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Mir: English Translation of Mir Taqi Mir's popular Urdu couplets
Urdu literature is rich with poetic geniuses like Mirza Ghalib, Allama Iqbal, Nazeer Akbarabadi, Mirza Rafi Sauda, Mir Anis, and many more. But, Mir Taqi Mir occupies a place that is topmost amongst all the poets of the Urdu language. Mir is Khuda-e-Sukhan, the God of poetry. Wallace Stevens, a celebrated American poet, has famously said, "a poet is the priest of the invisible" when a poet puts this invisible into words and makes it visible for all to see, the God of poetry is born.
Mir Mohammad Taqi's birth year was 1722 or 1723 in Akbarabad (Agra) into a family that had migrated from Hejaz to Hindustan two generations prior. Mir has written a memoir in Persian, a book called Zikr-e-Mir in which he talks about his ancestors and early years. This autobiographical account is a bit patchy, not chronological or even complete, but it gives us a fair idea of Mir Taqi Mir's life and times.
Mir's childhood was hugely influenced by his father, Mir Abdullah Ali (Motaqqi), a well-known mystic. He was a Sufi dervish, and one can see that this is where the philosophy of Mir's love resides. Mir's uncle Syed Amanullah was also a dervish who educated Mir. In the august company of these two mystics, Mir grew up, and their teachings influenced the way Mir looked at the world.
Mir writes that his father often told him that love is supreme and it is on the foundations of love that the world functions. Young as he was, Mir imbibed his father's teachings and practiced them lifelong, making love the primary subject of his poetry.
Mir talks about love with reverence. He may talk of worldly love, of the physical beauty of the beloved, and at times even with the frivolousness that comes with youth, but if one looks deeper, one finds that love for him is divinity in all its forms.
Parastish ki yaaN tak ki ai but tujhe
nazar mein sabhoN ki khuda kar chale
I idol worshipped you with such strong emotion
and made you God in the world’s perception
Mir Mohammad Taqi's birth year was 1722 or 1723 in Akbarabad (Agra) into a family that had migrated from Hejaz to Hindustan two generations prior. Mir has written a memoir in Persian, a book called Zikr-e-Mir in which he talks about his ancestors and early years. This autobiographical account is a bit patchy, not chronological or even complete, but it gives us a fair idea of Mir Taqi Mir's life and times.
Mir's childhood was hugely influenced by his father, Mir Abdullah Ali (Motaqqi), a well-known mystic. He was a Sufi dervish, and one can see that this is where the philosophy of Mir's love resides. Mir's uncle Syed Amanullah was also a dervish who educated Mir. In the august company of these two mystics, Mir grew up, and their teachings influenced the way Mir looked at the world.
Mir writes that his father often told him that love is supreme and it is on the foundations of love that the world functions. Young as he was, Mir imbibed his father's teachings and practiced them lifelong, making love the primary subject of his poetry.
Mir talks about love with reverence. He may talk of worldly love, of the physical beauty of the beloved, and at times even with the frivolousness that comes with youth, but if one looks deeper, one finds that love for him is divinity in all its forms.
Parastish ki yaaN tak ki ai but tujhe
nazar mein sabhoN ki khuda kar chale
I idol worshipped you with such strong emotion
and made you God in the world’s perception
63 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 24, 2021
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About the author
Swati Sani
15 books7 followersAn Urdu poetess and an author, Swati Sani is also an Advertising professional and a software entrepreneur. She is currently translating famous couplets of popular Urdu poets in colloquial English for those who love Urdu poetry but struggle with the finer nuances of the language.
The books, a series titled “Famous Urdu Poets” include poets Mirza Ghalib, Faiz Ahmad Faiz (already published), Seemab Akbarabadi, Firaq Gorakhpuri (soon to be published) and a few more. Each book has a collection of popular couplets of the poets translated in English with the original in Urdu, Devanagari, and Roman script.
A postgraduate in Advertising and Public Relations from the Indian Institute of Mass Communications, New Delhi she completed her Master’s degree in Urdu Literature at 50.
A person with many talents, She decided to switch to being an author after running a software company for 22 years, which was her second career after being an advertising professional. She is also known to document the recipes of the food she cooks, which she intends to bring out in a book form soon.
The books, a series titled “Famous Urdu Poets” include poets Mirza Ghalib, Faiz Ahmad Faiz (already published), Seemab Akbarabadi, Firaq Gorakhpuri (soon to be published) and a few more. Each book has a collection of popular couplets of the poets translated in English with the original in Urdu, Devanagari, and Roman script.
A postgraduate in Advertising and Public Relations from the Indian Institute of Mass Communications, New Delhi she completed her Master’s degree in Urdu Literature at 50.
A person with many talents, She decided to switch to being an author after running a software company for 22 years, which was her second career after being an advertising professional. She is also known to document the recipes of the food she cooks, which she intends to bring out in a book form soon.
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