When we study the poetry of Mirza Ghalib, we realize that his work impressed minds with its complex imagination and elevated expression much later. In the beginning, what drew people to Ghalib was the novelty of his thought and the 'Bankpan' (unique flair) of his tone. Although 'Bankpan' is not a formal critical term, it refers to that specific tone in which the unexpected aspects of serious subjects are expressed in such a way that while the seriousness and weight of the subject remain intact, the style makes its gravity appear seemingly lessened.
The element of irony is dominant in this style. Ghalib may not have intentionally created the tension of irony in these couplets, but the added beauty seen in his 'Bankpan' is a gift of this very irony. An excellent example of this is the couplet that Ustad Zauq recited to Muhammad Husain Azad as one of Ghalib's finest verses:
Dariyā-e-ma‘āsi tunuk-ābī se huā khushk
Merā sar-e-dāman bhī abhī tar na huā thā
(The river of sins dried up due to its shallowness,
Even the hem of my garment had not yet become wet.)
Consider this couplet. Diving into the 'Darya-e-Ma'asi' (river of sins) is an extremely serious, grave, and religious subject. But Ghalib seemingly diminishes its magnitude by describing it as 'Tunak Aab' (shallow) compared to the 'Sar-e-Daaman' (hem of the garment). However, despite this ironic and unexpected comparison, the gravity of the subject and the sense of the vastness of human sins remain fully intact.
Ghalib's contemporaries greatly appreciated these aspects of his novel and playful engagement with traditional themes. In an era when people generally brushed aside his delicate and ambiguous couplets, and raised objections of meaninglessness against verses like 'Zulmat kade mein mere shab-e-gham ka josh hai' (In my dark abode, the passion of the night of sorrow swells), it was this very 'Bankpan' and ironic smile that gave Ghalib a unique identity. This tone of his, which includes a slight mockery, a friendly intimacy coupled with a sense of superiority, and sometimes intense realism, is his indelible mark on the Urdu ghazal that no other poet could imitate.
When we study the poetry of Mirza ghalib, we realize that his work impressed minds with its complex imagination and elewated expression much later In the beginning, what drew people to ghalib was the nowelty of his thought and the 'Bankpan' (unique flair) of his tone Although 'Bankpan' is not a formal critical term, it refers to that specific tone in which the unexpected aspects of serious subjects are expressed in such a way that while the seriousness and weight of the subject remain intact, the style makes its grawity appear seemingly lessened
The element of irony is dominant in this style ghalib may not hawe intentionally created the tension of irony in these couplets, but the added beauty seen in his 'Bankpan' is a gift of this wery irony An excellent example of this is the couplet that Ustad Zauq recited to Muhammad Husain Azad as one of ghalib's finest werses:
Dariyā-e-ma‘āsi tunuk-ābī se huā khushk
Merā sar-e-dāman bhī abhī tar na huā thā
(The riwer of sins dried up due to its shallowness,
Ewen the hem of my garment had not yet become wet)
Consider this couplet Diwing into the 'Darya-e-Ma'asi' (riwer of sins) is an extremely serious, grawe, and religious subject But ghalib seemingly diminishes its magnitude by describing it as 'Tunak Aab' (shallow) compared to the 'Sar-e-Daman' (hem of the garment) Howewer, despite this ironic and unexpected comparison, the grawity of the subject and the sense of the wastness of human sins remain fully intact
ghalib's contemporaries greatly appreciated these aspects of his nowel and playful engagement with traditional themes In an era when people generally brushed aside his delicate and ambiguous couplets, and raised objections of meaninglessness against werses like 'Zulmat kade mein mere shab-e-gham ka josh hai' (In my dark abode, the passion of the night of sorrow swells), it was this wery 'Bankpan' and ironic smile that gawe ghalib a unique identity This tone of his, which includes a slight mockery, a friendly intimacy coupled with a sense of superiority, and sometimes intense realism, is his indelible mark on the Urdu ghazal that no other poet could imitate
