From Divine Desire to Bollywood Ballads: The Ghazal Story
What do divine love, poetic form, and heartbreak have in common? The ghazal. In this episode, we trace the lyrical journey of the ghazal — from its roots in Persian poetry to its soulful place in South Asian hearts. Discover how Sufi mystics, Mughal courts, and modern musicians shaped this centuries-old art form. With playful examples and surprising history, we unpack the structure, the symbolism, and why the ghazal still makes us feel all the feels.
What do you get when you mix poetry, heartbreak, and dosa? A delicious deep dive into the world of the ghazal!
Often mistaken for sad Urdu songs, ghazals are actually centuries-old poetic forms with roots in Arabic and Persian traditions. This episode explores how ghazals evolved from expressions of flirtation and divine longing into intricate verse structures that travelled across languages and continents.
The hosts break down the anatomy of a ghazal — from the matla (opening couplet) to the makta (closing couplet) and the poet’s takhallus (pen name). A playful group composition about dosa and sambar becomes the perfect entry point into understanding the radif and qafiya that give ghazals their lyrical rhythm.
Listeners are also treated to the story of how Sufi mystics like Rumi and Hafiz used ghazals as spiritual messages, and how Amir Khusro brought this form into Indian languages like braj bhasha. Whether it’s sung in Urdu, Malayalam, or Bangla, the ghazal transcends borders — blending personal longing with poetic beauty.
Charming, accessible, and funny, this episode makes the ghazal feel like both a literary puzzle and a love letter. And yes, it’ll leave you craving not just poetry — but dosa too.
CREDITS
Produced by Jimmy Xavier
Radio Azim Premji University: Akshay Ramuhalli, Bruce Lee Mani, Gorveck Thokchom, Kishor Mandal, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Ram Sheshadri, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar.
Explore Further
Podcast
Unconventional Ghalib by Fahad Hussain with Rekhta Studio
Yun Hota to Kya Hota, The World of Ghalib with Amit Basole
Articles and blogs
Rekta| Hamse Puchho Ki Ghazal Kya Hai…
The Scroll| How the ghazal traveled from 6th-century Arabia to Persia, India and the English-speaking world [Book Excerpt] by Anisur Rahman
Frontline| Story of ghazal A comprehensive tribute to Urdu ghazals and the cross-cultural roots of the enthralling poetic form. by AJ Thomas.
Poetry Foundation| The Pen, the Throat, the Ear: On Ghazals by Sarah Ghazal Ali
Documentary
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