All three, straddled across generations, have adapted and performed an unusual five-couplet Persian ghazal Ma Ra Ba Ghamza Kusht… (Killed by Coquetry…), attributed to a little-remembered poet Mirza Mohammed Hasan “Qateel” Lahori (1759-c.1825). He was one of the earliest Persian-language writers to point out that there were considerable differences between Indian Persian usage, which he recognised as a distinct category. Ma Ra Ba Ghamza Kusht… (Killed by Coquetry) was one. ma ra ba ghamza kusht-o-qaza ra bahana sakhtkhud su-ye-ma nadeed-o-haya ra bahana sakht Their coquettish eyes killed us, and blamed destiny,They did not even look at us, claiming modesty as an excuse. Play A modern-day Afghan singer performs Ma Ra Ba Ghamza Kusht.

Source: The Star December 25, 2022 03:56 UTC