Urdu verse genre

The Hindu : Book Review / Language Books :: Gowri Ramnarayan: "GHAZAL — Paadappaada Paravasam: Abulkalam Azad; Kizhakku Padippagam, 16, Karpagambal Nagar, Mylapore, Chennai-600004. Rs. 45.

THIS BOOK tries to introduce the Ghazal, a specialised verse genre in Urdu, to Tamil readers. Think of the difficulties in the process. Tamil is incapable of reproducing all the sounds of Urdu. The Tamil script cannot represent Urdu words accurately.

The Ghazal ambience is foreign to Tamil culture, even perhaps to Tamil Muslim culture. Ghazal-singing is closer to Hindustani music than to the Carnatic or folk strains of Tamil Nadu. And the author himself confesses to unease in translating certain Urdu images into Tamil. Names too don't escape errors — Jagdish for Jagjit (Singh), or Tallat for Talat (Aziz).

If the author succeeds at all, he can thank the pervasive influence of Bollywood cinema, which has familiarised the Ghazal to generations of listeners in every part of India, from "Anarkali" and "Pakeezah" to "Umrao Jaan". In fact the book draws upon cinema in almost every page.

Some of the poems are from evergreen movies, or by poets who became popular through films.

For illustrations and parallels, Azad goes to Vairamuthu ("Shabana Azmi is Kaifi Azmi's best poem") and Yuga Bharati.

And though there are references to Begum Akhtar and Ghulam Ali, the book abounds in Anup Jalotas and Hariharans as well.

Starting with the rules of rhyme and metre, and the special features of the first and last verse, Azad travels into the past and the present in search of Ghazals, arranging them in terms of themes, images and metaphors.

We enter the chandelier-hung, wine-lit musical soirees of nawabs and kings. This historical background gets a few references in superficial strokes. Bahadur Shah Zafar and Ghalib are introduced respectfully, but skimpily. And though the author talks about the metaphysical and mystical dimensions of the Ghazal, they remain at the periphery.

Each chapter offers a translation of a chosen Ghazal. This passes muster by avoiding the literal.

The well-designed book goes beyond dilettante labours. However, in making the text reader- friendly, the author sacrifices depth. "