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the rubaaiaa (the plural for rubaai) end in the word madhushala. The
poet tries to explain the complexity of life with his four
instruments, which appear in almost every verse: madhu, madira or
haala (wine), saaki (server), pyaala (cup or glass) and of course
madhusala, madiralaya (pub/bar).
First published in 1935, the work got
Harivanshrai Bachchan instant fame, especially when his own
recitation of the poems became a craze at kavi sammelans or poetry
conferences, the book still sells briskly: the present publisher of
the book regularly releases 2 to 3 editions every year. When first
published, it met criticism from many people for its apparent praise
of alcohol.
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