Maqta'

In Persian, Turkic and Urdu poetry, the maqta (from Arabic ; ; ; ; ; ) is the final '' bayt'', or couplet, of a ''ghazal''. In this sense, it is the opposite of the '' matla'''. The poet's ''takhallus'', or pen name, is usually employed in the ''maqta'', often in very creative ways.

A '' shayar'' can use the ''maqta'' in a variety of interesting ways. He can "talk to himself", "to somebody else", "refer to something" etc. For example ''Firaq'' Gorakhpuri, whose ''takhallus'' is the word for the common theme in Urdu poetry of the state of pining for the beloved, plays on his pen name and the word ''firaq'':

Urdu:

تو یہ نہ سمجھنا کے فِراق تیری فِراق میں ہیں

فِراق اُسکی فِراق میں ہہ جو تیری فِراق میں ہہ

Roman Urdu:
:''Tu yeh na samajh ke Firaq teri Firaq mein hai''
:''Firaq uski Firaq mein hai jo teri Firaq mein hai''

English Translation:
:Don't think that Firaq pines for you
:Firaq pines for the one who pines for you

Examples

A sher by Mir Taqi Mir:

''Mir'' in neem baaz aankhon mein

Saari masti sharaab ki see hai

Another by Mirza Ghalib:

*

Kaba kis munh se jaaoge ''Ghalib''

sharm tum ko magar nahiN aati

Another by Nasir kazmi:

Itefaqaat zamaana bhi ajab hai Nasir

Aaj woh dekh rahe hai, ko suna karte the

See also

*Takhallus
*Ghazal
*Urdu poetry
* Matla'

References

Ghazal
Urdu-language poetry

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