For the love of shayari...

Momin Khan Momin (1800–1851) was a Mughal Era poet known for his Urdu ghazals and was a contemporary of Mirza Ghalib (1797- 1869) the last great poet of the Mughal Era, is considered to be one of the most popular and influential poets of the Urdu language.

There's an interesting legend about these two heavyweight poets, although rivals, Ghalib (who is famous for his couplets) is supposed to have asked for below couplet for himself in return for his entire life’s work. Something which is now claimed to be more satirical than complimentary now.

"Tum mērē pās hōtē hō gōyā

Jab kō'ī dūsrā nahīⁿˡ hotā"

You are close to me [as if]

When no one else is.

Posting some of Momin's and Ghalib's poetry I love with a feeble effort at translating from Urdu. Sigh!

For those of you who decipher Urdu please ignore the translations as I haven't quite been able to capture the essence.

Momin's poem:

Wo jo hum mein tum mein qarar tha tumhen yaad ho ke na yaad ho

That comfort we had between us you may remember or maybe you don't

Wo naye gile wo shikayaten wo maze maze ke hikayaten

Those novel greivances those delicious allegories

Wo har ek baat pe ruthana tumhen yaad ho ke na yaad ho

Your being mad at me for every trivial matter maybe you remember or maybe you don't

Koi baat aisi agar hui jo tumhare jee ko buri lagi

to bayan se pahale hi bhulana tumhen yaad ho ke na yaad ho

If there was anything that hurt your spirit, t'was forgotten before it was expressed maybe you remember or maybe you dont

Mujhe sab hain yaad zara zara, tumhen yaad no ki na yaad ho

I remember everything infinitesmal, maybe you remember or maybe you don't 

Ghalib's couplets:

Hazaron khwahishen aise ke har khwahish pe dum nikle

Bohat niklay mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle

Thousands of desires such that it I would die for each (each may take a lifetime to realise)
Much has been my desire and its realisation, yet I've so many desires yet to fulfil

Is qadarr tora hai mujhaay uss ke be-wafaai nay "ghalib"

 Abb koi agarr pyar se bhi daikhaay to bikharr jata hoon mai ...

Her infidelity has broken me in such a manner that now when anyone glances at me with love, I shatter

Kitnaa khouff hota hai shaam kay andheroon mein,

Poonch un parindoo say jin kay gharr nahi hotay ...

How dangerous the darkness of night, ask those birds that don't have a nest

Hum toh fanaah ho gaye uskii ankhen dekh kar Ghalib,

Naa janay woh Aainaa kiasay dekhte hogey ...!

The glance of her eyes have destroyed me, I wonder how she looks at the mirror

Unkay dekhnay say jo aa jaati hai muh par raunaqq,

 Woh samajhatey hai ki bimaar ka haal achcha hai ...

When she looks at me I am flushed bright and she thinks that the patient is now fine

Hathoon key lakiroon pay matt jaa ae Ghalib,

Naseeb unkay bhi hotay hain jinkaay haath nahi hotay ...

Don't read destiny by lines on the palm, those who do not have hands are also serendipituous