Home | February '99 Index

Date: 23-Feb-99

Though the rubayi originated in the 10th century 
Iran, it attained popularity only from the 11th 
century onwards. This was mainly due to the 
work of three famous poets of that era: Omar 
Khayyam, Sarmad and Abu ul Khair. The rubayi 
was transplanted in India along with other 
forms of Urdu poetry like the qasida and the 
masnavi and the ghazal in the 13th century. 
However, it did not get as much importance 
as the other forms of Urdu poetry. Mohammed 
Quli Qutub Shah wrote about 50,000 couplets 
in his entire life, out of which merely 41 are 
rubayis. Other poets of the the Deccan School 
also tried their hand at it but without much 
success or enthusiasm.

The poets of the Delhi school had better success 
with it. Of the first three main poets of Delhi, 
Khwaja Mir Dard, Meer Taqi Meer and Mirza Sauda 
are worth mentioning in this regard. Of the next 
three main poets of the Delhi school - Ghalib, Zauq 
and Momin - only Momin paid any significant attention 
to this poetry form. However, the rubayi really 
blossomed under the aegis of two poets from 
Lucknow - Babar Ali Anees and Salamat Ali Dabir. 
Both were renowned writers of marsiyas (elegies). 
The simplicity of diction and rhythmic flow of their 
marsiyas was reflected in their rubayis. Their rubayis 
also possess a seriousness of purpose and sobriety 
of style which is charateristic of marsiyas. 

Today we present rubayis by Babar Ali Anees

aadam ko ajab Khudaa ne rutbaa baKhshaa
adanaa ke liye maqaam-e-aalaa baKhshaa
aqal-o-hunar-o-tamiiz-o-jaan-o-imaan
is ek kaf-e-Khaak ko kyaa kyaa baKhshaa

[rutbaa = status; adanaa = puny; maqaam = rank; aalaa = highest/best]
[aqal-o-hunar-o-tamiiz-o-jaan-o-imaan = sense and sensibilty, wisdom and faith (good qualities)]
[kaf-e-Khaak = handful of dust]

kis muu.Nh se kahuu.N laayaq-e-tahsiin mai.n huu.N
kyaa lutf jo gul kahe ra.ngiin mai.n huu.N
hotii hai halaavat-e-suKhan Khud zaahir
kahatii hai kahii.n shakkar ke shiriin mai.n huu.N

[laayaq-e-tahsiin = worthy of praise; halaavat-e-suKhan = sweetness of speech]
[shakkar = sugar; shiriin = sweet]

duniyaa bhii ajab saraaye faanii dekhii
har chiiz yahaa.N kii aanii-jaanii dekhii
jo aake na jaaye vo bu.Daapaa dekhaa
jo jaa ke na aaye vo javaanii dekhii

[saraaye = inn; faanii = easily destroyed/fragile/not permanent]