Google dedicates doodle to Mirza Ghalib: 5 popular Jagjit ghazals from Ghalib TV series

Google on Wednesday dedicated its doodle to legendary Urdu poet Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan, popularly known as Mirza Ghalib. Born in 1797, during the reign of Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah, Ghalib is considered one of the most popular and influential poets in Urdu and Persian language.

Ghalib’s couplets and ghazals have been interpreted and sung in many different ways by different people. Born in Agra, Ghalib spent most of his life in Balli Maran area of old Delhi.

A television drama on the poet was immensely popular in India in the last 1980s. Featuring actors like Naseerudin Shah, Tanvi Azmi and Shafi Inamdar, the drama was directed by Gulzar. And the ghazals in the series was sung by legendary singer Jagjit Singh and his wife Chitra Singh.

Here are top 5 ghazals from the TV drama:

1. Yeh na thi hamari kismat:

Jagjit Singh version - 

Chitra Singh version - 

2. Hazaaro khwahishein aisi:

3. Har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ki tu kya hai:

4. Ek barahman ne kahaa hai ki yeh saal achcha hai:

5. Aah ko chahiye ek umra:

Ghalib received education in Persian and Arabic. Keeping with the conventions of the classical ghazal, in most of his verses, the identity and the gender of the beloved remained unknown.

Bestowed with the honorific Dabir-ul-Mulk and Najm-ud-Daula, Ghalib lived in Gali Qasim Jaan, Ballimaran, Chandni Chowk, in Old Delhi which is now known as "Ghalib Ki Haveli".

His residence has been turned into `Ghalib Memorial` and houses a permanent Ghalib exhibition.

Mirza Ghalib breathed his last on February 15, 1869. His tomb is located near Chausath Khamba, Nizamuddin area in Delhi.