Citation : Singh AR (2023) Alcohol, Debts And Stoicism.In :Ghalib, Psychology and Human Behaviour - 1 (A.R Singh and S.A Singh Eds), Mens Sana Monogr; 21:1.pg 54-55
قرض کی پیتے تھے مے لیکن سمجھتے تھے کہ ہاں
رنگ لاوے گی ہماری فاقہ مستی ایک دن
क़र्ज़ की पीते थे मय लेकिन समझते थे कि हाँ
रंग लावेगी हमारी फ़ाक़ा-मस्ती एक दिन
qarz kii piite the mai lekin samajhte the ki haa.n
ra.ng laavegii hamaarii faaqa-mastii ek din
(DG 91:3:539)
Meaning
I used to drink on borrowed money and used to think that yes,
My intoxication with poverty will bring colour one day.
Explanation/Comment:
The alcoholic goes to any extent due of his addiction. Debt is one of the commonest. And he justifies his debts by rationalising that remaining intoxication with hunger/poverty (faqa-masti) would show its colours (rang lavegi) one day.
The colours can be:
1) indifference to his condition and therefore enjoying his indebtedness, or
2) getting submerged and consumed due to his habit.
Ghalib here pokes fun at himself and his alcohol habit that landed him into debts. But presents the line that a stoic alcoholic presents –
My remaining happy even in poverty (faqa-masti) will show its true colours (rang lavegi) one day. It will either see me through, or consume me.
This sher is commonly attributed to in incident in which Ghalib was hauled before his admirer judge ‘Afsurda’ for non-payment of debts due to his alcohol. Ghalib is said to have recited this ‘sher’ extempore as his answer. The judge sentenced him for his lapse but paid the fine from his own pocket due to his poetic genius.
That aside, the moot point is the tragic rationalisation that most alcoholcs wallow in, which adds a tragi-comic colour to their condition.
Ghalib, in describing his debts due to alcohol, projects this as stoically as poignantly.