REFLECTIONS OF LOVE IN THE SELECT URDU GHAZALS WITH REFERENCE TO SHAMA FUTEHALLY’S SILVERS OF A MIRROR: GLIMPSES OF THE GHAZAL

Abstract

Urdu is a standardised register of the Hindustani language and has become popular after the establishment of Muslim rule in North India. It originated from Shauraseni, a middle Indo-Aryan language which is the predecessor of other modern languages. Urdu poetry or shairi has a rich tradition and is marked by true feelings and sentiments. It has many different forms, with ghazal being the most important one. Urdu ghazals have been widely translated owing to their popularity. Shama Futehally (1952-2004) was born in Bombay and studied English at the universities of Bombay and Leeds. Her translation of Meera’s Bhajans, In the Dark of the Heart: Songs of Meera, was published in San Francisco. She has published two novels in New Delhi- Tara Lane and Reaching Bombay Central. Her translation of Urdu ghazals, Silvers of a Mirror: Glimpses of the Ghazal (2005) attempts to capture the best qualities of the ghazal in a contemporary voice. Ghazal is an Arabic word which literally means talking to women. It is a love-poem which initially addressed human love and later reached for the divine. It is often infused with music and has become a form of entertainment. This paper attempts to explore the theme of love in the select Urdu ghazals translated in English by Shama Futehally.