1. Welcome to Begum Ghazal's Mushaira

Welcome to Begum Ghazal's Daily Ghazal Blog. Above the side-banner links on the right, you will see a portrait of Begum Ghazal. She is seen blessing the head of a Western baby (you couldn't tell from the picture, could you!) The portrait is symbolic of Begum Ghazal's efforts to 'bless' the West with the 'ghazal'. 35 years or so the ghazal has been kicking around from America to Australia, not to mention in other European languages. She is a presiding ghazal pir, a saint-ustad who has retired from the world to her mystical cloister and occasionally prevails upon her translator and amanuensis, Chris Mooney-Singh to share her utterances and guidance with aspiring ghazalkars (ghazal-writers).This site is dedicated to this newly emerging 'ghazal nativity' through original works by the resident ghazal writer who goes by the takhullus (pen name) 'Bone-head' aka Chris Mooney-Singh, an Australian poet with more than 15 years addiction to the form. The picture above left shows the last public mushraira performance of Ustad Rhekta Bulbul Ali at Ghazalbad, (1933).