27th December was iconic poet Mirza Ghalib’s birth anniversary, and so I was at his restored haveli again, marvelling at his works, and conjuring up pictures of his time spent in the haveli. This haveli in Gali Qasim in the Ballimaran area of old Delhi was once in shambles, and it’s only been a few years when the Delhi government restored it and made it moderately presentable. Ghalib wrote some of his best poetry here and this haveli’s address was later immortalised in one of the best works of the Ghalib of our time – Gulzar Sahab.
In his ‘A Portrait of Ghalib’, Gulzar Sahab thus describes Ghalib’s haveli –
Ballimaran ke mahalle ki wo pechida daleelon ki see galiyan
Saamne taal ke nukkad pe bateron ke posheede
Gud-gudaati hui paan pi peekon mein wo daad wo wah-wah
Chand darwaaze par latke huye boshida se kuch taat ke parde
Ek bakri ke mamiyaane ki awaaz
Aur dhoondhlaayi huyi shaam ke be-noor andhere
Aise deewaron se mooh jod kar chalte hain yahan
Chudi-waalan unke katri ke badi bee jaise
Apni boojhti hui aankhon se darwaaze tatole
Isee be-noor andheri see gali qaasim se
Ek tarteeb chiragon kee shuru hoti hai
Ek quran-e-sukhan ka safa khulta hai
Asadallah Khan Ghalib ka pata milta hai.
Sharing here a few photos of the now-famous and much-frequented haveli. The restoration work has put the place in some order though a STD/photocopy booth in one corner of the haveli mars the romance quotient of the place.
 |
| Gali Qasim Jan, indifferent and encroached upon |
 |
| The plaque announcing the importance of the havelil |
 |
| The first look from the doorway |
 |
| Renovated room, with a new marble bust of Ghalib |
 |
| The bust, installed in 2010 was commissioned by Gulzar sahab |
 |
| The room walls have photographs of his other houses on display |
 |
| His famous couplets too are displayed on the walls |
 |
| There’s a lot of Ghalib trivia too – about his life and times |
 |
| Many of his couplets are framed and hung on the walls across the haveli |
For those who have never wandered inside the tricky lanes and by-lanes of Chandni Chowk, finding this haveli can be somewhat tricky, but ask around and the friendly shopkeepers would guide you down here in no time. More on Ghalib and his haveli in the next post.
18 comments
Thank you for this wonderful virtual tour!
enjoyed it.
very nice post…..thanks for sharing this wonderful information and pictures….
Very nice post Ragini. In fact, I also visited there and I wrote an article on Ghalib which you can read here http://knoweb-india.blogspot.in/2014/03/ghalib-hearts-poet-1797-1869.html
very good post and pictures…..very very thanks for sharing this……..
from-
secret
Dasht ko dekh ke ghar yaad aaya …
What a beautiful post about my favourite poet 🙂
Nice post and beautiful snaps….
Thanks Deepak sir, glad you liked the post. Thank you so much for stopping by. 🙂
Thanks Sharmila 🙂
Thank you Dohit. Glad you enjoyed the post. 🙂
Thanks Mr. Rao. Read your article, heartfelt piece indeed! And the couplets you have shared are my favourite.
Rahiye ab aisi jagah chalakar jahaan koi na ho
Hamsukhan koi na ho, aur hamazabaan koi na ho
Bedar-o-deevar sa ik ghar banaya chahiye
Koi hamasaya na ho aur pasaban koi na ho…
Thanks for stopping by Amul. Glad you enjoyed the post. 🙂
Thanks Puru! Ghalib is my favourite too! 🙂 The ghazal you have mentioned is just so beautiful…
…Fir tere kooche ko jaata hai khayaal
dil-e-gumgashta magar yaad aaya…
Thanks for the appreciation Arpita. Thank you stopping by. 🙂
Great post. Seems another visit to old Delhi is soon in the offing for me after reading the post! 😀
Thanks Antarik! Do plan, winters are the best time to stroll down the lanes and by-lanes of puraani Dilli. 🙂
Wow! Would love to visit. How does one find it? Is it on google maps or can you give us directions to get there? Preferably by Metro.
Thanks Kalpanaa!
Guess I should have added a how to reach section in the post. Metro I reckon would be the easiest. Take the yellow line and get down at Chandni Chowk. Ask any rickshawalla to take you to Ballimaran. Once in Ballimaran, ask around and people will guide to the haveli.