Gholamreza Ghodsi Information

Gholamreza Ghodsi (1925 – 11 December 1989) was an Iranian belletrist and poet from Mashhad. Writing under the pen name Ghodsi, he was known for his mastery of the Persian ghazal and his deep engagement with the Indian style of Persian poetry. His work often explored social and political themes.

Early Life and Education
Ghodsi was born in 1925 in Mashhad, Iran. He was a descendant of Mirza Mohammad Jan Ghodsi Mashhadi, the renowned Safavid-era poet and head of the treasury at Astan Quds, who had traveled to India during the reign of Shah Jahan—a golden era for Persian poetry in the subcontinent.

After finishing primary school, Ghodsi pursued traditional Islamic studies (tahsilat-e qadimeh), studying Arabic literature, Islamic jurisprudence, logic, and philosophy under prominent scholars of Khorasan such as Mohammad Taghi Adib Neyshabouri (Adib Dovom) and Hashem Ghazvini. He later enrolled in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Mashhad.

Ghodsi began writing poetry at the age of sixteen. Though primarily a ghazal poet, he was strongly drawn to the Indian style (sabk-e Hendi), often incorporating social and political issues into his verse.

Literary and Academic Career
In 1946, Ghodsi co-founded the Ferdowsi Athenaeum in Mashhad, a literary association aimed at organizing and enriching the region’s literary life.

A significant chapter of his life was his journey to India, undertaken to collect and compile the poetic manuscripts of his ancestor Mirza Mohammad Jan Ghodsi Mashhadi.

Throughout his career, Ghodsi taught Persian and Arabic literature at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. He was also a political dissident: during the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, he was arrested twice (in 1964 and 1972) for his revolutionary poetry and sentenced to five years in prison. Many of his works from this period were lost or confiscated by the regime, including several poetic manuscripts written in prison.

In one of his poems, he poignantly reflects on this loss:

Many a vibrant theme I nurtured with blood and soul,
Tyranny scattered them like blossoms torn from my scroll.
Death and Legacy
Ghodsi passed away on 11 December 1989 at the age of 64 due to a heart attack. He was buried in Plot 168 of Azadi Courtyard in the Imam Reza Shrine complex in Mashhad, next to fellow poet Jowdi. A square in Mashhad is named Gholamreza Ghodsi Square in his honor.

Selected Works
Diwan of Ghodsi, introduction by Mehrdad Avesta, Golvajeh Toos Publications, 2024
Songs of Ghodsi, introduction by Mehrdad Avesta, Culture and Islamic Guidance Administration, 1991
“Collection of Poems,” A Breeze from the Region of Khorassan, 1991
“Collection of Poems,” Iranian Contemporary Lyric, 1985
Companions of the Prophet, a historical work on Islam, Besat Publications, 1977
“Collection of Poems,” Contemporary Poetry in Khorassan, 1964
Famous Poems
“I Wish I Were…” (Kash Boodam Laleh), famously performed by Afghan singer Ahmad Zahir
“Enough for Us” (Ma Ra Bas), composed by Majid Derakhshani