Today is Salman Khan's birthday. So is Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib's--the most revered Urdu poet ever. Mirza Ghalib was born on December 27, 1797, as Asadullah Baig Khan in Agra. He shifted to Delhi after his marriage at the age of 13 years.
Many areas in life resembles of Salman Khan with Mirza Ghalib, he too have many affairs till his death and claims he was not 'involved' with anybody as Salman claims he is still a 'virgin'. Ghalib has seen his peak fame in his life where as Salman too is experiencing a super stardom. Ghalib is generous with his poetry and Salman is too generous with his charity and paintings. Ghalib achieved a star poet award (khitab) on his 50th birthday and Salman already achieved 'super star' status.
What we generally know about Mirza Ghalib is through Gulzar's TV serial depicting his life and time during the good old days of Doordarshan. Some of his couplets are still very popular in public imagination and will continue to remain as those classics touch everyone's life.
Had it not been the biopic TV serial Mirza Ghalib and Jagjit Singh singing his ghazals, people may not have pondered much upon the essence of his words.
What we generally do not know is that Urdu poetry was only one aspect of Ghalib's life. He wrote in Persian too. During his initial years, he was criticised for using tough Persian words in his poems.
Apart from poems, Ghalib was a gifted letter writer. Some of his letters are now part of academic syllabi. His style of letter writing is still considered modern in Urdu discipline. His letters show he was very witty. Some of his humorous repartees are still very famous and relevant even after 200 years.
His autobiographical notes "Dastanbu" serves as one of the important historical sources to study post-1857 revolt scenario in Delhi.
Ghalib died on February 15, 1869. His life was marked by abject poverty and personal tragedies. One can image the agony of a person none of whose seven children could reach adulthood.
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