Ghalib ki haveli: An unknown monument of Delhi

You may have heard songs like Hazaron khwaishen aisi, Yeh na thi hamari qismat, Dil e nadan tujhe hua kya. Romantic and beautiful, set to haunting melodies, the words stay in our minds. These are examples from the treasure trove of poetry by Mirza Asadullah Khan, popularly known as Mirza Ghalib. What many donot know, his home still exists in a quiet old lane right in the heart of India’s capital, and is open to public viewing.  

Ghalib’s relation with Delhi

Ghalib was the son of Mirza Abdullah Beg, and he was born in December 1797 in Agra. His father died when he was hardly five years old. Ghalib spent the next few years with an uncle, who also died when he was just 8. His family married him at the young age of 13. But Ghalib was destined for great things. The teenager left for Delhi, fell in love with the spirit of the city, and lived there until his death in 1869. Many of his poems are inspired by Delhi, its culture and its people.  

How Ghalib got his haveli

The haveli was presented to Ghalib by a hakim or a traditional physician. The doctor was a big fan of Ghalib’s poetry. Many of the most beautiful Urdu poetry got written in this house, where the poet himself used to recite his works in the evening to huge audiences. When Ghalib died, the hakim refused to let anyone else live there, coming to sit in Ghalib’s room alone in the evenings.   

What happened to the haveli after Ghalib 

The government took possession of the haveli in 1964, but auctioned it off. Then it changed hands, getting to be everything from a coal store to a wedding hall. In 1999, a part of the old building was finally acquired again by the Delhi government, restored, and turned into a museum.  

How to visit the museum of Ghalib 

The haveli is in Gali Qasim Jaan Lane in Ballimaran region, the nearest Metro station being Chawri Bazaar. A semi-circular brick arch tells visitors they have arrived at the museum. Inside, one finds an atmosphere very similar to Ghalib’s times, re-created through decoration, clay models, lighting, draperies and framed verses on the walls.