Wali Mohammed Wali
Encyclopedia
Wali Muhammad Wali (also known as Wali Deccani, Urdu: ولی دکنی, Wali Gujarati and Wali Aurangabadi) was a classical Urdu poet of the subcontinent
.
He is the first established poet to have composed Ghazals in Urdu
language and compiled a divan
(a collection of ghazals where the entire alphabet is used at least once as the last letter to define the rhyme pattern).
Before Wali, Indian Ghazal was being composed in Persian
- almost being replicated in thought and style from the original Persian masters like Saa'di
, Jami
and Khaqani
. Wali began using not only an Indian language, but Indian themes, idioms and imagery in his ghazals. It is said that his visit to Delhi along with his divan of Urdu ghazals created a ripple in the literary circles of the north, inspiring them to produce stalwarts like Zauq, Sauda
and Mir
.
State. He loved travelling, which he regarded as a means of education.
in 1700 is considered to be of great significance for Urdu Gazals. His simple, sensuous and melodious poems in Urdu, awakened the Persian loving poets of Delhi to the beauty and capability of "Rekhta
" (the old name for Urdu) as a medium of poetic expression. His visit thus stimulated the growth and development of Urdu Ghazal in Delhi.
Wali died in Ahmedabad
in 1707, and was buried in the same city.
On 28 February 2002, a mob tore down Wali’s little tomb in Ahmedabad and dug up his grave. An idol of Hulladio Hanuman was placed over the rubble. Overnight, the road was tarred and now no sign remains. Wali’s grave had stood outside the gate of the police commissioner’s office.
, qasida
, mukhammas
, and the rubai
, the ghazal
is his speciality. He wrote 473 ghazals containing 3,225 couplets (Ashaar).
If, on the one hand, Wali unraveled the beauty and richness of the native language as a poetic medium, on the other, he was alive to the vigour and verve of Persian
diction and imagery which he successfully incorporated into the body of his verse. He may thus be called the architect of the modern poetic language, which is a skillful blend of Hindi and Persian vocabulary.
Subcontinent
A subcontinent is a large, relatively self-contained landmass forming a subdivision of a continent. By dictionary entries, the term subcontinent signifies "having a certain geographical or political independence" from the rest of the continent, or "a vast and more or less self-contained subdivision...
.
He is the first established poet to have composed Ghazals in Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
language and compiled a divan
Diwan (poetry)
-Etymology:The English usage of the phrase Diwan Poetry comes from the Arabic word diwan , which is loaned from Persian means designated a list or register. The Persian word derived from the Persian dibir meaning writer or scribe...
(a collection of ghazals where the entire alphabet is used at least once as the last letter to define the rhyme pattern).
Before Wali, Indian Ghazal was being composed in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
- almost being replicated in thought and style from the original Persian masters like Saa'di
Saadi (poet)
Abū-Muḥammad Muṣliḥ al-Dīn bin Abdallāh Shīrāzī better known by his pen-name as Saʿdī or, simply, Saadi, was one of the major Persian poets of the medieval period. He is not only famous in Persian-speaking countries, but he has also been quoted in western sources...
, Jami
Jami
Nur ad-Dīn Abd ar-Rahmān Jāmī also known as DJāmī, Mawlanā Nūr al-Dīn 'Abd al-Rahmān or Abd-Al-Rahmān Nur-Al-Din Muhammad Dashti who is commonly known as Jami , is known for his achievements as a scholar, mystic, writer, composer of numerous lyrics and idylls, historian, and one of the greatest...
and Khaqani
Khaqani
Khāqāni or Khāghāni was a Persian poet. He was born in the historical region known as Shirvan , under the Shirvanshah and died in Tabriz, Iran.- Life :Khaqani was born into the family of a carpenter in...
. Wali began using not only an Indian language, but Indian themes, idioms and imagery in his ghazals. It is said that his visit to Delhi along with his divan of Urdu ghazals created a ripple in the literary circles of the north, inspiring them to produce stalwarts like Zauq, Sauda
Mirza Rafi Sauda
Mirza Muhammad Rafi 'Sauda was one of the best known poets of Urdu language in Delhi, India. He is known for his Ghazals and Urdu Qasidas.-Early life:...
and Mir
Mir Taqi Mir
Khuda-e-sukhan Mir Taqi Mir , whose real name was Muhammad Taqi and takhallus was Mir , was the leading Urdu poet of the 18th century, and one of the pioneers who gave shape to the Urdu language itself...
.
Early life
Born in 1667 at Aurangabad, an important town in the present MaharashtraMaharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
State. He loved travelling, which he regarded as a means of education.
Career
Wali Mohammed Wali's visit to DelhiDelhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
in 1700 is considered to be of great significance for Urdu Gazals. His simple, sensuous and melodious poems in Urdu, awakened the Persian loving poets of Delhi to the beauty and capability of "Rekhta
Rekhta
Rekhta was the Persianized form of the Khariboli dialect of Hindi now known by the names "Hindustani", "Hindi", and "Urdu", although Rekhta is now almost synonymous with Urdu, as its poetry is still used and made today by Urdu speakers. From the late 17th century till the closing decades of the...
" (the old name for Urdu) as a medium of poetic expression. His visit thus stimulated the growth and development of Urdu Ghazal in Delhi.
Wali died in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
in 1707, and was buried in the same city.
On 28 February 2002, a mob tore down Wali’s little tomb in Ahmedabad and dug up his grave. An idol of Hulladio Hanuman was placed over the rubble. Overnight, the road was tarred and now no sign remains. Wali’s grave had stood outside the gate of the police commissioner’s office.
Genre
Although Wali tried his hand at a variety of verse forms including the masnaviMasnavi
The Masnavi, Masnavi-I Ma'navi or Mesnevi , also written Mathnawi, Ma'navi, or Mathnavi, is an extensive poem written in Persian by Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi, the celebrated Persian Sufi saint and poet. It is one of the best known and most influential works of both Sufism and Persian literature...
, qasida
Qasida
The qaṣīdaᵗ , in Arabic: قصيدة, plural qasā'id, قــصــائـد; in Persian: قصیده , is a form of lyric poetry that originated in preIslamic Arabia...
, mukhammas
Mukhammas
Mukhammas refers to a type of Persian or Urdu cinquain or pentastich with Sufi connections based on a pentameter.It is one of the more popular verse forms in Tajik Badakhshan, occurring both in madoh and in other performance-genres....
, and the rubai
Rubai
Rubai may refer to:* Li Rubai , general of the Ming Dynasty* Salim Ali Rubai , head of state of South Yemen...
, the ghazal
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
is his speciality. He wrote 473 ghazals containing 3,225 couplets (Ashaar).
Themes
His favorite theme was love - both mystical and earthy - and his characteristic tone was one of cheerful affirmation and acceptance, rather than of melancholy grumbling. He was the first Urdu poet to have started the practice of expressing love from the man's point of view, as against the prevailing convention of impersonating as a woman.If, on the one hand, Wali unraveled the beauty and richness of the native language as a poetic medium, on the other, he was alive to the vigour and verve of Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
diction and imagery which he successfully incorporated into the body of his verse. He may thus be called the architect of the modern poetic language, which is a skillful blend of Hindi and Persian vocabulary.
See also
- Muhammad Quli Qutb ShahMuhammad Quli Qutb ShahMuhammad Quli Qutb Shah was the fifth sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golkonda in south India. He founded the city of Bhagyanagar i.e. Hyderabad - Hyderabad, India and built its architectural centerpiece, the Charminar...
- Siraj AurangabadiSiraj AurangabadiSiraj Aurangabadi was a famous mystic poet. He was born at Aurangabad Maharashtra. His full name was Siraj-ud-Din Aurangabadi.-Life:...
- Azad BilgramiAzad BilgramiAzad Bilgrami is one of the most significant scholar of Arabic, Persian and Urdu languages in 18th century India. He is the first Indian poet of Arabic whose poetic compilation is available. The King of Yemen had had acknowledged his poetic genius and accorded him the title of Hassan Al-Hind.-Early...
- UrduUrduUrdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
- Urdu poetryUrdu poetryUrdu poetry is a rich tradition of poetry and has many different types and forms. Borrowing much from the Persian language, it is today an important part of Pakistani and North Indian culture....
- List of Urdu Poets