Since Bahadur Shah Zafar was fond of using simple and colloquial diction, Zauq too composed his ghazals using simple words, phrases of everyday use and similes rooted in the common culture. His ghazals are also notable for their spontaneity. Zauq was a deeply religious man. In his ghazals too he would deal with religious and ethical themes. Therefore, his ghazals lack lyricism and appear to be the verses of a preacher.

A Major portion of Zauq’s poetical output got lost because mutiny of 1857. Maulana Mohammed Husain Azad compiled a slim volume of his poetry with the help of his pupils like Hafiz, Veeran, Anwar and Zaheer that contains twelve hundred couplets of Ghazals and fifteen Eulogies. Even though much of his work was lost, he left behind a legacy of ghazal, qasida, and mukhammas

Son of an ordinary soldier in the Mughal army , Zauq was sent to a maktab (elementary religious school) that was run by Hafiz Ghulam Rasool. Hafiz himself was a poet and used Shauq as his nom de plume. Under his influence the young Mohammed Ibrahim also got attracted towards poetry. Hafiz provided the required encouragement, took him as his pupil in poetry too and suggested Zauq as his nom de plume. Though Zauq could not complete the course of the maktab, he got hooked to poetry. In those days Shah Naseer was the most famous master poet of Delhi. Zauq began showing his ghazals to Shah Naseer for improvement. Naseer recognized the natural talent and made him his pupil. Gradually, Zauq began participating in the mushairas. His natural bent of mind towards poetry coupled with his singular obsession to excel in the pursuit brought him fame and fortune. He would be better appreciated in the mushairas than his mentor. Shah Naseer got very annoyed with the growing popularity of Zauq. He threw him out of the group of his pupils. Zauq, thereafter, relied only on his talent and continued writing poetry with a vengeance.

Another poet, Meer Kazim Husain Beqarar, a friend of Zauq’s was appointed the mentor of the Crown Prince Zafar, who later ascended the throne. Through him Zauq could got the chance to enter the royal court. He also started participating in the royal mushairas. When Beqarar took up the job of Meer Munshi (Head Clerk) in the Office of John Elphinstone, Crown Prince Zafar appointed Zauq as his mentor with a monthly salary of Rs. 4- that was ultimately raised to Rs. 100- when Bahadur Shah Zafar ascended the throne. He remained the poet laureate of the Mughal Court till his death in 1854.

Munshi Mohammed Ali Tashnah was an eccentric poet in Ghalib’s era who came to mushairas in a state of inebriety as well as nudity. Of all the poets present in #DilliKaAakhiriShama he was the only one who had a sense of things to come in 1845.

Aankh padti hai kahin, paanv kahin padta hai

Sab ki hai tumko khabar, apni khabar kuchh bhi nahin

Shama hai, gul bhi hai, bulbul bhi hai, parwana bhi

Raat ki raat yeh sab kuch hai, sehar kuchh bhi nahin

Hashr ki dhoom hai, sab kahte hain yun hai, yun hai

Fitna hai ek teri thokar ka , magar kuchh bhi nahin

Nesti ki hai mujhe koocha e hasti mein talaash,

Saer karta hun udhar ki jidhar kuchh bhi nahin

Ek ansoo bhi asar jab na kare Tashnah

Fayda rone se ai deeda e tar kuchh bhi nahin , kuchh bhi nahin

( reciting this Tashna abruptly got up and left the mushaira repeating kuchh bhi nahin kuchh bhi nahin )

(Yaadgar because original tomb demolished to make way for a public lavatory. This was made because of the efforts of Mr Firoz Bakht who fought long and hard for it)

Laayi Hayat aaye qaza le chali chale

na apni khushi aaye na apni khushi chale

behatar to hai yahi ke na duniya se dil lage

par kya karen jo kam na bedillagi chale

ho umr-e-khizr bhi to kahenge bavaqt-e-marg

hum kya rahe yahan abhi aaye abhi chale

duniya ne kis ka rah-e-fana mein diya hai sath

tum bhi chale chalo yun hi jab tak chali chale

nazan na ho khirad pe jo hona hai wo hi ho

danish teri na kuch meri danishvari chale

kam honge is bisat pe hum jaise badqimar

jo chal hum chale wo nihayat buri chale

ja ki hava-e-shauq mein hain is chaman se ‘zauq’

apni bala se bad-e-saba kaheen chale

This was a very polite gentleman in Delhi’s Paharganj where Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq the Mughal poet laureate was buried.

Dilli see where Zauq sleeps
Tho I should thank God for smaller mercies. A public lavatory was made on his grave. Thanks to efforts of Firoz Bakht at least that was removed & a memorial built in its place. It’s called yaadgar e Zauq as no one knows where original grave was.

We traversed narrow, filthy lanes to reach the mazar which was locked. We were helped by a very kind gentleman from Dargah Qadam sharif . We could not have reached here on our own.

Laayi  Hayat aaye qaza le chali chale

na apni khushi aaye na apni khushi chale

(Written on the walls)

behatar to hai yahi ke na duniya se dil lage

par kya karen jo kam na bedillagi chale

ho umr-e-khizr bhi to kahenge bavaqt-e-marg

hum kya rahe yahan abhi aaye abhi chale

duniya ne kis ka rah-e-fana mein diya hai sath

tum bhi chale chalo yun hi jab tak chali chale

nazan na ho khirad pe jo hona hai wo hi ho

danish teri na kuch meri danishvari chale

kam honge is bisat pe hum jaise badqimar

jo chal hum chale wo nihayat buri chale

ja ki hava-e-shauq mein hain is chaman se ‘zauq’

apni bala se bad-e-saba kaheen chale

behtar to hai yehii ke na dunyaa se dil lage
par kyaa kareen jo kaam na be-dillagii chale

ho umr-e-khizr bhii to kahen ge ba_vaqt-e-marg
ham kyaa rahe yahaaN abhi aaye abhii chale

duniyaa ne kis ka raah-e-fanaa mein diyaa hai saath
tum bhii chale chalo yuuN hi jab tak chali chale

kam hoonge is bisaat pe ham jaise bad_qimaar
jo chaal ham chale woh nihaayat burii chale

jaa ke havaa-e-shauq mein hain is chaman se ‘Zauq’
apanii balaa se baad-e-sabaa kaheen chale

My translation of Zauq’s famous ghazal

1. Life brought me, death took me away
I neither came of my free will, nor did happiness have a say

2. Tis better to not get attached to worldly objects,
But what if this indifference doesnot get its way

3.Even if gifted with ever lasting life, at time of death,
I would say, i just came, and its time to go away

4. When has the world supported anyone on this path of mortality.
You also keep pace with life, thus, till you have your way

5. There must be very few gamblers, as bad as me
Whatever move I made was a loser straight away

6. Zauq bids farewell on the wings of yearning
Matters it little to me if the breeze comes ever your way

They fall into the category of nazms and had to be in meter.

Of course the most famous sehra is the one by Mirza Ghalib (1797-1869) in which he took a dig at the Emperor’s Ustad, Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq (1788/9-1854). Zauq was given the title of Khaqani e Hind and drew a nominal salary of Rs 4/. The respect and position that he gained as a result was immense. It also gave him free access to the Qila e Moalla (Red Fort). This was a constant thorn in the side of Mirza Ghalib who always felt he was better and should have got a royal position too. He never let go of any chance to score poetic points over his rival.

It was the last grand Mughal wedding on 2^nd April 1852 – that of Badshah Bahadur Shah Zafar’s son Jawan Bakht by his favourite and youngest wife Zeenat Mahal to Nawab Shah Zamani Begum.

Begum Zeenat Begum asked Ghalib to write a ‘sehra’ for her son, Mirza Jawan Bakth’s wedding. The honour should have gone to Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq but he was reportedly unwell.

William  Dalrymple in his book “The Last Mughal” writes :
“The marriage procession of Prince Jawan Bakht left the Lahore Gate of the Red Fort at 2 a.m. on the hot summer night of 2 April, 1852.”
and he goes on to write that what was remembered longest and discussed most eagerly was not so much the festivities or the feasting or the fireworks, as the marraige odes recited by the Poet Laureate Zauq, and his rival Mirza Nausha, now more widely known by his pen-name Ghalib.”

“The squabble at the wedding was over a single verse in Ghalib’s sehra (or wedding oration) where he appeared–characteristically–to suggest that no one in the gathering could write a couplet as well as he…. Zafar also encouraged Zauq to reply to Ghalib’s unprovoked sally. The fine sehra that the Poet Laureate came up with ended with a couplet tossing the challenge back to Ghalib:

The person who claims poetic skills,
Recite this to him and say,
“Look–this is how a poet”

This round went to Zauq as the singers in attendance, picked  up the verse and spread it all over Shahjahanabad. By next day it was in the newspapers

This is the famous ‘clash between Mirza Ghalib and Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq over the writing of the royal ‘sehra’ ( a celebratory poem at time of a wedding in honour of the groom, It’s usually a humorous take on marriage, relatives and festivities connected with the wedding, interspersed with praises and wishes for the groom. ).

Bahadur Shah Zafar’s favorite wife, Begum Zeenat Begum asked Ghalib to write a ‘sehra’ for her son, Mirza Jawan BaKth’s wedding.

The honour should have gone to Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq but he was reportedly unwell.

Complying with the Empress’ wish, Ghalib wrote a ‘sehra’ whose maqta* was:

‘hum suKhan_fahm haiN, Ghalib ke tarafdaar nahiN
dekheN keh de koi is sehre se baRh kar sehra’ **

We are connoisseurs of  poetry, not partial to Ghalib
Let’s see if there’s anyone who can write a better ‘sehra’

The Emperor realizing that this was a dig at his mentor Zauq is said to have been displeased with the maqt’a. A slight to his mentor was seen as a slight to the Emperor himself. Zafar asked Zauq to write a ‘sehra’ as well . Not one to let go of an opportunity , Zauq included these lines:

jin ko daawa ho suKhan ka yeh sunaa do unko
dekh is taraH se kehte haiN suKhanwar sehra

Tell those who claim to be eloquent
This is how poets write a sehra

 The Fort reverberated with this clash of titans and It is recorded that the Crown Prince Mirza Fakhruddin (also a disciple of Mirza Zauq) exclaimed, “Ustaad ne maidan maar liya”

Ghalib wrote his celebrated  ‘qat’a-e-ma’azerat’ ( letter of apology) in response to the Emperor’s reaction. However, the egoistic Ghalib left no ‘verse’ unturned in adding insult to injury, using poetry as a medium to prove his supremacy. and take a dig at Zauq’s ancestry and the Emperor’s neglicience towards himself. The maqta of this ghazal became even more famous.

manzoor hai guzaarish-e-ahvaal-e-waaqa’aii
apna bayaan-e-Husn-e-tabii’yat nahiN mujhe

I accept the request to state the facts,
To praise oneself is not a habit of mine

sau pusht se, hai pesha-e-aaba sipahgari
kuchh shayari, zari’ye-e-izzat nahiN mujhe

My forefathers have been warriors for  hundred generations
By writing poetry, fame I seek  not

aazaadah rau huN, aur mira maslak hai sulH-e-kul
hargiz kabhi kisi se adaawat nahiN mujhe

I am a free spirit and my conduct is always peaceful,
I bear malice against no one

kya kam hai yeh sharaf ke Zafar ka Ghulaam huN
maana ke jaah-o-mansab-o-sarwat nahiN mujhe

Is the privilege not enough that I serve Zafar ,
Agreed rank, position and affluence I have not

ustaad-e-shah se ho mujhe parKhaash ka Khayaal
yeh taab, yeh majaal, yeh taaqat nahiN mujhe

The thought of a row with the king’s mentor
This arrogance, this audacity, this strength I have not

jaam-e-jahaaN_numa hai shahenshaah ka zameer
saugand aur gawaah ki Haajat nahiN mujhe

The king’s conscience is all encompassing,
The need for an oath and witness I have  not

sehraa likhaa gaya ze_rah-e-imtiSaal-e-amr
dekhaa ke chaarah Ghair ita’at nahiN mujhe

The sehra was written in obedience of orders,

Non compliance with that order I dare not

maqt’e meiN aa paRi hai suKhan gustaraana baat
maqsood is se qat’a-e-moHabbat nahiN mujhe

I wrote something in the maqta’ which became popular,
A reason to ending friendship I want not.

ruu-e-suKhan kisi taraf ho, tau ruu_siyaah
sauda nahiN, junooN nahiN, veHshat nahiN mujhe

If I aimed it at someone in particular then may my face be
blackened,
I am neither mad, nor crazed nor so deprived of sense.

qismat buri sahii, pa tabii’yat buri nahiN
hai shukr ki jagah, ke shikaayat nahiN mujhe

Although my luck is bad, but my habits aren’t bad,
I’m in a place of thankfulness and complain I do not.

saadiq huN apne qaul meiN Ghalib Khuda_gawaah
kehta huN sach ke jhooT ki a’adat nahiN mujhe

Always true to his word is Ghalib, as God is my witness,
I tell you the truth as lie I do not.

*The maqta is the last verse of a ghazal  in which the poet’s takhallus, or pen name, is employed

This is the original sehra written by Ghalib for Mirza Jawan Bakht

Here is the ‘sehra’ written by Ghalib for the wedding of Bahadur Shah Zafar’s
son Javan Bakht.

Khush ho ai baKht ke hai aaj tere sar sehraa
baaNdh shahazada Javaa.N baKht ke sar par seharaa

[baKht = luck; pun on Groom’s name]

kyaa hii is chaaNd se mukhaDe pe bhalaa lagataa hai
hai tere husn-e-dil_afroz kaa zevar sehraa

[husn-e-dil_afroz = beauty that lights up the heart]

sar pe chaDhnaa tujhe phabataa hai par ai tarf-e-kulaah
mujhko Dar hai ke na chhiine tera lambar sehraa

[phabataa =  suits]

nav bhar kar hii piroye gaye honge motii
varnaa kyun laaye hain kishtii mein lagaakar sehraa

saat dariyaa ke faraaham kiye honge motii
tab banaa hogaa is andaaz kaa gaz bhar sehraa

ruKh pe dulhaa ke jo garmii se pasiinaa Tapakaa
hai rag-e-abr-e-guharabaar saraasar sehraa

ye bhii ik be’adabii thii ke qabaa se baDh jaaye
rah gayaa aan ke daaman ke baraabar sehraa

jii me.n itaraaye.N na motii ke hamii.n hai.n ik chiiz
chaahiye phuulon ko bhii ek mukarrar sehraa

jab ke apane mein samaave’n na Khushii mein maare
guu.Ndhe phuulon kaa bhalaa phir koii kyuu.Nkar sehraa

ruKh-e-raushan kii damak gauhar-e-Galtaa kii chamak
kyuN na dikhalaaye faroG-e-maah-o-aKhtar sehraa

taar resham kaa nahii.n hai ye rag-e-abr-e-bahaar
laayegaa taab-e-giraa.Nbaari-e-gauhar sehraa

ham suKhan_faham hain “Ghalib” ke tarafadaar nahii.n
dekhe.n is sehare se kah de koii ba.Dhakar sehraa

[suKhan_faham = patron of poetry/ kaavyaa parakhane vaalaa

ZAUQ’s SEHRA

Ai Javaan Bakht mubarak tujhe sar par sehra

Aaj hai Yaman wa Sada’t ka tere sar sehra

Aaj woh din hai ke laaye durr e anjum se falak

Kashti e zar mah e nau ke lagakar sehra

Tabish husn se manind shua e khursheed

Rukh e pur noor pe hai tere munawwar sehra

Woh kahe Salle Alay eh kahe SubhanAllah

Dekhe mukhade pe jot ere mah o akhtar sehra

Taa banni aur banne mein rahe ikhlas baham

Goondhiye sura e ikhlas padhkar sehra

Dhoom hai gulshan e afaaq mein is sehre ki

Gaaye’n marghaan e nava sanj na kyunkar sehra

Ru e farkh pe jo hain tere baraste anwar

Taar e barish se bana ek sarasar sehra

Ek ko ek pe tazai’n hai dam e araaish

Sir pe dastar hai, dastar ke oopar sehra

Ek gauhar bhi nahin sadgaan e gauhar mein choda

Tera banwaaya hai le leke jo gauhar sehra

Phirti khushboo se hai itraayi huyi baad e bahaar

Allah Allah re phoolo’n se moatta’r sehraa

Sar pe turra hai muzaiyyan to gale mein baddhi

Kangana haath mein zeba hai to munh par sehra

Runumayi mein tujhe de mah o khurshid o falak

Khol de munh ko jot u munh se uthakar sehra

Kasrat e taar e nazar se hai tamaashiyo’n ke

Dam e nazara tere ru e niko par sehra

Durr e khush aab e mazameen se banakar laaya

Waaste tere tera Zauq sanagar sehra

Jis ko daawa hai suKhan ka yeh sunaa de usko
Dekh is taraH se kehte haiN suKhanwar sehra

The court of Bahadur  Shah II, himself an accomplished  poet who wrote under the nom de plume or takhallus of Zafar, was home to some of the brightest  talent to grace the world of poetry. The poets flourishing  under Zafar were  the calibre of Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq, Mirza Ghalib, Momin Khan Momin, Shefta , Azurda and Zafar himself.

Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq ( 1789–1854) was Zafar’s ustad ( mentor) and enjoyed the position a poet Laureate would.

He was an accomplished  poet with complete mastery over Urdu and Persian but wrote in very simple terms, easily understood  by all.
“laayii hayaat aaye, qazaa le chalii chale
apnii khushii na aaye na apnii khushii chale”
[hayaat=life, qazaa=death]
Is one of his most famous and oft-quoted verses.

Mirza Ghalib felt that his entry into the favours of the Emperor  was being impeded by Zauq and this was a bone of contention for him.

Once in the lanes of Shahjahanabad he saw Zauq passing by and in an aside to his proteges and hangers on he said
” Huwa hai shah ka musaahib, phirey hai itraata”
Zauq overheard it as he was probably  meant to and made a strong complaint to the Emperor. In the next mushaira at the Qila e Moalla (The Red Fort)  the Emperor took Ghalib to task.
Ghalib confessed that yes he had said the line but it was not aimed at  Zauq –
He said it was the first line (misra) of the last couplet (maqta) of his latest Ghazal. Bahadur Shah Zafar obviously  asked Ghalib to recite the entire verse.
The haazir jawaab poet immediately  turned it on himself and recited:

“Huwa hai sheh ka musaahib, phirey hai itraata 
Wagar na sheher mein Ghalib ki aabroo kya hai”
“Having become the King’s companion he shows off arrogantly
Otherwise what other claim to respect does Ghalib have?”

Legend has it that knowing Ghalib’s poetic prowess, Zauq did not accept this at face value and asked the Emperor to insist on hearing the entire ghazal…
Both underestimated  Ghalib’s genius. He is said to have composed one of his most popular  ghazals on the spot and recited it to thundering applause. So impressed was Zauq by it that even he joined in on the praise being showered on Ghalib.

” Har ek baat pe kahate ho tum ki tuu kyaa hai
tumhiin kaho ke ye a.ndaaz-e-guftaguu kyaa hai

na shole mein ye karishmaa na barq mein ye adaa
koii bataao ki vo shoKh-e-tundaKhuu kyaa hai

shola=flame,:barq=lightening: Shokh e Tundkhuu- mischievous

ye rashk hai ki vo hotaa hai ham_suKhan hamse
vagarnaa Khauf-e-badaamozii-e-ad kyaa hai
[rashk=jealousy; ham-suKhan=some who agrees with you]
[Khauf=fear; aamozii=teaching; aduu=enemy]

chipak rahaa hai badan par lahuu se pairaahan
hamaarii jeb ko an haajat-e-rafuu kyaa hai
[pairaahan=dress/cloth/robe; haajat=need; rafuu=darning]

jalaa hia jism jahaaN dil bhii jal gayaa hogaa
kuredate ho jo ab raakh justajuu kyaa hai

ragon mein dauDate phirane ke ham nahiin qaayal
jab aa.Nkh hii se na Tapakaa to phir lahuu kyaa hai

vo chiiz jisake liye hamako ho bahisht aziiz
sivaa_e baadaa-e-gulfaam-e-mushkbuu kyaa hai
[bahisht=heaven; baadaa=wine; gulfaam=delicate/like a flower]
[mushk-buu=the smell of musk]

piyuuN sharaab agar Khum bhii dekh luuN do chaar
ye shiishaa-o-qadaah-o-kuuzaa-o-subu kyaa hai
[Khum=wine barrel, qadaah=goblet, subuu=wine pitcher ]

rahii na taaqat-e-guftaar aur agar ho bhii
to kis ummiid pe kahiye ke aarazuu kyaa hai
[guftaar=speech]

banaa hai shah kaa musaahib, phire hai itraataa
vagarnaa shahar mein “Ghalib” kii aabruu kyaa hai

Note: many stories related to Ghalib have come up in folk lore