Location: Near the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin, Central Delhi
When nothing was, then God was there,
Had nothing been, God would have been;
My being has defeated me
Had I not been, what would have been.
There would hardly be anyone who hasn’t heard and loved the heart-touching verses and poetry of one of the most renowned poets of all times, Mirza Ghalib. Often considered to be the Shakespeare of the Urdu literature, Mirza Ghalib acclaimed fame worldwide through his incredible works of poetry and short stories. He was a well-known poet in the imperial courts of the Mughal Empire and was closely related to the emperor Bahdur Shah Zafar. Ghalib held Delhi very close to his heart and called the city the soul of the world. He was born here and wanted to be buried here only. However, the city he dearly cherished could not take care of him. Ghalib died in the year 1869 but this revered poet didn’t even have a grave of his own. It was a hundred years after his death that a tomb was constructed to house the grave of Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib.
Located on the northern-end of the Chausath Khamba enclosure, the mausoleum of Mirza Ghalib lies in the vicinity of the sacred shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin. The tomb is quite small in comparison with the other royal tombs in Delhi. The grave of the poet lies inside a small courtyard with a simple iron gate which is mostly locked. A long tablet engraved with a few words about Ghalib welcomes you as you enter the courtyard. The grave is covered by a marble structure nothing less than a piece of art. The courtyard is also dotted with a number of other graves said to be of Mirza Ghalib’s family. The famous Ghalib Academy, established in the honour of the legendary poet, is located right next to the tomb. The academy houses the books of Urdu Literature by Mirza Ghalib along with an array of collectables like paintings, rocks and other works of the poet.
The place is very simple in its construction yet it attracts hundreds of devotees every year. Quite often people are seen offering rose petals and quietly praying at the tomb. The keys to the courtyard are kept with the Ghalib Academy and can be accessed by the visitors at any point of time. The tomb is considered to be sacred for the people of the Muslim faith. The man with such a majestic stature, who celebrated love with his verses, unfortunately died in poverty. His beloved city could not serve him in his last years. What Mirza Ghalib gave to us is priceless and can never be compensated. The least we can do is to honour the noble man by visiting his tomb once in a while.
Timings: Sunrise to Sunset
Entry: Free and open to all
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