Friday 23 April 2010

Ghalib gets the finger

A couplet from a ghazal Ghalib wrote at the age of 19.
kāfī hai nishānī tirā chhalle kā nah denā
ḳhālī mujhe dikhlā ke bah vaqt-e safar angusht 
(50.2) 

Not her virginal nose ring, such joy did I bring her
 Street urchins sing of how she gave me the finger.

Surprise, surprise, this is not what the commentators read in the verse.

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