Naqshe-faryadi hain kis ki shoikiye-tahriir ka
Kaagzi hain pairahan har paikare-tasvir ka
Glossary
- naqshe – picture
- faryad – complain
- shoikiye – mischievous, capricious
- tahriir – writing
- pairahan – clothes
- paikar – portrait
- tasvir – image
Translation
Who is the mischievous writer of this picture of plaintiffs
Every portrait in this image is wearing clothes made of paper
Commentary
This is the opening couplet of Ghalib’s divan. At times dismissed as nonsensical and needlessly obtuse, it is one of my favorites, both for the way the words flow and the profound philosophical questions it explores. Traditionally the opening of a divan was expected to be an ode to God, the most beneficial, the most merciful, the most compassionate. It seems Ghalib very purposefully chose this as the opening sher, a tacit acknowledgment of a Creator, as a nod to this tradition, but with a mischievous twist more in tune with his own skepticism about religion. Life is mostly full of loss and failure, needs and wants unmet, a litany of complaints. Why create such an existence? Whose capriciousness lies behind it? In a letter to his friend, Ghalib says that the imagery behind the paper clothes was based on a story he heard about people in Iran who wore paper clothes when they went looking for justice from the emperor. The veracity of this story has been questioned because there aren’t any historical records that support this tradition. Taken from a philosophical perspective the paper clothes reflect our ephemeral existence. So what is Ghalib trying to say? We live short, miserable and inconsequential lives. And yet we complain incessantly. What purpose does that serve? Abandon that self pity, that dependence on others or God to bring happiness to your life, accept the brevity of your existence, your lot in life and make the most of it.