کلاسیکی اُردو غزل میں جواہرات کا تذکرہ

Poetic Reference to jewels in Classical Urdu Ghazal

Abstract

The aesthetic system of classical Urdu ghazal is a creative world where beauty, love, emotion, and spirituality are expressed through words, metaphors, and symbols. In this system, jewels are not merely regarded as precious stones, but are used as metaphors for beauty, dignity, narcissism, and at times even spiritual elevation. Classical poets such as Wali, Mir, Ghalib, Aatish, Nasikh, Sauda, Shefta, and Hali have artistically used gems like ruby (yaqoot), emerald (zumurrud), sapphire (neelam), diamond (almaas), pearl (gohar), garnet (la‘l), agate (‘aqeeq), and coral (marjaan) to describe the beloved’s physical features, clothing, ornaments, and even emotional intensity. In ghazals, these jewels often appear in expressions like lab-e-la‘līn (ruby-like lips), dandan-e-gohar (pearly teeth), rukh-e-taabaan (radiant face), and zulf-e-mushkin (fragrant hair), which elevate the beloved’s beauty to an eternal and transcendent level. Ruby often symbolizes the beloved’s red lips, while pearl is used for pearly white teeth or the radiance of the eyes. These symbols not only grant the beloved a divine aura, but also reveal the poet’s imagination, linguistic finesse, and deep cultural consciousness.