INSHA:  born in Murshedabad, lived in Lucknow about the end of the 18th century:  enjoyed the favour of Prince Suleiman Shikoh:  wrote verse in Turkish, Arabic, Persian, but was most famous for his Urdu poems, which are elegant in style and conception.

Jurat:  of Delhi, celebrated for his skill in music, astronomy and poetry:  became blind when still young:  was pensioned by the Nawab Muhabbat Khan and afterwards by Suleiman Shikoh:  author of an enormous volume of Urdu poetry composed of ghazals and of love-poems in the modern taste.  Wrote satires on the rain, the cold, smallpox, etc.  Versed in Hindu as well as Muslim poetry.

Mazhar:  of Delhi:  family originally from Bokhara:  learned in jurisprudence as well as poetry:  many favourite poets were his pupils:  was a Sunni, made profession of spiritual poverty, and was even reputed to be able to work miracles:  was killed by a fanatic because he disagreed with the Shiah mourning for the death of Hussein:  died in 1780, aged nearly a hundred years.

Mir Dard:  author of a famous Urdu diwan:  skilled in the sacred music as sung at the assemblies of the Sufis:  lived the life of a sage, the Padishah often coming to him for counsel, though he himself never sought the Emperor’s Court.

Mir SOZ:  of Bokhari ancestry, had to leave his country in time of peril in the dress of a fakir:  came to Lucknow, where he became tutor to the Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula.

Mir TAQI:  born at Agra, in his later days lived at Lucknow, under the protection of the Nawab of Oudh:  wrote many kinds of verse, but excelled in the ghazal and the masnawi, and was the author of a biography of poets:  wrote his own autobiography in Persian, and also Persian poetry.

Momin:  of Delhi:  author of six long masnawis:  skilled in medicine, astronomy and astrology, and deeply read in poetry:  at first lived a gay and reckless life, in his old age gave himself to prayer and fasting, and acquired great contemporary fame:  his work is considered to be the most delicate flower of Urdu expression.

Mushafi:  belonged to a distinguished family of Amroha:  lived at first at Lucknow, then went to Delhi:  there he held famous literary reunions, at which gathered many poets of whom he was the inspirer and teacher.

Muztar:  born and educated at Lucknow:  his ancestors occupied an honourable rank at Delhi:  was a pupil of Mushafi.

NASIKH:  of Calcutta:  belonged to the latter half of the 19th century:  Deputy Magistrate and Member of the Legislative Council of Bengal.

Sauda:  born at Delhi about 1720:  a soldier by profession:  much esteemed in his lifetime, and was a favourite at Court:  excelled in all kinds of poetry, chiefly the ghazal, the qasidah, and satire.

Taban:  of Delhi:  as famous for his beauty as for his poetic talent:  pupil of Hatim, and was a friend of Mazhar and Sauda:  was descended from the Prophet on both father’s and mother’s side.