Ep9. Ghazal: A Brief History (غزل: تاریخچه مختصر)
Ghazal in Arabic and Persian refers to a small, graceful, swift antelope with long ringed horns. The beautiful, melting eyes of the antelope are compared to the eyes of a beautiful woman. There is something mystical, magical and tragic about the Ghazal. The Ghazal as a genre is derived from the Arabic qasidah (ode). It originates in 'taghazzul', the opening verses of the qasidah in which the poet talks about the female lover. Eventually the ghazal got separated and became a poem of its own. The theme of love in the ghazal evolved and expanded to encompass a spectrum from mystical to mundane. Ideas and ideals of love and beauty pervade the ghazal; beauty of the soul and the body. It makes use of analogies - the rose, cypress, dove, bulbul and many more, to explore depths of emotion.
In this episode I discuss the ghazal in all its facets. I try to give a brief history, from its birth to its journeys throat the world. How different places has shaped and reshaped it and how in return the ghazal has had a profound effect on its host countries.
I hope you enjoy the show :)
Maiwand
