Mir in a modern idiom | Review of ‘The Homeland’s an Ocean’, Mir Taqi Mir’s couplets translated by Ranjit Hoskote
Mir in a modern idiom | Review of ‘The Homeland’s an Ocean’, Mir Taqi Mir’s couplets translated by Ranjit Hoskote
The Homeland’s an Ocean presents a meticulously curated selection of 150 couplets from Mir Taqi Mir, one of Urdu’s most revered poets. Translated by Ranjit Hoskote, this collection, enriched by a beautifully written introduction that reads like a mini-biography of Mir, illuminates the life and times of an 18th-century poet who lived through one of the most turbulent periods in Indian history.
As a teenager, I saw Mir primarily as a poet of love and passion. However, as I delved deeper into his work in my college years, I discovered that his poetry extends far beyond romance. His verses are deeply philosophical, subtly political, and spiritually rich, all while upholding a secular ethos. Mir’s brilliance is evident throughout his work, justifying his title as the ‘god of poetry’ (Khuda-e-Sukhan).
An intriguing aspect of this book is how it reveals the undercurrents in Mir’s poetry. Although not overtly political, Mir’s work subtly critiques the social order and power dynamics of his time, reflecting the dislocation and alienation caused by the decline of the Mughal empire and brutal foreign invasions. The detailed introduction by Hoskote offers insights into Mir’s life, the evolution of Urdu, and the socio-political landscape of the period, thereby enriching readers’ understanding of his poetry by placing it within its historical context.
Between 2018 and 2022, Hoskote shared Mir’s poetry on Twitter, each post featuring a sher(couplet) in Roman script alongside its English translation. In interviews, Hoskote says that these translations laid the groundwork for his book, which offers both literary depth and historical insight into the world Mir inhabited.
The translation is both faithful to the original text and accessible to contemporary readers. Hoskote preserves the nuanced meanings of Mir’s verses while rendering them in a modern idiom that resonates with today’s audience, allowing a new generation to engage meaningfully with Mir’s work. The emotional depth and intellectual rigour of Mir’s poetry are effectively captured in this English version. Here are a couple of examples:
shā’ir ho mat chupke raho ab chup meñ jāneñ jaatī haiñ
baat karo abyāt paDho kuchh baiteñ ham ko batāte raho
(You’re a poet; don’t be silent, lives are lost under the cover of silence.
Speak up, read a couple of lines, read us verses, keep talking to us.)
And:
us ke faroġh-e-husn se jhamke hai sab meñ nuur
sham-e-haram ho yā ki diyā somnāt kā
(Its splendid beauty sets all things simmering with light,
Whether it’s the lantern of Kaaba or the lamp of Somnath.)
The Homeland’s an Ocean is a valuable contribution to the understanding and appreciation of Mir’s poetry. This book is not merely a collection of beautiful verses; it is a profound exploration of the human condition, offering insights into issues of identity, belonging, and displacement that remain relevant today.
It also serves as a commentary on contemporary socio-political situations. However, it would have been an added benefit if the translator had included the Urdu texts of the couplets for readers familiar with these scripts. Even those unfamiliar with Urdu could have appreciated the aesthetic beauty of the Nastaliq script, serving as an ornamental addition.
The reviewer is a Mumbai-based screenwriter and author, most recently of ‘A Man from Motihari’.
