Nazm, Rubai, Qata and Doha: Other Forms of Poetry

Shayari is a wide umbrella. Here are some other forms you may meet.

Nazm (नज़्म)

A nazm is a poem on a single theme, developed through several verses. Unlike a ghazal, its parts flow together. Nazms can be about love, nature, society or ideas.

Rubai (रुबाई)

A rubai is a four-line verse. In its classic form, the first, second and fourth lines rhyme, and the third does not. The last line often delivers a thought or a twist. Omar Khayyam's quatrains made the form famous.

Qata (क़ता)

A qata is a short poem of two or more couplets that expresses one connected thought.

Doha (दोहा)

A doha is a Hindi couplet with a fixed metre, widely used in devotional and moral poetry. Poets such as Kabir and Rahim are famous for their dohas.

Free verse

Modern poets also write free verse, with no fixed metre or rhyme.

Comparing

Form	Length	Key feature
Sher	2 lines	complete thought
Ghazal	5 or more couplets	shared rhyme and refrain
Nazm	any	one theme
Rubai	4 lines	special rhyme pattern
Doha	2 lines	Hindi metre

Why it matters

Knowing the forms helps you understand what you are reading. A short sher shared on a message is a tiny piece of a larger tradition.

Choosing for messages

For messaging, the sher and the doha are ideal: short, memorable and self-contained.

Tips

1. Notice length and rhyme.
2. Try reading a nazm for a change.
3. Use short couplets for messages.

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