Remembering Mir in the streets that were his home and muse

New Delhi, Feb 9 (PTI) “Dikhai diye yun ki bekhud kiya” from the movie “Bazaar”, “Patta patta buta buta” from “Ek Nazar” and “Yeh Dhuan Kahan se Uthta Hai” from “Pakeezah” — odes to life, romance and love that were never to be.

Few know that the poetry made immemorable by Bollywood were actually written more than 300 years ago by Mir Taqi Mir, a migrant to Delhi from Agra who was feted even by Mirza Ghalib a generation later.

Three centuries after Mir (1722-1810) walked the streets of Delhi’s fabled Walled City his words wafted through again, perhaps at the very place he made his home and muse.

The wandering poet was celebrated at a soiree recently at the launch of translator, poet and academic Anisur Rahman’s latest book “Essential Mir”. The place:

Chor Bizarre, the Delhi restaurant that recently reopened at Hotel Broadway on Asaf Ali Road at the edge of bustling, picturesque Old Delhi.

The launch was followed by a discussion on the poetry of Mir and his enduring resonance within the cultural fabric of the city that he lived in most of his life. Towards the end, he moved to Lucknow but always regretted it. Ghalib had written this about Mir: “Rekhta kay tumhi ustaad nahi ho Ghalib, Kehte hain agle zamane me koi Mir bhi tha (Don’t think that you are the only master of Urdu poetry, Ghalib. They say that there was also a poet called Mir in the past era).” Rahman read out from his book while interacting with Darain Shahidi of the Dastangoi Collective to weave a poetic picture of Mir’s life through verses that have survived the ages and remain relevant even today, especially his compositions that celebrate secularism.

Among the audience were lyricist Javed Akhtar and veteran actors Sharmila Tagore and Shabana Azmi. A rendition of Mir’s ‘nazms’ and ‘ghazals’ was performed by vocalist Yusra Naqvi. Adding to the nostalgia was singer Inder Thakur’s old Hindi film songs.

Rahman’s book is a one-of-a-kind collection that presents 200 of Mir’s best verses, which he has meticulously selected and translated and provided the critical commentary to help modern readers appreciate the context.

“Rah-e-dur-ishq mein rota hai kya; aage, aage dekhiye hota hai kya”; “Ab to jaate hain but-kade se ‘mir’, phir milenge agar khuda laaya’; “aag the ibtida-e-ishq mein ham, ab jo hain khaak imtiha hai ya”; “Dilli jo ek shahr tha alam mein intikhab, rahte the muntakhab hi jahan rozgar ke”.

These and many other verses, going beyond the couplets popularised in films, are part of Mir’s oeuvre. Rahman’s book is aimed at making Mir come alive for those who haven’t read him.

The poetry and song synced in nicely with the theme of Chor Bizarre itself. The chain is renewing its focus on building the restaurant into a culture and heritage salon for Delhi where patron can enjoy conversations around food, literature, culture and music.

“As Chor Bizarre completes 35 years, we are consciously shaping it into a culture and heritage salon for Delhi—one that brings together food, ideas, heritage, and shared memories,” said Rohit Khattar, founder chairperson of the Old World Hospitality that runs the restaurant.

“As part of this vision, Chor Bizarre will host cultural conversations every Friday and heritage walks every Sunday Morning, reinforcing its role as a vibrant cultural address in the city. The celebrations also coincide with 70 years of Hotel Broadway, now reopening as part of the Alivaa Collection.” The restaurant was the first to begin ‘Chor Bizarre’s Memory Lanes’, i.e. heritage walks of Delhi in the 90s, which have been revived. These will begin at 10 am from Chor Bizarre every Sunday morning, take people through the walled city or through Darya Ganj’s Kitaab Bazaar and explore many other forgotten lanes. PTI MIN VJ BK BK BK