Continuing my efforts to try to explain Ghalib's ghazal starting with 'Dard-e-minnat kahey dawa na hua' I will try to to put forth the next couplet which runs thus:
Jama kartey ho kyo.n raqeebo.n ko,
Ek tamasha hua, gila na hua;
Why do you collect my rivals,
It is a spectacle, not a complaint;
A man who loves his self-esteem and dignity does not want to divulge his secrets in public nor does he like any other person to divulge it. This is true for Ghalib too. In the second couplet he addresses his beloved and enquires from the person why he/she collects Ghalib's rivals, why doesn't he/she complains to him directly and in persona. Ghalib would like if he/she complained to him personally and alone rather.
His beloved was bent upon making a spectacle of the remonstrance by collecting a crowd and expressing her grudge against Ghalib in front of them or in their presence especially because they were Ghalib's rivals or competitors.
The social milieu of those days should also be taken into account as purdah system was in prevalence and free mixing of men and women was not taken in good light. In such circumstances his beloved's complaint in front of a crowd would have made it a talk of the town tarnishing Ghalib's image.
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