Mashafi

Ghulam Ali Hamdani (1751–1844), commonly known by the Mushafi, was an Urdu ghazal poet.

Works

Before his time, the language known as Hindi, Hindavi, Dehlavi, Dakhini, Lahori or Rekhta was commonly known as the Zaban-i-Ordu,Maldonado Garcia, Maria Isabel. "The Urdu language reforms." Studies 26 (2011): 97. and commonly in local literature and speech, Lashkari Zaban or Lashkari. Mushafi was the first person to simply shorten the later name to Urdu. He migrated to Lucknow during the reign of Asaf-ud-Daula. According to one source, his ghazals are full of pathos.

He wrote Tazkira E Hindi in Persian language which demonstrates his skill in that tongue. He also wrote in Hindavi:

Mashafi, put Persian on the shelf

Now the Hindavi poetry is in the trend

There are ten extant collections of his poems, but it is believed that he allowed others for a fee to publish his poems under their own authorship. He excelled in lyrics but also composed odes and romances.

See also List of Urdu poets Rekhta Ghazal Masud Sa'd Salman

Notes

References