gezel

Gezel is not widely attested as a standalone term in major reference works. It most often appears to be a variant spelling or transliteration of gazel (Turkish gazel), the Turkish form of the Persian ghazal. The ghazal is a traditional lyric-poetic form that spread from Persian literature to other languages, including Turkish, Arabic, Urdu, and Azerbaijani. In Turkish contexts, gazel refers to a sequence of short, thematically linked couplets expressing love, longing, or mystical devotion.

Form and features

A gazel typically consists of couplets that share a single meter and end with a common rhyme and refrain. Each couplet is a self-contained unit, yet all couplets contribute to an overarching mood or theme. The first couplet, the matla, establishes the rhyme and refrain; the final couplet, the makta, often carries the poet’s signature or a final personal assertion. Meter, rhyme (qafia), and refrain (radif) are central to the form, which emphasizes musical and emotional cadence as much as logical progression.

Historical context

The gazel originated in classical Persian poetry and was adapted into Ottoman Turkish verse, as well as in Urdu and other literary traditions. It flourished from medieval to early modern periods, with notable poets in each tradition shaping its development. In Turkish literature, gazels are associated with Divan poetry and were often performed in oral settings or set to music. In South Asian literary culture, the Urdu ghazal became a dominant poetic vehicle for themes of love, loss, and spiritual longing.

See also

Ghazal, Gazel, Divan poetry.