What do you get when you mix poetry, heartbreak, and dosa? A delicious deep dive into the world of the ghazal!

Often mistaken for sad Urdu songs, ghazals are actually centuries-old poetic forms with roots in Arabic and Persian traditions. This episode explores how ghazals evolved from expressions of flirtation and divine longing into intricate verse structures that travelled across languages and continents.

The hosts break down the anatomy of a ghazal — from the matla (opening couplet) to the makta (closing couplet) and the poet’s takhallus (pen name). A playful group composition about dosa and sambar becomes the perfect entry point into understanding the radif and qafiya that give ghazals their lyrical rhythm.

Listeners are also treated to the story of how Sufi mystics like Rumi and Hafiz used ghazals as spiritual messages, and how Amir Khusro brought this form into Indian languages like braj bhasha. Whether it’s sung in Urdu, Malayalam, or Bangla, the ghazal transcends borders — blending personal longing with poetic beauty.

Charming, accessible, and funny, this episode makes the ghazal feel like both a literary puzzle and a love letter. And yes, it’ll leave you craving not just poetry — but dosa too.

CREDITS

Produced by Jimmy Xavier

Radio Azim Premji University:

Akshay Ramuhalli, Bruce Lee Mani, Gorveck Thokchom, Kishor Mandal, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Ram Sheshadri, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar.

Podcast Unconventional Ghalib by Fahad Hussain with Rekhta Studio

Yun Hota to Kya Hota, The World of Ghalib with Amit Basole

Articles and blogs

Rekta| Hamse Puchho Ki Ghazal Kya Hai…

The Scroll| How the ghazal traveled from 6th-century Arabia to Persia, India and the English-speaking world [Book Excerpt] by Anisur Rahman

Frontline| Story of ghazal A comprehensive tribute to Urdu ghazals and the cross-cultural roots of the enthralling poetic form. by AJ Thomas.

Poetry Foundation| The Pen, the Throat, the Ear: On Ghazals by Sarah Ghazal Ali

Documentary

Kaagaz Ki Kashti by Brahmanand Siingh