Ghalib

Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan, better known by his pen name Ghalib, was a prominent Urdu and Persian poet of the late Mughal era. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in Urdu literature, especially for his ghazals, which combine refined language, philosophical depth, and subtle irony.

Born in 1797 in Agra, he later settled in Delhi, where he became part of the city’s literary milieu. He wrote extensively in Urdu and Persian, producing what is known as the Diwan-e-Ghalib in Urdu and a Persian Divan. His ghazals, addressing themes of love, loss, spiritual longing, and the ironies of life, are noted for linguistic innovation, wordplay, and a modern sensibility that resonates with urban life of his time. He also produced prose in the form of letters, which are valued for their clarity, wit, and insights into social life and patronage in 19th-century India.

After the 1857 rebellion, Ghalib faced financial difficulties but continued to write and participate in literary circles. He died in Delhi in 1869. His influence on Urdu poetry endures: his ghazals have been set to music by composers and singers, and his writing is studied for its technical mastery and emotional reach. The house where he lived in Old Delhi, Ghalib ki Haveli, is preserved as a museum and a site of scholarly interest.