Mirza Ghalib, one of the most revered poets in Indian literary history, was a man of unmatched wit, romance, and sorrow. Writing during the turbulent 19th century, Ghalib captured the agony of lost love, existential despair, and the crumbling Mughal Empire in his elegant Urdu and Persian verses.

But behind his eloquent ghazals lies a mystery: a large collection of his personal writings, including his early diaries and intimate letters, vanished in a mysterious fire in Delhi in 1857 during the First War of Independence. Historians believe these lost manuscripts contained some of his most personal reflections-potentially rewriting what we know of him.

Another lesser-known secret: Ghalib had a deep, possibly unrequited affection for a courtesan in Delhi, which is said to have inspired some of his most heartbreaking couplets. He never publicly named her, but references are found in cryptic metaphors across his poetry.

Even today, Ghalib's verses echo with longing-not just for love, but for fragments of his own lost self.