The Urdu ghazal and the nazm: two forms, two ways of reading
An Urdu ghazal consists of two-line verses, each expressing something independent, held together by their form. A nazm develops a single subject from beginning to end. These structures call for different approaches to reading. How can we appreciate each on its own terms? This guide explains how to recognise the structure of a ghazal, distinguish it from a nazm and adjust our expectations to the form before us.
What is an Urdu ghazal?
A ghazal is composed of two-line verses called sher. Sources usually describe it as containing five to a dozen or so verses, making it a compact form that can be read in a few minutes. The metre, known as bahr, remains constant, giving each sher a similar rhythm. The opening verse, the matla, establishes the sound pattern by including both rhyme and refrain in each of its lines. The final verse is the maqta. It often contains the poet's pen name, or takhallus, which serves as a kind of signature.
Radif and qafia: how to spot the rhyme scheme
The radif and qafia give the ghazal its characteristic sound. The radif is the refrain that returns at the end of the second line in the verses after the opening couplet. The qafia is the rhyme immediately preceding it.
As you listen, you hear the same phrase recur, introduced each time by words that rhyme with one another. In the matla, both lines contain the rhyme and refrain. In subsequent verses, they appear only in the second line. Recognising this pattern helps you hear where one verse ends and another begins.
Ghazal and nazm: two ways of reading
Each verse of a ghazal stands on its own and can be read independently. There is no need to begin with the opening verse or follow a continuous thread, since one sher does not develop from the preceding one. A nazm sustains a single subject across the poem. Reading from the first line to the last allows you to follow its train of thought.
In Lahore in the 1870s, Azad and Hali called for poetry organised around a subject, helping to popularise the nazm. The two forms have existed side by side ever since. A ghazal allows you to linger over a single image; a nazm guides you through a complete argument.
How to read a modern ghazal
Modern poets sometimes omit the maqta or use near rhyme. The absence of a pen name at the end, or a rhyme that is not exact, does not necessarily mean a newer poem is not a ghazal. These variations leave the basic approach to reading intact: each sher can still be considered separately. Look for two-line verses, a consistent metre and a recurring refrain.
The ghazal and the nazm encourage different kinds of attention. One invites close listening to an individual sher; the other asks you to attend to the poem as a whole. Understanding this distinction helps you find a suitable pace for each. Explore more Urdu poetry on Siyahi.