The search engine giant Google on Wednesday honoured well known Urdu and Persian-language poet Mirza Ghalib with a doodle to celebrate his 220th birth anniversary. Even today, his poems and Ghazals are regularly sung,read and translated into a number of languages across the globe. Born in Agra on December 27, 1797, he was one of the important members of the Mughal’s court during its last years. Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II honoured him with the title of Dabir-ul-Mulk in 1850. Four years later, since the Emperor was himself a poet, Mirza Ghalib was appointed as his poet tutor to Prince Fakhr-ud Din Mirza, the eldest son of the king.
Ghalib had started composing poetry at the young age of age of 11. Even though his first language was Urdu, Turkish and Persian also spoken at home. The poet received his education in Persian and Arabic. When he was was in his early teens, a tourist who came from Iran stayed at his home for about two years and taught him Arabic, Persian, philosophy, and logic. Many of Ghalib’s ghazal compilations have been written by a number of Urdu scholars. Among the firsts was written by Ali Haider Nazm Tabatabai of Hyderabad during the reign last Nizam. Ghalib passed away in Delhi on February 15, 1869. The house where he lived in Delhi has been converted into ‘Ghalib Memorial’ and has permanent Ghalib exhibition.
On December 24, the Google honoured one of India’s finest singers Mohammed Rafi, on his 93rd birth anniversary with a doodle. The singer gave his voice to a number of Bollywood songs that are sung by his fans even now. Born on December 24, 1924, Mohammed Rafi explored every music genre with absolute perfection.Even today, his songs are still heard with full attention by his fans across the globe, including those from current generations.
Among his popular songs include Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho (Chaudhvin Ka Chand), Teri Pyaari Pyaari Surat Ko (Sasural), Chahunga Main Tujhe (Dosti),Mere Mehboob Tujhe (Mere Mehboob), Badi Mastani Ha (Jeene ki Rah), Baharo Phool Barsao (Suraj), Khilona Jaan Kar (Khilona) among many others. He was honoured with six Filmfare Awards and one National Film Award. In 1967, he was also honoured with Padma Shri.
