Turdi Farog‘iy: ghazals and muxammas

Information on Turdi Farog‘iy’s life comes mostly from his own poems. He was born in Bukhara (the exact year is unknown, roughly the mid-17th century), lived under the Ashtarkhanids Nodirmuhammad, Abdulaziz and Subhonqulixon, and died in Khujand in 1699/1700. In 1681 there was a popular uprising against the government in Miyonkol, and the poet was among the rebels; then he lived under the protection of Rahimbiy otaliq, ruler of Khujand and Uratepa, and after his death stayed with his son Oqbo‘tabiy, but suffered material hardship. Turdi wrote in Uzbek and Tajik; 18 poems of his are known – 5 muxammas, 12 ghazals and one fard. He sharply criticised society’s vices and raised the satirical-critical direction to a high peak. In the ghazal “Tor ko‘ngulluk beklar” the poet calls the begs to drop self-importance and to show broadness and equality, to unite the Uzbek land of 92 clans and live in harmony under one khan. In the ghazal with the refrain “Turdiman” he calls himself a worthless drop, yet of the sea’s nature: if drops gather they can raise a storm in the sea.