From Mystical Yearning to Political Consciousness: Kaifi Azmi and Ghazal's Journey into Social Reality

  • Unique Paper ID: 178580
  • PageNo: 3815-3820
  • Abstract:
  • The study explores the complex relationship between the ghazal form of the poetry and the theme of love, charting the genre's historical and geographical evolution from its inception in 6th-century Arabic poetry to its prominence in Persian literary traditions and subsequent change in the Urdu language. The research emphasises the thematic transformation of the ghazal, which traditionally focused on unreciprocated or mystical love, particularly following the emergence of the Progressive Writers’ Movement in South Asia. The paper examines Kaifi Azmi as a significant person who transformed the ghazal by infusing societal awareness while maintaining its lyrical and structural integrity. This research analyses select ghazals by Azmi, illustrating how he broadened the range of subjects. In contrast to traditional ghazals that frequently explore metaphysical yearning and idealised affection, Azmi’s ghazals address the reality of his era, intertwining poetic convention with political immediacy. The paper highlights Azmi’s distinctive role in transforming the ghazal into a medium for social critique and community consciousness, while maintaining its aesthetic beauty.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{178580,
        author = {Abdul Majeed},
        title = {From Mystical Yearning to Political Consciousness: Kaifi Azmi and Ghazal's Journey into Social Reality},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {11},
        number = {12},
        pages = {3815-3820},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=178580},
        abstract = {The study explores the complex relationship between the ghazal form of the poetry and the theme of love, charting the genre's historical and geographical evolution from its inception in 6th-century Arabic poetry to its prominence in Persian literary traditions and subsequent change in the Urdu language. The research emphasises the thematic transformation of the ghazal, which traditionally focused on unreciprocated or mystical love, particularly following the emergence of the Progressive Writers’ Movement in South Asia. The paper examines Kaifi Azmi as a significant person who transformed the ghazal by infusing societal awareness while maintaining its lyrical and structural integrity. This research analyses select ghazals by Azmi, illustrating how he broadened the range of subjects. In contrast to traditional ghazals that frequently explore metaphysical yearning and idealised affection, Azmi’s ghazals address the reality of his era, intertwining poetic convention with political immediacy. The paper highlights Azmi’s distinctive role in transforming the ghazal into a medium for social critique and community consciousness, while maintaining its aesthetic beauty.},
        keywords = {Ghazal, Kaifi Azmi, Love, Progressive Writers` Movement, Social Critique},
        month = {May},
        }

Cite This Article

Majeed, A. (2025). From Mystical Yearning to Political Consciousness: Kaifi Azmi and Ghazal's Journey into Social Reality. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT), 11(12), 3815–3820.

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