I have been taught the bahers not in the words like ‘mafaaul’ and ‘faiiLatun’ but in ‘l’ which stands for the Hindi word laghu (small) and ‘Ga’ which stands for the Hindi word Guru (large). (The kind teacher who taught me was a Hindi speaking person and he knew more about Shardulvikridit and Vasant-tilakaa than he did Mutqarib and Ramal.)

Its also easier to transliterate two distinct single syllables than a myriad of words with multiple similar looking and sounding syllables within them.

‘l’ and ‘Ga’ are the universal representatives of the ’small syllable’ and the ‘large syllable’ respectively. One would pronounce ‘l’ as in lakeer or lab or lamhaa or lashkar; ‘Ga’ as in Gaayab or Gaafil or Gaanaa each syllable can be classified as a ‘l’- a small syllable or ‘Ga’ - a large syllable.

Step 1
Each syllable is a ‘l’ or a ‘Ga’ a ’small syllable’ or a ‘large syllable’ respectively.
The letters that end with following vowels are classified as ’small syllable’ : a, I, u, o, e.
The letters that end with following vowels are classified as ‘large syllable’ : o, e, AA, ee, oo, au, ai.

If a letter is a small consonant (l) but is followed by a letter with two consonents as ‘ka’ in ‘kashti’ that letter becomes a large syllable.

Also note that a single large syllable in a baher can be split into two small ones. But if a baher has two small syllables adjacent to each other, you can not combine the two and make it into a single large syllable.

Step 2 Each word made of one or several syllables has wazan (weight) made of its individual syllables - in the sequence of its syllables.

Examples :
Lakeer - lGal
ladaai - lGal
lamhaa - GaGa
aa’inaa- GalGa
Gaanaa - GaGa
dhoop - Gal
chupke - llGa or lll or GaGa Gal
(in ‘chupke chupke raat din aansoo bahaanaa yaad hai’ the firsh chupke is alloted the space of ‘Gal’ and the second ‘chupke’ is allotted the space of ‘GaGa’. This is the flexibility afforded by allowing vowel ‘e’ as both ‘l’and ‘Ga’.)

Step 3 : Words are arranged so that they fall in the ‘mold’ of a meter.

Flexibility :

1. ‘e’ and ‘o’ are both considered valid as being considered ‘Ga’ or ‘l’. This gives tremendous flexibility. (in ‘chupke chupke raat-din aansoo bahaanaa yaad hai’ the first chupke is alloted the space of ‘Gal’ and the second ‘chupke’ is allotted the space of ‘llGa’ or ‘GaGa’. This is the flexibility afforded by allowing vowel ‘e’ as both ‘l’ and ‘Ga’.)

2. A plain syllable at the end of the misra is allowed without any ‘wazan’.
(For example :
hai bas ki har ik unke ishaare me.n nishaa.N aur
karate hai.n muhabbat to guzarataa hai gumaa.N aur
hai.n aur bhii duniyaa me.n suKhanavar bahut achchhe
kahate hai.n ki ‘Ghalib’ kaa hai a.ndaaz-e-bayaa.N aur

The final ‘r’ in first second and fourth misraa is I addition to the meter of the third misraa but since it’s a plain sound at the end, it is just allowed to be there. As a result you can use a entire extra consonant in your misraa.)

3.When a plain sounding last syllable in a word is followed by a vowell as the first syllable in the nex word, it is allowed to be included in the ‘wazan’ of that vowel.
(for Example:
aaye kuchh abr kuchh sharaab aaye
us ke baad aaye jo azaab aaye

baam-e-miinaa se maahataab utare
dast-e-saaqii me.n aaftaab aaye

na gaii tere Gam kii saradaarii
dil me.n yuu.n roz inqalaab aaye

Here , the last ‘b’ in all the kafiya is allowed to take ‘Wazan’ of the following ‘aa’ of ‘aaye’. In the second sh’er, even the first misra uses the same concession in allowing the last ‘b’ in maahtaab in thhe wazan of ‘U’ of ‘utare’. As a result you can use a entire extra consonant in your misraa.)

4. Some times just plain ‘artistic concession’ is used is the writer feels that a particular word is irreplaceable in a particular place.
(for example :
sarakti jaaye hai rukh se naqaab aahistaa aahistaa.
Nikalta aarahaa hai aaftaab aahista aahista.

Here the meter does not allow first of the two ‘aahistaa’s. The wazan of aahista would be GaGaGa where as the space for the first aahista in meter is GaGal. However the poetry really depends on the word ‘aahistaa’ being spoken twice. So the concession is given. Please also note that 3 above is also aaplied between the ‘b’ in kaafiya and the first aahistaa.)

Commonly used meters are explained below.

(I have used some recorded famous ghazals and film songs as examples. It would be less burdensome to learn bahers through ghazals and songs of which you already know the tune.

Some examples are not ghazals but Geet or nazm. The poet might have used a different meter in the antraa as opposed to mukhdaa which are used as examples here. If the entire song or nazm does not fit the meter of mukhdaa, please don’t hold me responsible or that.)

1. RAMAL
Ramal is the simplest and very common baher. There are many variations of the basic phrase GalGaGa

A. GalGaGa GalGaGa GalGa

maut jindaa chhoDne waalii nahin
is balaa se koi ghar khaali nahin

ranj ki jag guftgu hane lagee
aapse tum, tum se too hone lagee

koi din gar zindagaani aur hai
apne ji mein hamne thaani aur hai

aapke pahlu men aakar ro diye
daastaan-e-gham sunaakar ro diye

B. GalGaGa GalGaGa GalGaGa GalGa

chupke chupke raat din aansu bahaanaa yaad hai
hamko ab tak aashqi ka wo zamaanaaa yaad hai

dard se mere hai tujhko beqaraari haay haay
kyaa hui jaalim terii gaflat-shiarii haay haay

tum gagan ke chandramaa ho, main dhara ki dhool hoon.
tum pranayke devtaa ho main samarpit phool hoon.

C. GalGaGa GalGaGa GalGaGa

apne hothon par sajaanaa chaahtaa hoon
aa tujhe main gungunaanaa chaahtaa hoon

D. GalGa GallGa GallGa GallGa or GalGa GallGa GallGa GaGaGa

bazm-e-dushman men le jaate ho yeh kya karte ho.
aur phir aaNkh churaate ho yeh kyaa karte ho.

uzr aane me.n bhii hai aur bulaate bhii nahii.n
baais-e-tark-e-mulaaqaat bataate bhii nahii.n

apni aankhoN ke samandarmen utar jaane de
tera muzrim hooN mujhe Doob ke mar jaane de

maikade band kareN laakh zamaane waale
shaharmen kam nahin aankoN se pilaane waale

aah ko chaahiye ik umr sar hone tak
kaun jeetaa hai teri zulf ke sar hone tak

mujh ko is raat ki tanhaaii meN aawaz na do
jis ki aawaz rulaade mujhe voh saaz na do

mujhase milane ke vo karataa thaa bahaane kitane
ab guzaaregaa mere saath zamaane kitane

rasm-eulfat ko nibhayeN to nibhayeN kaise?
Har taraf aag hai daaman ko bachayeN kaise?

lutf vo ishq me.n paaye hai.n ki jii jaanataa hai
ra.nj bhii itane uThaaye hai.n kio jii jaanataa hai

i.nhii.n qadamo.n ne tumhaare i.nhii.n qadamo.n kii qasam
Khaak me.n itane milaaye hai.n ki jii jaanataa hai
(here ‘jaantaa hai’ actually the wazan ofGalGa Ga- is given consession and allowed to be considered wazan of GallGa.)

There are also
GalGaGa GalGaGa GalGaGa GalGaGa
GalGaGa GalGaGa GalGal
And
GalGaGa GalGaGa GalGaGa GalGal

2.RAJAZ
Rajaz is only slightly different :

GaGalGa GaGalGa GaGalGa GaGalGa

Yeh dil yeh paagal dil meraa kyun bujh gayaa, aawaargi.
Is dashtmen ek shaher thaa who kya huaa, aawaargi.

mere hamsafar mere hamsafar mere paas aa mere paas aa
hameN saath chalnaa hai umr bhar mere pas aa mere paas aa

3.HAZAJ

Hazaj also has one ‘l’ alternating with three ‘Ga’s

A. lGaGaGa lGaGaGa lGaGaGa lGaGaGa

na tha kuchh to khuda tha kuchh na hotaa to khuda hotaa
duboyaa mujh ko hone ne, na hotaa mein to kya hotaa

kabhi neki bhi uske jii men gar aajaye hai mujh se
jafaaen karke apni yaad sharma jaaye hai mujh se

tamannaon ke bahelaawe men aksar aa hi jaate haiN
kabhi ham chit khate hai, kabhi ham muskuraate haiN

ujaaly apni yaadon ke hamaare saath rahne do
na jaane kis galimen zindagiki shaam aajaye

B. lGaGaGa lGaGaGa lGaGa

dariichaa besadaa koi nahin hai
agarche booltaa koi nahin hai

akle haiN, chale aao, kahaaN ho
kahaan aawaaz deN tum ko kahaaN ho.

tere baare men jab sochaa nahiin tha
main tanhaa tha magar itnaa nahiin tha.

musaafir chalte chalte thak gayaa hai
mafar jaane abhi kitnaa paDaa hai?

yeh aalam shaukh ka dekha na jaaye
yeh boot hai yaa khuda, delha na jaaye

3. MUTQARIB

Mutkarib is variations of basic ‘lGaGa’

A. lGaGa lGaGa lGaGa lGaGa

Koi paas aayaa sawere sawere
Mujhe aazmaaya sawere sawere

yeh dil aur unki nigaanhon ke ssaye hujhe gher lete hai baahon ke saaye
B. lGalGaGa lGalGaGa lGalGaGa lGalGaGa

za-haal-e-maskeeN makun taghaaful, varaaye naina banaaye batiyaaN
ke taab-e-hijraaN na-daaram, ai jaaN!, na leho kaahe lagaaye chhatiyaaN?

gaye dinon kasuraag lekar kidhar se aaya kidhar gayaa wo?
ajeeb maanus ajnabi tha mujhe to ahiraan kar gayaa wo.

C. just half the baher in B : lGa lGaGa lGa lGaGa

voh khat ke phurje udaa rahaa tha
hawaaon ka rukh dikhaa haraa tha

D. Ga lGaGa lGaGa lGaGa

aaj socha to aansu bhar aaye
muddaten ho gayee muskuraye

There are also
lGaGa lGaGa lGaGa lGa
and
lGaGa lGaGa lGaGa Ga
and many other variations.

4. KHAFIF (very common )

A. GalGA GalGa lGaGaGa

dil-e-nadaan tujhe hua kya hai
aakhir is dard ki dawaa kya hai

dekh to dil ki jaaN se uthtaa hai
yeh dhuaan sa kahaN se uthtaa hai

ibn-e-mariyam hua kare koi
mere gham ki dawaa kare koi

tum nahin, gham nahin, sharaab nahin
aisii tanhai ka jawaab nahin

B. GalGA GalGal Gal lGa

Dil emen ek lahar si uthi hai abhi
Koi tazaa hawaa chali hai abhi

C. GalGA GalGa lGaGaGal

5. MUTDARIQ

A. GalGa GalGa GalGa GalGa

Aapko dekhkar dekhtaa rahe gayaa
Kya kahuN aur kahene ko kya rahe gayaa

kitanii raahat hai dil TuuT jaane ke baad
zi.ndagii se mile maut aane ke baad

B. GalGa GalGa GalGa

Aaj jaane ki zid naa karo
Yun hi pahelu men baithe raho.

Sare sapne kahiin kho gaye
Haaye ham kya se kya ho gaye

There are meters I don’t yet know the names of.:

7. lGa lGal lGa GalGa lGaGAGa
guloN mein rang bhare baad-e-naubahaar chale
chale bhi aao ke gulshanka karobaar chale

harek baat pe kahete ho tum ke tu kya hai
tumhi kaho ke yeh andaaz-e-guftagu kya hai

ruke ruke se qadam ruk ke baar baar chale
qaraar deke tere dar se beqraar chale

na munh chhupake jiiyoo aur na sar jhukake jiiyo
ghamon ka daur bhi aaye to muskuraake jiiyo

kisii nazar ko teraa intezaar aaj bhi hai
kahaan ho tum ke yeh dil beqaraar aaj bhi hai

na tuu zameeN ke liye hai na aasmaaN ke liye
teraa wajuud hai ab sirf daastaaN ke liye

8. GaGa lGal Gal lGaGa lGalGa

dono.n jahaan. terii mohabbat me.n haar ke
woh jaa rahaa hai koii shab-e-Gam guzaar ke

laayee hayaat aaye kazaa le chali chale
apni khushi na aaye naa apni khushi chale

kab se hooN kya bataaooN jahaan-e-kharab meN
shab haaye hizr kobhi rakhooN gar hisaab meN

milti hai zindagi meNmuhoabbat kabhi kabhi
hoti hai dilbaroN ki inaayat kabhi kabhi

thaanii thii dil me.n ab na mile.nge kisii se ham
par kyaa kare ke ho gaye naachaar jii se ham

maanaa ke musht-e-Khaak se ba.Dakar nahii.n huu.N mai.n
lekin havaa ke raham-o-karam par nahii.n huu.N mai.n

Thukaraao yaa ab ke pyaar karo mai.n nashe me.n huu.N
jo chaaho mere yaar karo mai.n nashe me.n huu.N

royaa kare.nge aap bhii paharo.n isii tarah
bhaTkaa kahiin jo aapka dil bhi meri tarah

naamaa gayaa ko_ii na ko_ii naamaabar gayaa
terii Khabar na aa_ii zamaanaa guzar gayaa

9. A. GaGal Gal GaGa GaGal Gal GaGa

saare jahaan se achchha HindostaaN hamaaraa
ham bulbulleN haiN iski yeh gulsitaaN hamaaraa.

B. llGal Gal GaGa llGal Gal GaGa
ko_ii ham-nafas nahii.n hai ko_ii raazadaa.N nahii.n hai
faqat ek dil tha apnee sovoh meharbaaN nahiin hai

yeh na thi hamaari kismat ke wisaal-e-yaar hotaa
agar aur jiite rahte to bhi intezaar hotaa.

By Ayesha.

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