Mirza Muhammad Rafi Sauda


Mirza Mohammad rafi 'Sauda',
was an Urdu poet in Delhi, India. He is known for his Ghazals and Urdu Qasidas.

Biography

He was born in 1713 in Shahjahanabad, where he was also brought up. At the age of 60 or 66, he moved to Farrukhabad, and lived there from 1757 to about 1770. In A.H. 1185 he moved to the court of Nawab of Awadh and remained there until his death. When Lucknow became the state capital, he came there with Nawab Shujauddaula''.
He died in A.H. 1195 in Lucknow.

Ustads and shagirds

Sulaimān Qulī Ḳhān 'Vidād' and Shāh Ḥātim were his Ustads. King Shah Alam was Shagird of Sauda. He was also Ustad of Shujauddaulla. Nawab Āṣif ud-Daulah gave him title of Malkushshu'ara and annual pension of Rs 6,000.

Works

Initially he composed in Persian, but switched to Urdu on the advice of his ustad, Ḳhān-e Ārzū. His work was translated in 1872 by Major Henry Court, Captain, Bengal Cavalry. Kulliyat of Sauda was compiled by Ḥakīm Sayyid Aṣlaḥ. ud-Dīn Ḳhān wrote the introduction. Sauda's works from his Kulliyat are: