| Ghalib Academy and Library Memorial |
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| Just opposite the popular shrine of Nizamuddin,
near the mausoleum of Mirza Ghalib (1797- 1869) lies the famous
Ghalib Academy and Library Memorial established in 1969 as a
'literary and cultural' institution of the capital. Inaugurated
by then the President of India, Zakir Hussain on the death centenary
of Ghalib, the great Mughal court poet who is regarded by many
as the last classical poet and the first modern poet of India,
the academy houses a rich library, museum and an auditorium.
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| The main attraction of the academy is its well-laid
museum at the top floor with years old photographs and paintings
of great poets like Bahadur Shah Zafar's court poet, Zauq, Abdur
Rehman Chugtai, Mohd. Hussain Azad and Maulana Altaf Hussain
Hali along with Ghalib's statue and portraits depicting different
phases of his life. Do look at the farman (orders) of Balban,
a Sultan of Delhi of 14th century A.D, rare manuscript of Dara
Shikoh, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's elder son and Abul Fazl's
Ain-i-Akbari in the museum. |
| The other interesting exhibits of the museum
are the ornamented specimens of calligraphy or katabas and waslis,
in kufic script, collection of coins and postal stamps of eighteenth
century as well as of recent time, Ghalib's writings in his
hand-written postcards and letters and some his personal belongings
like clothes, his personal chessboard made out of cloth with
wooden pieces, shoes, his walking stick and cutlery items. Carvings
and paintings of modern artists describing the couplets of Ghalib
are also displayed in the museum. |
| The unusual attractiveness of the museum is
the section where dummies of Ghalib's favorite dishes like seekh
kabab, shammi kabab, murg massalam, kofta, dal chana, yakhni
and besani roti etc are displayed. |
| Since its inception, the Academy is striving
hard to promote the study of Urdu literature through its different
schemes and projects. Apart from teaching Fan-e-khattati (calligraphy),
Urdu typewriting, Kitabat (composing of books and manuscripts),
Urdu shorthand, proof reading, translation work and the training
in Urdu journalism, the academy maintains a library containing
collections of almost all of Ghalib's writings including the
complete edition of his renowned work Diwan as well as relevant
material for research on the great poet. The library also houses
the writings and poems of all his contemporary poets and writers.
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