Wali Mohammed Wali

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 in 1700, 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.

He was born in 1667 at Aurangabad, an important city in present-day Maharashtra which was then part of the Mughal Empire. He loved travelling, which he regarded as a means of education. He visited Delhi, Surat, Burhanpur and also undertook the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina.

Wali Mohammed Wali's visit to Delhi in 1700 is considered to be of great significance for Urdu Ghazals. It was believed that he introduced deccani mushaira to Delhi. 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. Wali Mohammed Wali's visit thus stimulated the growth and development of Urdu Ghazal in Delhi. He died in Ahmedabad in 1707 in what is now Gujarat state, and was buried in the same city.

Although Wali tried his hand at a variety of verse forms including the masnavi, qasida, mukhammas, and the rubai., the ghazal is his speciality. He wrote 473 ghazals containing 3,225 couplets (Ashaar). His poems were simple, sensuous & melodious. He was a trend setter in classical poetry who helped establish Urdu ghazal in Delhi by inspiring different poets to write in Urdu It is believed that Wali started to have established the tradition of writing ghazals in Urdu and also influencing the other writers when he visited Delhi. Before that, the preferred language for ghazals was Persian. Some of his famous couplets are: • Jisay Ishq Ka Teer Kaari Lagay • Use Zindagi Jag Mein Bhaari Lagay • Naa Chode Mohabbat Daame Marg Tak • Jisay Yaar Jaanisoon Yaari Lagay • Naa Howe Use Jag Mein Hargiz Qaraar • Jise Ishq Ki Beqaraari Lagay • Har Ek Waqt Mujhe Aashiq Zaar Koon • Pyaare Teri Baat pyaari Lagay • "Wali" Koon Kahe Tu Agar Yak Bachan Raqeebon Dil Mein Kataari Lagay

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 express love from the man's point of view, against the prevailing convention of impersonating a woman. Wali used his native language richly, and also incorporated Persian diction and imagery into his verse. He was considered an architect of the modern poetic language, which is a blend of Aam Boli and Persian vocabulary. His diction was unique, for example in this ghazal:

• Wali Mohammed Wali's Poetry • Wali's Biography • Wali Mohammed Wali at Kavita Kosh • Frontline Volume 19 – Issue 10, May 11–24, 2002 • Wali Mohammed Wali Ghazals