This article presents a critical study of the concept of home in the poetry of Ghalib. Home is a space where human beings experience a sense of belonging and comfort. Since people dwell not only in physical geographical spaces but also in their dreams, desires, imagination, and memories, these realms may likewise function as forms of home. In classical Urdu poetry, home appears in both literal and metaphorical senses. Classical poets employed home as a metaphor for the heart, the eye, and the human body, while also presenting a metaphysical conception of home. In Ghalib’s poetry, the meaning of home is shaped by both his internal and external experiences. The hardships of his personal life, socio-political transformations, and emotional as well as economic insecurities significantly influenced his understanding of home. An analysis of selected verses reveals that, in addition to its literal meaning, home serves as a metaphor for the city, homeland, heart, and body. Whether represented literally or metaphorically, Ghalib portrays home from a variety of perspectives and dimensions. A central finding of this study is that the home depicted in Ghalib’s poetry both influences and is influenced by the lives of its inhabitants. Consequently, desolation emerges as one of its defining characteristics, reflecting both Ghalib’s personal circumstances and the socio-political conditions of his time. Furthermore, the poetic speaker in Ghalib’s verse regards the desert, wilderness, and open landscape as alternatives to home because of the freedom and expansiveness they offer. The study also examines the different states and representations of home associated with the classical figures of the lover, the beloved, and the rival in Ghalib’s poetry.

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