Mirza Ghalib and the Mirs of Gujarat

Mirza Ghalib! Who hasn’t been awed by the name in the Indian sub-continent? But how many admirers know of his very deep emotional involvement with Gujarat? Ghalib never set foot in Gujarat and yet developed a great affinity with the region, thanks to his patrons, friends and pupils in Surat and Baroda. The master has over the years been perceived as a poet connected deeply with north India and in particular with the court of the last Moghul Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. It was a great challenge for Mir Jaffar Imam to bring to light Ghalib’s equally deep relationship with Gujarat and the Mirs. The close correspondence exchanged between Ghalib and the Mirs forms the basis of this book. It unravels the sensitive bond that soon came to exist between the poet and this prominent family of Gujarat. Mirza Ghalib has addressed sixty-one letters to his patrons and students in Surat and Baroda. These letters are a mirror of Ghalib’s last days since they were written between 1859 and 1869, the latter being the year of his death. They reflect his moods and state of mind and were a source of great solace during his last years. The book deals with Mirza Ghalib’s association with his students and patrons like Mir Gulam Baba Khan, Dad Khan Sayyah, Mir Ibrahim Ali Khan, Mir Alam Ali and Mir Hakim Modudi–all from Gujarat. His tryst with the Mir family resulted in Gujarat giving birth to excellent poets like "Wafa", "Mayal", "Fida" and "Sayyah". The history of H.H. Nawab Mir Jafur Alee Khan of Surat is dealt with in great detail to whom Mirza Ghalib had paid glowing tributes as he saw in him a role model. The similar situations the two found themselves in during the political turmoil in India was a stimulus for Ghalib to praise the prince in his writing. Like him, the Nawab too fought with the British for the reinstatement of his pension and titles. The book also covers in great length the history and background of the Mirs who were Ghalib’s patrons and pupils, some of whom went on to play pivotal roles as able princes, rulers and administrators in the political set up of princely Gujarat. The book has some rare photographs and lithographs of the Mir family members, their palaces and their mausoleums.