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Mirza Asadullah Khan , pen-name Ghalib (27 December 1797 in Agra— 15 February 1869 in Delhi), was a renowned classical Urdu and Persian poet of India. He is considered to be the most dominating poet of the region since Kalidas.
He was born on December 27, 1797 in Agra to parents with Turkish aristocratic ancestry. The death of his father and uncle during his youth left Ghalib with no male-dominant figures. He then moved to Delhi. (Although his house in Balli Maaran in the city is a national monument, it is not as well-kept as a national monument should be).
Ghalib's early education has always been a matter of confusion. There are no known records of his formal education, although it was known that his circle of friends in Delhi were some of the most intelligent minds of the time.
Around 1810, he was married into a family of nobles, at the age of thirteen. He had three or four children, none of whom survived (this pain has found its echo in some of Ghalib's ghazals). There are conflicting reports regarding his relationship with his wife. She was considered to be pious, conservative and God-fearing while Ghalib was carefree, unconventional without any scruples, and arguably not very religious, in the strict sense of the word.
Ghalib was very fond of drinking (in this respect, he himself admitted he was not quite a strict "Muslim") and gambling as well. Gambling used to be an offence in Delhi at that time and he was even apprehended once for having indulged in it in his own backyard. It is also believed that Ghalib had an affair with a courtesan who quite admired his poetry.
Ghalib never worked as such for a livelihood but lived on either state patronage, credit or generosity of his friends. His fame came to him posthumously. He had himself remarked during his lifetime that although his age ignored his greatness, it would be recognized by later generations. History has vindicated his claim. He also is arguably the most "written about" among Urdu poets.
He died on February 15, 1869 in Delhi.
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