Daily Times

Veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar says the work of Mirza Ghalib could have found meaning only in India. Akhtar was speaking at the inauguration of Ghalib’s mural in Mumbai.

“Ghalib wouldn’t have been possible out of India. His thoughts and work could have only found meaning here, not in some other country,” he told reporters.

The writer said Ghalib and the Taj Mahal are “synthesis” of Indian philosophy and Persian culture.

“Ghalib is a marvellous synthesis of Indian philosophy and Persian and Mughal culture’s sophistication. The only other example of this is Taj Mahal because even that is a mixture of Indian and other civilisations, that later became one with India, that have been sowed in the land.”

Akhtar said beautiful combinations like Ghalib and the Taj Mahal should always be preserved.

“This combination shouldn’t fade away. Urdu or Persian alone couldn’t have given birth to Ghalib. Only Vedanth also couldn’t have done that either. It is a combination of both,” he added.

Published in Daily Times, January 31^st 2019.