Mir Anis may rank easily as one of the greatest Urdu poets of all times. Anis gave the marthia form of versification, of which he was an acknowledged master, a new direction by employing various devices to overcome the restrictive influence of tradition.

Even flow of language, rhythm, elegant use of speech, delightful arrangement of words and idiom, graceful style and unbroken continuity mark his marthias. His Salams are noted for their lyrical-elegiac quality and his ruba'is for their multiplicity of moods or themes.

About the Author:

Ali Jawad Zaidi (b. 1916), the author of this monograph, is a noted Urdu scholar, critic and poet and has over 40 books to his credit. In this monograph he evaluates the contribution of Mir Anis to Indian literature, mainly for the benefit of the non-Urdu readers.