaphorsymbol system related to mehfil (gathering) and maikhada (tavern) are also frequently used in Urdu ghazals.
Systematic development of symbols used in Urdu poetry - Example
Chaman

Figure 1
Table 1
S. No.
1.1

Characters
Gul (rose)

1.2

Bulbul (nightingale)

1.3

Sayyaad (hunter)

1.4
1.5

Gulchin (rose picker)

Baghbaan (gardener)

Characteristics
Khilna (bloom), murjhana (wither), rang-o-bu (color and fragrance),
khamosh guftagu (communication in the form of silence), bebasi
(helplessness) and bechargi (misery)
Gul ka deewana (lover of the rose), aamad-e- mausam-e-gul (arrival of
spring), naghma sarai (singing melodies), ruksathe-mausam-e-gul (departure
of spring), aah-o-zaari (cry out in pain)
Cruelty, tyranny, hunting of nightingale, imprison nightingale, cutting of the
wings
Cruelty towards roses
Protects the garden and the roses

The author acknowledges the constant support and encouragement received from Prof. Khalid Saeed (retd.)
Department of Urdu, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad.

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Metaphors of Yore A Study of Select Metaphors in Urdu Ghazals

35

Mehfil

Figure 2
Characters and their characteristics associated with Mehfil
Table 2
S. No.
1.1
1.2

1.3

Characters
Mehfil (gathering)
Shama (candle)

Parwana (moth)

Characteristics
Used as a symbol for world and life
Jalna (to light up, to give life, selfless), pigaljana
(to melt), roshni (light), sham (evening), subh
(morning), andhera (darkness)
Diwana (besotted), jaljana (to sacrifice life for the
sake of love)

Maikhada

Figure 3
Characters and their characteristics associated with maikhada
Table 3
S. No.
1.1
1.2
1.3

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Characters
Sharab (wine)
Sakhi (woman
bartender)
Rind (drunkard)

Characteristics
Life sustainer, substance, life,
Life givr, a person who gives solace, who doles out gifts
A person who is going through troubles, a person who
forgets his duties
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K. Tejaswani

The poets creativity can be measured by the skill of crafting apparent and veiled meanings using these metaphors
and symbols. Many a times what is unsaid in a ghazal is creatively interpreted in many ways as compared to the surface
meaning [2]. Many other symbols could exist for the above examples.
Mir Taqi Mir (1810) and Mirza Ghalib (1869) are two prominent poets whose contribution to the Urdu literary
canon stands out even in the present day. Their couplets covered a vast range of emotions from pathos to praise or from
aah se waah tak. Select couplets of some of these great poets with translation2 are given here.
Couplets (ash-shars) on chaman
1. Patta patta, boota boota, haal hamaaraa jaane hai,

Every leaf and every bud is perceptive of my love

Jaane na jaane gul hi na jaane, baagh to saaraa jaane hai

Mir [5]

The entire garden is aware of my love except the rose

which is completely oblivious

In the above couplet, the poet wonders how it is possible for his beloved to be ignorant of his love when it is
known to all and sundry. The implicit meaning is that his beloved is probably pretending to be unmindful of his love. The
classic mashooq, the beloved, seems to be hell bent to test the ashiqs love.
The language seems contemporary though the couplet was written in the early nineteenth century. The words
display a fine balance between the conventional Persian imagery and the language reforms of the times. Mirs
consideration for Urdu as an Indian language is revealed by the native Hindi words he uses in this couplet. Mirs superb
creativity is responsible for the contemporary quality of his verses even after centuries.
2. Magar diwana tha yeh gul bhi kasu ka

But the rose was also in love with someone

Ki pairahan me sau jaagah rafoo tha

Which is evidenced by the darning on its leaves.

- Mir [5]

Knowledge of the culture and tradition of the poet is essential to comprehend the explicit and implicit meaning of
ghazals. This couplet follows the traditional claim and reason (dava aur daleel) path. The first line gives the claim and the
second line gives reasoning. The imagery Mir evokes is unprecedented as he compares the veins of leaves to the darning of
torn clothes. Cultural characteristics explain that people go crazy due to love and tear their clothes in despair as the beloved
does not reciprocate their love. The couplet says that the appearance of the rose is contrary to the popular belief that the
rose is indifferent to love. He supports his argument by pointing out to the veins of the leaves which resemble torn and
mended clothes. It also implies that the roses madness is cured which again establishes the fact that the rose cannot be a
true lover as it is impossible to come out of love or madness. Mir establishes the roses fickleness and hypocrisy is in this
couplet.
3. Misaal yeh meri koshish hai ki murghay-easeer
Kare kafas mein faraaham khus ashiyaa ke

My efforts resemble the futile attempts of a caged

bird which tries to build a nest with twigs.

liye Ghalib [5]

The implicit meaning of the couplet is however much a person is oppressed; his or her natural instinct cannot be
suppressed. And though the efforts are commendable it is at the same time pathetic. This couplet can be interpreted as a
2

The translations of the couplets are done by the author herself.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.4049

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 6.1

Metaphors of Yore A Study of Select Metaphors in Urdu Ghazals

37

case both for optimism and pessimism as it is difficult to control a persons instinct and also it is meaningless to struggle
despite knowing the outcome. Ghalibs flair for innovation and creativity can be deduced by the above couplet. His
approach to life is unique and modern and at the same time he articulates emotions and experiences in conventional style.
4. Chaman pe gharath-e-gulchin se jaane kya guzari
Qafas se aaj sabaa bekharaar guzri hai
Faiz [5]

Wonder what happened to the garden due to the flower

picker
The zephyr breezed restless through the cage.

The nightingale wonders what drastic events took place in the residence of his beloved rose as the breeze seemed
agitated while passing through his cage. A highly heartbreaking situation is depicted here. The nightingale is caged by the
hunter and it still worries about the condition of its beloved. The restive breeze which wafts through the rose garden is a
premonition to the nightingale that something drastic might have happened to its beloved due to the flower picker. The
lover worries that his beloved is undergoing harrowing ties due to some external reasons based on the evidence.
5.Rang pairaahan ka khushboo zulf lehraane ka naam
Mausam-e-gul hai tumhare baam per aane ka naam - Faiz
[5]

Clothes provide colour and the swaying hair bestows the

fragrance
Your arrival on the terrace heralds the season of roses.

Faiz adopts a casual, conversational tone in the lines of Ghalib. He is also well known for various themes that
range from political to social issues. The above couplet speaks about the magical influence of his beloved on him. He
compares his beloved to the spring season which is interspersed with colour and fragrance as the roses of various hues are
in full bloom.
6. Hami se rang-e-chaman Hami se rang-e-bahaar
Hami ko nazm-e-gulisthan pe ikhthiyar nahin Sahir
Ludhianvi [5]

The garden and also the spring season acquires their color
from us
Alas! We alone are barred from the administration of the
garden.

This couplet was written by Sahir Ludhianvi, a great film lyricist. As opposed to his predecessors and
contemporaries who praised the Almighty, beloved and wine, he mostly wrote sensitively about the society which was
besieged with issues like war, declining moral values, politics and materialism. He wrote about the societys underdog be it
the unemployed youth, a prostitute, family which is unable to meet its ends, the love lost because of reality, the soldier
fighting somebodys war and dying a pointless death.
Blooming roses bring beauty to a garden and herald the arrival of spring season. The poet says that though the
rose is the source of beauty, it is denied the control of the garden. One of the salient features of ghazals are they can be
quoted in present day contexts. This quote is apt in situations where a person who puts in his efforts in a project is
eventually denied access to the very project.
Couplets (Ash-Shars) on Mehfil
1. Shama ki manind hum is bazm mein

Like a candle in a festive gathering

Chasm-e-nam aae the daman-tar chale - Meer Dard [5]

We arrive crying and leave after polluting the world

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K. Tejaswani

2. Kuchh na dekhaa phir bajuz ek shoala-e-pur

Nothing was seen except the angry twists of candle flame

pech-o-taab

But, I saw the moth going up to the candle

Shama tak to ham ne dekhaa thaa ke

- Mir Taqi Mir [5]

parvaana gayaa Mir Taqi Mir

3.Dagh-e-firaq-e-suhbat-e-shab ki jali hui,

The impact of the night of separation is evident

Ik shama rah gai hai, woh bhi khamosh hai. Mirza

Ghalib [5]

Only a candle is left, that too extinguished

4. Ghum-e-hasti ka, Asad, kis se ho juz marg ilaj,

There is no cure for the sorrows of life except death

Shama har rang mein jalti hai sahar hone tak - Mirza
Ghalib [5]

A candle lights in all colors till the dawn

5.Parwana tujh se karta hai ae shama! Pyar kyun

Why does the moth love you, O light?

Ye jaan-e-be-qarar hai tujh par nisar kyun Allama Iqbal

[5]

Why does it give its life for your companionship?

6.Jab bhi jalegi shama to parvana aaega

The moth makes an entry whenever the candle is lit

Divana le ke jaan ka nazrana aaega Hakeem Nazir [5]

This lovelorn moth offers its life as a gift

Couplets (Ash-Shars) on Maikada

1.Jam mera toba shikan toba meri jam shikan
saamne dher hai tootay hue pemanon ka Riyaz
Khairabadi [5]

Vows were broken and replaced by wine glasses,

wineglasses were broken to accommodate vows
The numerous broken neglasses stand as evidence

2. aur baazaar se le aaye agar toot gaya

You can always buy them from the market if broken

saaghar-e-jam se mera jaam-e-sifaal achcha hai - Ghalib

[5]

My clay cup is better than Badshah Jamsheds cup

3. Kyoon gardish-e-mudaam se ghabra na jaaye dil ?

Why shouldnt the heart be afraid of perpetual misery?

insaan hoon, pyaala-o-saaghar naheen hoon main Ghalib [5]

I am a human being, not a beer mug or a wine glass.

4. Pila de oak se saaqee jo hamse nafrat hai

Allow me to drink from the hand, if you hate me Saqi,

pyaala agar naheeN deta na de, sharaab to de Ghalib [5]

Be sparing with the wineglass not with the wine

5. Kahaan maikhaane ka darwaaza 'Ghalib' aur kahaan

waaiz

What has the cleric got to do with the door of the tavern,
Ghalib?

par itana jaante hain kal wo jaata tha ke ham nikle

Ghalib [5]

But I only know that he was leaving the tavern as I was

entering it.

6. Aaj itna bhi mayessar nahin maikhane mein

Today that much wine is also not available in the tavern

Jitni hum chod diya karte the paimane mein Ghalib [5]

As which I would leave in the wineglass

The above examples on metaphor systems of yore like chaman, mehfil, and maikhada relate to various symbols
like gul, bulbul, sayyad, mehfil, shama, parvana, paimane etc. which were a part of life of common people living in the
times before technology evolved. In the present times, we have gardens but our gardens are relegated only for the pleasure
of people. We are little concerned with the ecosystem or nurturing the garden for the purpose of garden or the birds that
Impact Factor (JCC): 4.4049

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 6.1

Metaphors of Yore A Study of Select Metaphors in Urdu Ghazals

39

visit the flowers. The concept of mehfils or gatherings is completely lost as life became a race of achieving things with the
passing time. Leave alone mehfils, in todays fast-paced world, nobody has time to attend poetic gatherings like mushairas.
The Urdu language itself is dying a gradual death as it has few takers. Literature has definitely taken a back seat with the
advent of technology. Other than the few learned people who are aware of Urdu language and literature, non-Urdu learners
are unaware of the vast oeuvre of Urdu literature. Going to a tavern and drowning ones sorrows among like-minded
friends tempered with the benevolence of the saki and recitation of ashhars that proclaim ones troubles is replaced
probably with more dangerous means of self-destructive or anti-social acts.
Technology is taking leaps and bounds towards progress and enhancement in the present era. People rely more on
technology than on their minds or hearts. Thinking has taken a backseat as people prefer electronic gadgets to do the
thinking for them. These electronic gadgets have a short shelf life and are relegated to the past even before considerable
number of people can identify the role of these gadgets in their life. Life is a race of keeping up with the Joneses with
reference to the latest electronic gadgets.
A candle evokes no emotions in the present days as it is only used mostly in shrines or sometimes as scented
candles to create an ambience. A candle which evoked emotions like the approaching night which would indicate the
arrival of the beloved or memories of times spent with the beloved or hoping for ones beloved to return etc. has no
emotional value today as powercuts are seldom experienced as most of the lower middle class and middle class families
have power inverters at homes. In the olden days, life seemed free in the late evenings for literary pursuits and interested
people would get together. Whereas, in the present, it is necessary to attend to diverse and distinct issues to further ones
career or academics, every waking moment of their lives, leaving little time to pursue individual interests.
An Ash-Shar of Firaq Gorakhpuri Perhaps Summarises the Longing for these Vanishing Metaphors
Hazar baar zamana idhar se gujara hai
Nai nai si hai kuchh teri rahgujar phir bhi

The world has journeyed a thousand times through these

familiar lanes
Yet the novelty of these familiar lanes remain alluring
and magical

- [5]

Gorakhpuris couplet can be quoted for the desire to appreciate the metaphors quoted in this paper. The old
always have to give place to the new. Many new metaphors have replaced the previous ones. Yet, it is impossible not to be
spellbound by the magic cast by the previous metaphors used creatively by the yesteryears masters of Urdu ghazals.
Regrettably, the present generation is unaware of the loss of these metaphors which are emotionally intertwined
with peoples lives and culture. We are living in times where money is valued more than people and objects are valued
more than relationships. Fleeting fancies and momentary gratifications seem to be the norm of the day. The previous
generation people seem to have enjoyed the journey as well as the destination whereas we only seem to concentrate on
instant and brief self-satisfaction.

The existence of this metaphor symbol system for centuries and the usage of these

symbols by poets of numerous generations imply the extent to which they were intertwined with the common mans life.
Any metaphor-symbol can be used effectively in poetry by poets of successive generations only when common people can
relate with that symbol. As Urdu language is slowly disappearing in the present, we find few poets who are still writing in
Urdu. People changed with a change in priorities and emotions as well. Modernism has seeped into poetry as well and the
previous day symbols even if used lose their meaning in the present days hectic pace.

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K. Tejaswani

CONCLUSIONS
Today, we are living in times where there is no tolerance for other languages, culture or rights to live. In this
vicious atmosphere, we forget that Urdu is our language and end up alienating our own citizens. We are on the brink of
losing a beautiful language, rich culture and the concept unity in diversity which was once upon a time the pride of India. If
steps are not taken to preserve the languages and cultures that make India a great nation, our literary identity will be
relegated to narrow, closed spaces in the literary annals. Efforts should be put in by all to preserve the Urdu language,
literature and culture as there is a danger of losing these as well along with the metaphor- symbol system.
REFERENCES
1.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghazal, 10th September, 2015.

2.

Tejaswani K. http://iosrjournals.org/iosr-jhss/papers/Vol19-issue8/Version-4/F019842630.pdf, 4th Jan. , 2016.

3.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hafez, 22nd September, 2015.

4.

http://smriti.com/urdu/ghalib/2.html, 2nd October, 2015.

5.

https://rekhta.org/ghazals/jab-bhii-jalegii-shama-to-parvaana-aaegaa-hakeem-nasir-ghazals, 2nd October, 2015.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.4049

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 6.1