Ghazal 413x, Verse 5

{413x,5}*

tere kuuche kaa hai maa))il dil-e mu.z:tar meraa
ka((bah ek or sahii qiblah-numaa aur sahii

1) it is inclined to your street, my restless heart
2) the Ka'bah is in one direction, no doubt; the Qiblah-pointer is other/different, indeed!

Notes:

maa))il : 'Leaning; inclined; propense, having a propensity, or inclination, or partiality (for); biassed; fond (of), taking delight (in), addicted (to)'. (Platts p.988)

 

or : 'Origin; part, side, direction, quarter'. (Platts p.104)

 

qiblah-numaa : ' 'Showing the qiblah '; an instrument by which Muhammadans at a distance from Mecca ascertain the direction of the qiblah ; —a mariner's compass'. (Platts p.788)

 

aur : 'And, also, for the rest, besides, again, moreover; but, yet, still; over, else; and lo!; — another, other, different; more, additional'. (Platts p.104)

Gyan Chand:

qiblah-numaa = the instrument that would give information about the direction, and through which people would learn the location of the Qiblah. My fluttering/palpitating heart remains inclined only toward your street. For me, your street has become like the Ka'bah; and my heart, like its Qiblah-pointer. This Qiblah-pointer always gestures toward the street of the beloved.

== Gyan Chand, p. 521

FWP:

SETS
ISLAMIC: {10,2}
ROAD: {10,12}
SCRIPT EFFECTS: {33,7}

For more on Ghalib's unpublished verses, see the discussion in {4,8x}. See also the overview index.

This ghazal is extremely late (1865) and has received very little commentarial attention.

On the idiomatic range of sahii expressions, see {9,4}; this verse manages to include two of them.

The verse seems to juggle two locations: the Ka'bah is in one direction; but the special 'Qiblah-pointer' compass that has for its needle the lover's quivering heart, points instead to the beloved's street. There's a nice 'script-play', since or and aur are spelled just the same.

Compare {86,5}, which more radically juxtaposes Ka'bah and Qiblah-pointer, and reflects much more intriguingly on their relationship.

And there's also Mir's delightful M{7,7}.