We have pledged to restore the OROP that was denied to the veteran faujis in 1973 by an ex-parte order of the government of India. I cannot do better than to put up the parody of the famous song that was shot in the National Defence Academy (NDA) for the 1970 movie Aadmi Aur Insaan. If you recall it has Sahir Ludhianvi’s lyrics and a very catchy and fauji tune given by my namesake Ravi. The singers were S Balbir, Joginder and Mahendra Kapoor.
Please enjoy the parody of Yaara dildara mera dil karta….
दिल करता, ओ यारा दिलदारा मेरा दिल करता
ओ, यारा दिलदारा मेरा दिल करता
ऐसा कुछ कर पाएं
OROP ले आएं
दिल करता, ओ यारा दिलदारा मेरा दिल करता
हो, सदियों जहान में हो चर्चा हमारा
दिल करता, ओ यारा दिलदारा मेरा दिल करता
आ गए अब तक हम बाबुओं की बातों में
बाबुओं की बातों में
होय होय
काम करते रहे हम आधी आधी रातों में
आधी आधी रातों में
होय होय
हँसते रहे ये बाबू हमारे हालातों पे
हमारे हालातों पे
होय होय
लातों के भूत हैं यह, माने नहीं बातों से
हो, सदियों जहान में हो चर्चा हमारा
दिल करता, ओ यारा दिलदारा मेरा दिल करता
हमारे जैसा फौजी कभी मिले न हज़ारों में
मिले न हज़ारों में
होय होय
पैदल हम मार्च करें यह घूमे हैं कारों में
घूमे हैं कारों में
होय होय
अपनी तो गिनती हो किस्मत के मारों में
किस्मत के मारों में
होय होय
लेकिन ये संग बैठें फ़िल्मी सितारों के
फ़िल्मी सितारों के
हो, सदियों जहान में हो चर्चा हमारा
दिल करता, यारा दिलदारा मेरा दिल करता
तिरंगे की शान हैं हम देश के सैनानी
देश के सैनानी
होय होय
देश की आज़ादी है हम वीरों की कुर्बानी
वीरों की कुर्बानी
होय होय
OROP ले के रहेंगे यह हमने है ठानी
हमने है ठानी
होय होय
याद आएगी इन बाबुओं को अपनी ही नानी
अपनी ही नानी
हो सदियों जहान में हो चर्चा हमारा
दिल करता, ओ यारा दिलदारा मेरा दिल करता
Dil karta, O yaara dildara mera dil karta
O, yaara dildara mera dil karta
Aisa kuchh kar paayen
OROP le aayen
Dil karta, O yaara dildara mera dil karta
Ho, sadiyon jahaan mein ho charch hamaara
Dil karta, O yaara dildara mera dil karta.
Aa gaye ab taq hum baabuyon ki baton mein
Baabuyon ki baton mein
Hoy hoy
Kaam karte rahe hum aadhi aadhi raaton mein
Aadhi aadhi raaton mein
Hoy hoy
Hansate rahe ye babu hamaare haalaton pe
Hamaare haalaton pe
Hoy hoy
Laaton ke bhoot hain yeh, mane nahin baton se
Ho, sadiyon jahaan mein ho charcha hamaara
Dil karta, O yaara dildaara mera dil karta.
Hamaare jaisa fauji kabhi mile na hazaaron mein
Mile na hazaaron mein
Hoy hoy
Paidal hum march Karen yeh ghoome hain kaaron mein
Ghoome hain kaaron mein
Hoy hoy
Apani to ginati hai kismet ke maaron mein
Kismet ke maaron mein
Hoy hoy
Lekin ye sang baithen filmi sitaron ke
Filmi sitaron ke
Ho, sadiyon jahaan mein ho charcha hamaara
Dil karta, yaara dildara mera dil karta
Tirange ki shaan hain hum desh ke sainani
Desh ke sainani
Hoy hoy
Desh ki azaadi hai hum veeron ki kurbaani
Veeron ki kurbaani
Hoy hoy
OROP le ke rahenge yeh hamane hai thaani
Hamane hai thaani
Hoy hoy
Yaad aayegi in baabuyon ko apani hi naani
Apani hi naani
Hosadiyon jahaan mein ho charcha hamaara
Dil karta, O yaara dildara mera dil karta
Yesterday, I put up an article titled OROP Rally, Azad Maidan, Mumbai, Saturday, 31st October explaining the history of the OROP agitation and the reasons for its continuation even after the government’s announcement on 05 Sep 15.
OROP has been a history of un-kept and broken promises by the governments. It started off in 1973 when the OROP was withdrawn unilaterally by the government in 1973 with a promise that it would be restored in the then forthcoming 3rd Central Pay Commission.
The latest of these have been by the present Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his election campaign in Rewari, Haryana in Sep 2013 that OROP would be implemented within 100 days of his government coming to power. Then he made a promise at the heights of the Siachin on the occasion of Diwali last year that OROP would be implemented shortly. Yet another Diwali is around the corner. Lord Rama went on 14 years of exile. The veterans have done 14 multiplied by three, that is, 42 years of exile. And now the latest buzz is that the government intends making the notification before next Diwali.
Promises galore.
I am reminded of this Daag Dehlavi ghazal sung so beautifully by Mohammad Rafi on Khaiyyam’s music: Ghazab kiya tere waade pe intezaar kiya…
https://youtube.com/watch?v=wWSBDsEtQ0Y%3F
Here is my parody on it, to be sung on the same tune:
ग़ज़ब किया तेरे वादे पे ऐतबार किया
तमाम लाइफ OROP का इंतज़ार किया
घटा घटा के मेरी पेंशन को शर्मसार किया
तसलियाँ मुझे दे दे के बेक़रार किया
हम ऐसे चालाक ना थे के होश आ जाता
मगर तेरी दग़ाबाज़ी ने होशियार किया
कमेटियां आप ने बनायी कमीशन आप ने बिठाए
कुछ ऐतबार किया और कुछ ना ऐतबार किया
वह दिन भी आएगा बाबू जब तुम भी जागोगे
अभी तो पैसे और ताक़त ने तुम्हें खराब किया
ग़ज़ब किया तेरे वादे पे ऐतबार किया
तमाम लाइफ OROP का इंतज़ार किया
Ghazab kiya tere waade pe aitbaar kiya,
Tamaam life OROP ka intezaar kiya.
Ghata ghata ke meri pension ko sharamsaar kiya,
Tasaliyaan mujhe de de ke beqraar kiya.
Hum aise chaalak na the jo hosh aa jaata,
Magar tumahaari dagaabaazi ne hoshiyaar kiya.
Kametiyan aap ne banaayi, commission aap ne bithaaye,
Kuchh aitbaar kiya aur kuchh na aitbaar kiya.
Woh din bhi aayega baabu jab tum bhi jaagoge
Abhi to paise aur taaqat ne tumhen kharaab kiya.
Ghazab kiya tere waade pe aitbaar kiya
Tamaam life OROP kaa intezaar kiya.
The most shameful images that this country had to see in Independent India were aired yesterday, on the eve of India’s 69th Independence Day, when the government tried to forcibly break-up a peaceful protest by ex-servicemen for the long pending demand of OROP (One Rank One Pension). Lets contrast it with the historic Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 13th April 1919 when the soldiers of the British Indian Army tried to breakup a peaceful protest by the civilians on the Baisakhi day. Yesterday, it was the reverse: the civilian government, an ungrateful government, turned against soldiers who have sacrificed their everything defending this country.
Just as the country cannot forget the images of Jallianwala Bagh, we can never forget the images like the above from Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, yesterday.
The government also, for the first time signaled that taking on ex armed forces personnel by police and para-military forces is a fair bet since the ex armed forces personnel have already done their bit for the country when in active service and are of little use to the government now; they are not even a large vote bank.
Sadly, people of our great nation don’t see it that way. They have always looked up to the armed forces since the armed forces have delivered each and every time. In the end, what got sullied were not the armed forces personnel who were pushed, shoved, kicked and manhandled. The already sullied images of our netas (irrespective of the political party that they belong to) and babus have now seen the bottom of the pit. Just as the Queen of England never apologised for Jallianwala Bagh massacre, no one expects our netas and babus to apologise for bringing ex servicemen to this mortification.
Today, on the day of our Independence, here is a parody that describes our netas and babus.
My apologies to Jaan Nisar Akhtar, Khaiyyam and Mohammad Rafi for using a parody of their most famous song together to depict what our Netas and Babus have as their anthem today:
चोरी है अपनी ज़मीं, चोरी है अपना गगन,
चोरी है अपना जहाँ, चोरी में लगता है मंन
अपने सभी सुख चोर हैं, अपनी सँगत में सब चोर हैं
आवाज़ दो हम चोर हैं, हम चोर हैं
को: आवाज़ दो, आवाज़ दो हम चोर हैं, हम चोर हैं
ये वक़्त खोने का नहीं, ये वक़्त सोने का नहीं
सबकी जेबें साफ़ करो, किसी को भी ना माफ़ करो
फौजियों ने हमें दी आज़ादी, हम करते हैं उनकी बर्बादी
छलिनी करदो उनका सीना, मुश्किल करदो उनका जीना
दुश्मन भी ना जो करे, हम उनके लिए करते रहें
हर जगह सुहाना शोर है, देश का नेता चोर है
को: आवाज़ दो, आवाज़ दो हम चोर हैं, हम चोर हैं
ये जवान हिमाला में लढा, ये पंजाब में दुश्मन से भिड़ा,
लेकिन हमें ना कोई फ़र्क़ है, जवानो के लिए देश नरक है
रिश्वत पे हमको नाज़ है, पैसा हमारा सरताज है
जनता के पैसे अपने हैं, ये सब हमारे अपने हैं
जवानो ने नमक का मोल दिया, हमने तो उनको बोल दिया
OROP दे देंगे बार बार, पचास साल तो करो इंतज़ार
को: आवाज़ दो, आवाज़ दो हम चोर हैं, हम चोर हैं
उठो जवानां-ए-वतन, बाँधे हुए सर से कफ़न
उठो दक्कन की ओर से, गंग-ओ-जमन की ओर से
पंजाब के दिल से उठो, सतलुज के साहिल से उठो
महाराष्ट्र की खाक से, दिल्ली की अर्ज़-ए-पाक से
बंगाल से गुजरात से, कश्मीर के बागात से
नेफ़ा से राजस्थान से, पुर्ख़ां के हिंदुस्तान से
इस मुल्क़ का नेता चोर है, चारों तरफ ये शोर है
इसका ईमान नोट है, या जनता का वोट है
On the 10th of January this year I started a Facebook group ‘Main Shayar To Nahin’ primarily to air my devotion for him and some other Urdu poets. I regularly put up Shakeel’s poetry with meanings so that more and more people can savour his excellence. I call him the King of Irony since no one can write irony better than he did. Just one example:
Na milata gham to barbaadi ke afsaane kahan jaate? If there was to be no sorrow, where would odes of ruin find a place Agar duniya chaman hoti to veeraane kahan jaate? If the world would be just a garden, where would deserts find a place Chalo achha hua apano mein koi gair to nikala, It is good that amongst own people there was an outsider too Agar hote sabhi apane to begaane kahan jaate? If all people were your own (in the world) where would strangers find a place
We were a slave nation for 31 years of his 53 that he walked on this earth. All his contemporaries wrote about social inequalities, poverty, slavery and the like. Shakeel wrote about Love, Mohabbat, Ishq, Wafa, Ulfat; it is as if he lived in a different world. In addition, his god faring nature ensured that he also wrote the finest Bhajans in Hindi movies.
Lets restart the journey into his Ghazals:
Ghazal #31
A RARE HAPPY GHAZAL BY SHAKEEL (He says so in the ghazal)
BAHAAR AAYI KISI KA SAAMANA KARNE KA WAQT AAYA
Bahaar aayi kisi ka saamana karne ka waqt aaya,
Sambhal ai dil ki izhaar-e-wafa karne ka waqt aaya.
Unhen aamaada-e-mehr-o-wafa karne ka waqt aaya,
Badi muddat se arz-e-mudda.aa karne ka waqt aaya.
(Aamaada-e-mehr-o-wafa=bent on love and loyalty; Arz-e-mudda.aa=expression of desire)
Ravaan hain apne markaz ki taraf aasuudaa umiiden,
Hujuum-e-yaas ko dil se judaa karne ka waqt aaya.
(Ravaan=moving/active; Markaz=centre; Aasuudaa=satisfied/contented; Hujuum-e-yaas=mob of despair)
Phir ik gum-karda raah ko mil gayi manzil,
Sujuud-e-shukr-e-be-panaah adaa karne ka waqt aaya.
(Gum-karda=lost/missing; Sujuud-e-shukr-e-be-panaah=touching forehead on ground in prayer to offer infinite thanks)
Kabhi doori thi lekin ab khayaal-e-khauf doori hai,
Fughaan ki saa.aten guzri duaa karne ka waqt aaya.
(Khayaal-e-khauf=thought of fear; Fughaan=cry of pain or distress; saa.aten= moments)
Kahaan par khatam rehta darmiyaan par dil ka afsaana,
Bil-aakhir darmiyan se ibtidaa karne ka waqt aaya.
(Darmiyaan=middle/during; Bil-aakhir=at last; Ibtidaa=beginning)
Har ik jurm-e-mohabbat is nigaah-e-lutf ke sadqe,
Naved-e-aafiyat le kar khataa karne ka waqt aaya.
(Jurm-e-mohabbat=crime of love; Nigaah-e-lutf=look of love; Naved-e-aafiyat=good news of well being; Khata=mistake)
Nigaah o dil se ab tafseer-o-sharh-e-aarzoo hogi,
Zabaan o lab se tark -e-iltijaa karne ka waqt aaya.
(Tafseer-o-sharh-e-aarzoo=interpretation of desire; Tark-e-iltijaa=renouncing request)
Woh aate hain Shakeel ab apne dil se haath do baitho,
Nigaah-e-naaz ki keemat adaa karne ka waqt aaya.
(Nigaah-e-naaz=look of love)
Ghazal #32
ZAMEEN PE FASL-E-GUL AAYI FALAK PE MAAHTAAB AAYA
(A very beautiful Ghazal*)
Zamii.n pe fasl-e-gul aa_ii falak par maahataab aayaa
Spring season arrived on Earth, Moon rose in the sky
Sabhii aaye magar ko_ii na shaayaan-e-shabaab aayaa
All came but none befitting your youth
[Fasl-e-gul=spring season; Falak=sky; Maahataab=moon; Shaayaan=befitting/suitable; Shabaab=youth]
Meraa Khat pa.Dh ke bole naamaabar se jaa Khudaa_haafiz
After reading my epistle she told the messenger, go, good-bye
Javaab aayaa merii qismat se lekin laajavaab aayaa
Her reply arrived (through the messenger) but it silenced me
[Khat=letter; Naamaabar=messenger/letter carrier; Javaab=reply:
Khudaa_haafiz=farewell/goodbye; Laajavaab=matchless/silenced]
Ujaale garmii-e-raftaar kaa hii saath dete hai.n
Light accompanies only fast motion
Baseraa thaa jahaa.N apanaa vahii.n tak aaftaab aayaa
Sun arrived only up to my abode
[Garmii-e-raftaar=fast motion; Baseraa=abode; Aaftaab=Sun]
“Shakeel” apane mazaaq-e-diid kii takamiil kyaa hotii
Shakeel, how could appreciation of seeing her be completed
Idhar nazaro.n ne himmat kii udhar ruKh par naqaab aayaa
Here my eyes emboldened to see her, but she hid her face in a veil
[Mazaaq=good taste/appreciation; Diid=seeing/sight; Takamiil=completion; ruKh=face; naqaab=veil]
(*A Ghazal traditionally deals with just one subject: love; specifically an unconditional and superior love. The ghazal is always written from the point of view of the unrequited lover whose beloved is portrayed as unattainable. Most often either the beloved does not return the poet’s love or returns it without sincerity, or else the societal circumstances do not allow it. The lover is aware and resigned to this fate but continues loving nonetheless; the lyrical impetus of the poem derives from this tension)
Ghazal #33
GHAZAL KYAA HAI?
Abhi taq maine Shakeel ki 32 ghazalen aap ki nazar ki hain. Ab tetisviin pesh-e-khidmat hai.
Iss se pehle ki main nawazish karun, main bataana chahata hoon mujhe Ghazal mein kyaa dikhta hai:
Buniyadi taur pe nazam, she.r, ghazal Jazbaat ke Alfaaz hain. Ghazal to sarasar Pyaar, Ishq, Mohabbat ka andaaz hai, agarche ye pyaar, ishq, mohabbat kisi aadmi ya aurat se hi nahin, Allah ya khuda se bhi ho sakati hai. Gham, khushi, beqaraari, bekasi, havas, tanhaai, afsurdgi yaa aur koi bhi jazbaat jaise ki inteqqaam, in sab ki jadh Ghazal mein pyaar ya ishq ke illawa kuchh bhi nahin.
Yaqeenan, Wikipedia mein bayaan kiya hai: “Most ghazal scholars today recognise that some ghazal couplets are exclusively about Divine Love (ishq-e-haqiqi), others are about earthly love (ishq-majazi), but many of them can be interpreted in either context.”
Ghazal kaa ishq se talaaq hona, mere liye qatal-e-aam hai. Zamaana, log, majlis aur awaam ko ghazal mein sirf ishq ke taluq mein laaya ja sakta hai.
Ek ghazal ka namuuna nazar andaz hai:
Unako ye shikaayat hai ki ham kuchh nahin kehte,
Apani to ye aadat hai ki ham kuchh nahin kehte,
Kuchh kehne pe toofaan utha leti hai duniya,
Ab isape qayamat hai ke ham kuchh nahin kehte.
Yahan poori ghazal mein ishq ki wazaahat nahin. Phir bhi ishq hi isaki ibtidaa hai. Urdu shaa’ir aksar apane ishq mein zamaane ko shaamil kar lete the. Misaal ke taur pe:
Kis kis ko sunaayenge judaai ka sabab ham,
Tu mujhase khafa hai to zamaane ke liye aa!
Shaa’ir to ishq mein chand sitaaron ko bhi shaamil kar lete the par Ghazal ka vaasta phir bhi ishq se hi raha hai.
TUM NE YE KYAA SITAM KIYAA
Pesh karta hoon Shakeel Badayuni janaab ki ek aur Ghazal, jisaki bunayad bhi ishq hai:
Tum ne ye kyaa sitam kiyaa zabt se kaam le liya,
What outrage you committed, you used restraint,
Tarq-e-wafa ke baad bhi mera salaam le liya
Even after the end of faithfulness you accepted my salutation.
(Sitam=outrage; Zabt=restraint; Tark-e-wafa=end of faithfulness)
Rind-e-kharaab-nosh ki be-adabii to dekhiye,
Have a look at the lack of respect of the excessive drinker,
Niyyat-e-mai-kashii na kii haath mein jaam le liya.
He took a goblet in his hand even with no intention of drinking.
(Rind-e-kharaab-nosh=excessive or bad drinker; Be-adabii=lack of respect; Niyyat-e-mau-kashii=intention of drinking)
Haay vo paikar–hawas, haay vo khugar-e-qafas,
Alas that appearance of lust, alas that habit of being encaged,
Bech ke jis ne aashiyaan halqa-e-daam le liya
The one who sold his nest and bought hoops of a net.
(Paikar-e-hawas=appearance or form of lust; Khugar-e-qafas=habituated to cage; Aashiyaan=nest; Hakqa-e-daam=loops or hoops of nest)
Baadaa-kushaan-e-ishq ko kuchh to milaa paa.e sukoon
Some peace or repose wine-makers of love may get,
Husn-e-sahar na le sake jalwa-e-shaam le liya
They couldn’t get the beauty of morning but obtained splendour of evening.
(Vaadaa-kushaan-e-ishq=wine makers of love)
Naama-e-shauq padh ke vo kho gaye yak-ba-yak Shakeel,
Upon reading my love letter she was suddenly lost in thought, Shakeel,
Moonh se to kuchh na keh sake dil se payaam le liya.
She couldn’t respond with her voice but took a message with her heart.
(Naama-e-shauq=love letter)
Ise Talat Mahmood ne bahut khoobsurati se gaaya hai:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=8q7Orziten4%3F
Ghazal #34
This is a very beautiful ghazal by him; and once again will provide you with an understanding of what Shakeel’s poetry means to me.
Please enjoy:
AAJ PHIR GARDISH-E-TAQDIR PE RONA AAYA
Aaj phir gardish-e-taqdeer pe rona aaya
Dil ki bigadii huii tasveer pe rona aaya
Today again I cried at the movement (gardish) of fate (taqdeer)
I cried looking at the marred picture of my heart.
Ishq ki qaid mein ab taq to ummiidon pe jiye
Mit gayi aas to zanjeer pe rona aaya
In the prison of love I lived on hopes so far
As the hopes shattered, the chains made me cry
Kyaa haseen khwaab mohabbat ne dikhaya tha hamen
Khul gayi aankh to taabeer pe rona aaya
What a beautiful dream Love showed me
As soon as my eyes opened, I cried about the ‘meaning (or interpretation) of the dream’ (taabeer)
Pehle qasid ki nazar dekh ke dil seham gaya
Phir teri surkhi-e-tahreer pe rona aaya
First I was stunned/shocked (seham gaya) looking at the eye of the messenger (qasid)
Then I cried looking at the headlines of your writing (teri surkhi-e-tahreer)
Dil ganvaa kar bhi mohabbat ke maze mil na sake
Apani khoyi huii taqdeer pe rona aaya
I lost my heart and still couldn’t win the joys of Love
I cried at my destiny (taqdeer) that I lost.
Kitne masruur the jeene ki duaa.on pe Shakeel
Jab mile ranj to taaseer pe rona aaya
How delighted/cheerful (masruur) I was about the prayers for my life, Shakeel
When I got grief (ranj), I cried at the effect/influence (of the prayers)
Ghazal #35
Another beautiful ghazal:
AB TO KHUSHI KA GHAM HAI NA GHAM KI KHUSHI MUJHE
Ab to khushi ka gham hai na gham ki khushi mujhe;
Be-his bana chuki hai bahut zindagi mujhe.
Now, I neither lament happiness, nor rejoice in sorrow,
Life has made me very senseless (be-his).
Vo waqt bhi khuda ne dikhaya kabhi mujhe;
Un ki nadaamton pe ho sharmindagi mujhe.
God has shown me that time too
When I feel ashamed of her regrets (nadaamton)
Rone pe apne un ko bhi afsurda dekh kar,
Yuun ban raha hoon jaise aayi hansi mujhe.
To see her depressed (afsurdaa) on my crying,
I am making it up as if I am about to break into laughter
Rakha hai tishna-kaam to saaqi bas ik nazar,
Sairaab kar na de meri tishna-labii mujhe.
You have kept me thirsty (tishna-kaam), but my wine server, just look,
My parched lips (tishna-labbi) may not leave me fulfilled (sairaab)
Paaya hai sab ne dil magar is dil ke bavaaajuud,
Ik shai mili hai dil mein khatakti hui mujhe.
Everyone has a heart, but despite this heart,
I found a thing (shai) in my heart that is like an obstacle.
Raazi hon ya khafaa hon vo jo kuchh bhi hon Shakeel,
Har haal mein qubuul hai un ki khushii mujhe.
She may be contented or angry, in whatever mood it may be, Shakeel,
In every way I accept her happiness.
Ghazal #36
Here is the 36th ghazal of Shakeel Badayuni with meanings.
This is, like all ghazals, about Love but see the andaz!
Please enjoy:
ABHI JAZBA-E-SHAUQ KAMIL NAHIN HAI
Abhi jazba-e-shauq kamil nahin hai
Ki begana-e-aarzu dil nahin hai
(Emotion of love is not yet complete
My heart is not (fully) ignorant of desire)
(Jazba-e-shauq=Emotion of love; Kamil=Perfect or complete; Begana-e-aarzu=Ignorant of desire)
Koi parda-e-raaz haa.il nahin hai
Sitam hai vo phir bhi muqabil nahin hai
(Some veil of secrecy is there but it is not a hindrance
It is an oppression but still not a confrontation)
(Parda-e-raaz=Veil of secrecy; Haa.il=Hindrance; Sitam=Oppression; Muqabil=Confrontation)
Sar aankhon pe nairangi-e-bazm-e-aalam
Jise KHauf-e-gham ho ye vo dil nahin hai
(I honour the bewitching deception of the world
(But) my heart is not the one that fears sorrow)
(Beautiful couplet indeed!)
(Sar aankhon pe=To accept with respect; Nairangi-e-bazm-e-aalam=Bewitching art, deception of world; KHauf-e-gham=Fear of sorrow)
Masarrat-ba-daman huun sailab-e-gham mein
Koi mauj mahrum-e-sahil nahin hai
(In the flood of grief, I find happiness in (her) hem
It is not some wave that is deprived of shore)
(Masarrat-ba-daman=Happiness in hem; Sailab-e-gham=Flood of grief; Mauj=Wave; Mahrum-e-sahil=Deprived of shore)
Mohabbat se bach kar kahan jaayega
Talatum hai aghosh-e-sahil nahin hai
(The most beautiful couplet in this ghazal!)
(Where will you go saving yourself from Love?
It is a sea-storm and not the embrace of shore)
(Talatum=Sea storm or upheaval; Aghosh-e-sahil=Embrace of shore)
Woh kis naaz o andaz se keh rahe hain
Shakeel ab mohabbat ke qabil nahin hai
(With what pride and style she is saying:
Shakeel is now not deserving of Love)
(Naaz=Pride; Andaz=Manner)
Ghazal #37
Lest anyone should feel I have given up or even paused my fascination for Shakeel’s poetry, here is his 37th (a long one at that) after I gave his 36th on 16 June: Abhi jazba-e-shauk kamil nahin hai.
Please enjoy: BAS EK NIGAH-E-KARAM HAI KAAFI
Bas ik nigaah-e-karam hai kaafii agar u.nhe.n pesh-o-pas nahii.n hai
Zaahe tamannaa kii merii fitarat asiir-e-hirs-o-havas nahii.n hai
Her kind glance (nigaah-e-karam) is sufficient if she has no hesitation (pesh-o-pas)
My nature (fitrat) is not prisoner of greed and lust (asiir-e-hirs-o-havas) of the bow string (Zahe) of desire (tamanna)
Nazar se sayyaad duur ho jaa yahaa.N teraa mujh pe bas nahii.n hai
chaman ko barbaad karanevaale ye aashiyaa.N hai qafas nahii.n hai
O hunter (sayyad) go away from glance, here you have no control over me
O ye who has destroyed the garden (chaman), this is a nest (aashiyaa.N) and not a cage.
Kisii ke jalve ta.Dap rahe hai.n huduud-e-hosh-o-Khirad ke aage
huduud-e-hosh-o-Khirad ke aage nigaah ke dastaras nahii.n hai
Someone’s splendour (jalve) is agitating beyond the limit of consciousness and reason (huduud-o-hosh-o-Khirad)
Beyond the limit of consciousness and reason there is no reach (dastaras) of the eye (nigaah)
Jahaa.N kii nayarangiiyo.n se yaksar badal ga_ii aashiyaa.N kii suurat
Qafas samajhatii hai.n jin ko nazare.n vo dar-haqiiqat qafas nahii.n hai
Worldly deceptions (narangiiyo.n) have entirely (yaksar) changed the face (suurat) of the nest (aashitaa.N
One that the glance (nazare.n) held as cage (Qafas) is in actuality (dar-haqiiqat) not a cage
Kahaa.N ke naale kahaa.N kii aahe.n jamii hai.n un kii taraf nigaahe.n
Kuchh is qadar mahv-e-yaad huu.N mai.n ki fursat-e-yak-nafas nahii.n hai
No time for complaints (naale), no time for sighs (aahe.n), my eyes are fixed in her direction
I am absorbed in memory (mahv-e-yaad) in such a way that I don’t have the leisure for breathing (fursat-e-yak-nafas)
Qusuur hai ishrat-e-guzishtaa kaa husn-e-taasiir allaah allaah
Vahii fazaaye.N vahii havaaye.N chaman se kuchh kam qafas nahii.n hai
Guilt (qusuur) is that of earlier pleasures (ishrat-e-guzishtaa) as effect of beauty (husn-e-taasiir), by God,
Same weather (fazaaye.N), same breeze (havaaye.N) are no less imprisoned (qafas) by the garden
Kisii ke be’etanaa_iyo.n ne badal hii Daalaa nizaam-e-gulashan
Jo baat pahale bahaar me.n thii vo baat ab ke baras nahii.n hai
Someone’s carelessnesses (be’etanaa_iyo.n) have changed the system of garden (nizaam-e-gulashan)
That thing that was earlier there in the spring (bahar), that thing is not there this year
Ye buu-e-sumbul, ye Khaa.ndaa gul aur aah! ye dard bharii sadaaye.N
Qafas ke a.ndar chaman ho shaayad chaman ke a.ndar qafas nahii.n hai
This smell of hyacinth, this smile of flower (Khaa.ndaa gul) and sigh! this painful voices (sadaaye.N)
Perhaps garden is inside the cage, but, cage is not within the garden
Na hosh-e-Khilvat na fikr-e-mahafil ayaa.N ho ab kis pe haalaat-e-dil
Mai.n aap hii apanaa ham-nafas huu.N meraa ko_ii ham-nafas nahii.n hai
There is neither sense of privacy (hosh-e-Khilvat) nor worry of assembly (fikr-e-mahafil), with whom should I make my heart’s condition (haalaat-e-dil) clear (ayaa.N)
I am my own friend (ham-nafas), no one is a friend of mine
Kare.n bhii kyaa shikavaa-e-zamaanaa kahe.n bhii kyaa dard kaa fasaanaa
Jahaa.N me.n hai.n laakh dushman-e-jaa.N ko_ii masiihaa nafas nahii.n hai
With whom should I complain about times (shikavaa-e-zamaanaa), with whom should I tell tale of pain (dard kaa fasaanaa)
The world has lakhs of enemies of heart (dushman-e-jaa.N), there is no messiah to revive the dead
Sunii hai ahal-e-junuu.N ne aksar Khaamoshii-e-marg kii sadaaye.N
Sunaa ye thaa kaaravaan-e-hastii rahiin-e-baa.ng-e-jaras nahii.n hai
The mad people (ahal-e-junuu.N) have often (aksar) heard the voices (sadaaye.N) of the silence of death (Khaamoshii-e-marg)
(They had) heard that caravan of life (kaaravaan-e-hastii) is not pledged to call of bells (rahiin-e-baa.ng-e-jaras)
Chaman kii aazaadiyaa.N muaKhKhar tasavvur-e-aashiyaa.N muqaddam
Gam-e-asiiriihai naa-mukammal agar Gam-e-Khaar-o-Khas nahii.n hai
Freedoms (aazaadiyaa.N) of garden (chaman) are above all (muqaddam) imagination of nest (tasavvur-e-aashiyaa.N)
Sorrow of imprisonment (Gam-e-asiirhai) is incomplete (naa-mukammal) if there is no sorrow of thorns and dry-grass (Gam-e-Khaar-o-khas)
Na kar mujhe sharmsaar naaseh mai.n dil se majabuur huu.N ki jis kaa
Hai yuu.N to kaun-o-makaa.N pe qaabuu magar muhabbat pe bas nahii.n hai
O adviser (naaseh), do not make me ashamed (sharmsaar) I am forced by heart (dil se majabuur) to say
That the one who has the whole world (kaun-o-makaa.N) under her power (qaabuu) but has no control over love
Kahaa.N vo ummiid-e- aamad-aamad kahaa.N ye iifaa_e ahad-e-fardaa
Jab aitabaar-e-nazar na thaa kuchh ab aitabaar-e-nafas nahii.n hai
Where is that hope of arrival (ummiid-e-aamad-aamad), where is that keeping of promise of tomorrow (iifaa_e ahad-e-fardaa)
Then there was no trust of glance (aitabaar-e-nazar), now there is no trust of breath (aitabaar-e-nafas)
Vahii.n hai.n naGme.n vahii hai naale sun ai mujhe bhuul jaane vaale
Terii sama’at se duur huu.N mai.n jabhii to naalo.n me.n ras nahii.n hai
The melodies (naGme.n) are still there, lamentations (naale) are still there, O you who has forgotten me
Whenever I am out of your hearing range (sama’at se duur), my lamentations have no quintessence (ras)
“Shakeel” duniyaa me.n jis ko dekhaa kuchh us kii duniyaa hii aur dekhii
Hazaar naqqaad-e-zindagii hai.n magar ko_ii nuktaaras nahii.n hai
Shakeel, I have seen them in the world, who have a different world
Thousands of critics of life (naqqaad-e-zindagi) are there, but, no one is perceptive of minute detail (nuktaaras)
Ghazal #38
I have explained several times my adoration of Shakeel Badayuni; I grew up listening to his ghazals and songs and they made an indelible mark on my consciousness. Hence, out of 60 Ghazals and Nazams that I have put up in the group Main Shayar To Nahin (not including 32 of my own), 38 of them happen to be Shakeel’s.
Here is a short one of his that was sung by Talat Mehmood:
RAUSHNI SAYA-E-ZULMAT SE AAGE NA BADHI
Raushni saya-e-zulmat se aage na badhi,
Zindagi shama ki ik raat se aage na badhi.
Light did not proceed beyond the shadow of darkness (saya-e-zulmat)
Life didn’t proceed beyond one night of the candle (shama)
Apni hasti ka bhi insaan ko irfaan na huaa,
Khaak phir khaak thi auqaat ke aage na badhi.
Human being had no enlightenment (irfaan) about own existence (hasti)
Dust was just dust, it didn’t go beyond its limit/boundary.
Naam badnaam huaa sinf-e-ghazal ka lekin
Shairi rasm-o-rivayat se aage na badhi.
Form of Ghazal earned a bad name, but,
Shairi didn’t proceed beyond custom (rasm) and tradition (rivayat)
Be-takalluf hui tajdid-e-mulaqaat magar,
Woh bhi ik tishna mulaqaat se aage na badhi.
The novelty of meeting (tajdid-e-mulaqaat) came down to informality (be-takalluf), however,
That too didn’t go beyond the thirsty (tishna) meeting.
Zulf-bar-dosh woh ik baar to aaye, Shakeel,
Phir koi raat bhi us raat se aage na badhi.
Tresses on shoulders (Zulf-bar-dosh) she at least visited once, Shakeel,
Then, no night (ever) went beyond that night.
Ghazal #39
My adoration appears to be tapering off! It had been 11 days since I put up his 38th: RAUSHNI SAYA-E-ZULMAT SE AAGE NA BADHI on the group Main Shayar To Nahin.
By the way, I was only 16 when Shakeel died; three years before joining the Navy. And yet, witness the strong influence!
Please enjoy: MUJH KO SAAQI NE JO RUKHSAT KIYA MAIKHAANE SE
Mujh ko saaqi ne jo rukhsat kiya maikhaane se,
Khud mai-e-naab chhalakane lagi paimaane se.
As the bar-woman dismissed me from the tavern,
By itself neat alcohol (mai-e-naab) started swirling (or spilling) from the goblet.
Dekh kar haalat-e-dil unako taras aa hi gaya,
Wo bhi ghabra se gaye mere tadap jaane se.
(At last) she took pity after seeing the condition of my heart,
She too was worried to see me wince.
Dete hain taana-e-asnaam-parasti mujh ko,
Sajda karte huye jo nikale hain maikhaane se.
They taunt me on my idolatry (asnaam-parasty)
But I have seen them leaving the tavern with heads bowed in prayer (for her) (sajda)
Aap ke jaate hi aabaad hui bazm – e – khayaal,
Ban gayi aur bhi taqdeer bigadh jaane se.
As soon as you departed, the assembly of imagination (bazm-e-khayal) became inhabited (aabaad)
Destiny became better as it got spoiled.
Mohatasib ab tujhe tauba ka yakeen ho ke na ho,
Ham to takra chuke paimaane ko paimaane se.
Law officer (Mohatasib: magistrate), now you may or may not believe (my) penitence (tauba),
I have finished knocking goblet against goblet (meaning, saying “cheers”).
Apna ham-maslak o hamraaz kise kahiye Shakeel,
Nazar us bazm mein sab aate hain begaane se.
Who to call as belonging to same sect (ham-maslak) and confidante (hamraaz), Shakeel,
All in that assembly (bazm) appear to be strangers
Ghazal #40
Fortieth ghazal – the first one being ‘Kaise keh doon ke mulaqaat nahin hoti hai?’ on the day when the group Main Shayar To Nahin was formed, on 10th of January 2015 – and we cannot get over the beauty of his creations.
IK IK QADAM FAREB-E-TAMANNA SE BACH KE CHAL
Ik ik qadam fareb-e-tamanna se bach ke chal,
Duniya ki aarzu hai to duniya se bach ke chal.
Every step walk away from deception of desire (fareb-e-tamanna),
If you desire the world then walk away from the world.
Khud dhoond lega tujh ko tera munfarid maqaam,
Raah-e-talab mein naqsh-e-kaf-e-paa se bach ke chal
On its own your individualistic (munfarid) position (in life) (maqaam) will find you,
On the path of desire (Raah-e-talab) move clear of the footprints (of others).
Milti nahin hai raah-e-sukuun khauf o yaas mein,
Gulshan ki justuju hai to sahra se bach ke chal.
Path of peace of mind (raah-e-sukuun) cannot be found in fear (khauf) and despair (yaas),
If you have quest (justuju) for garden (Gulshan), you must walk clear of desert (sahra).
Munh jaada-e-wafa se na moD ai wafa-shi.ar,
Lekin huduud-e-chashm-e-tamasha se bach ke chal.
O faithful (wafa-shi.ar) don’t turn away from way of love (jaada-e-wafa),
But move away from the boundary or limit (huduud) of spectacles’ (tamasha) eyes (chashm) (meaning don’t turn away from love but from the confines of spectacles)
The next couplet is really very beautiful:
Kitani haseen hain un ke sitam ki masarraten,
Shukr-e-karam ki zahmat-e-be-ja se bach ke chal.
How beautiful (haseen) are the joys (masarraten) of her tyranny (sitam),
(But) Move away from the unnecessary inconvenience or trouble (zahmat-e-be-jaa) of gratitude of (her) kindness (shukr-e-karam) (meaning, whilst the joys of her tyranny are beautiful, you don’t have to go out of the way to express gratitude for her kindness!
Lamhen udaas udaas faza-en ghuti ghuti,
Duniya agar yahi hai to duniya se bach ke chal.
Moments are very sad, atmosphere is stifled,
If this is the world, then move away from the world.
The last one is a self-analysis and self-caution:
Apne adab pe naaz hai tujh ko agar Shakeel,
Maghrib-zada adiib ki duniya se bach ke chal.
Shakeel, if you have pride (naaz) in own literature (adab),
Then move away from the westernised literary world.
Ghazal #41
Love is not a reasoned emotion. When you fall in love, you don’t compare and rue the loss of others; you cling to the one you have fallen in love with. I wrote a complete essay on it in my blog about why certain songs, ghazals, poetry touch the chords of our heart.
Shakeel’s do that for me. It would have been different if I just ‘liked’ his poetry as I do of others. But, I am in love with his poetry!
Here is his 41st in this group made famous by Begum Akhtar and Peenaz Masani:
DUUR HAI MANZIL RAAHE.N MUSHKIL AALAM HAI TANHAAII KAA
Duur hai manzil raahe.n mushkil aalam hai tanahaa_ii kaa
Aaj mujhe ehasaas huaa hai apani shikastaapaa_ii kaa
Destination is far, ways are difficult, there is a world of loneliness,
Today, I have been made conscious of the the infirmity of my feet (shikastaah_paaii)
Dekh ke mujh ko duniyaaa vaale kahane lage hai.n diivaanaa
Aaj vahaa.N hai ishq jahaa.N kuchh Khauf nahii.n rusavaa_ii kaa
Upon seeing me the people of the world started saying I am crazy (in love)
Today, love is at a stage where there is no fear of stigma (rusavaa_ii)
Chho.D de.n rasm-e-Khud_nigarii ko to.D de.n apanaa iimaa.N
Khatm kiye detaa hai zaalim ruup terii a.nga.Daa_ii kaa
I should abandon the custom (rasm) of self description (Khud_nigarii), break my conscience or faith (iimaa.N)
The tyrant picture of your stretching in bed (a.nga.Daa_ii) destroys (me and my description)
Note: Peenaz Masani sings this as:
chho.D de rasm-e-Khud_nigarii ko chho.D de apanaa haath yahaa.N
Khaak kiye detaa hai zaalim ruup terii a.nga.Daa_ii kaa
Mai.n ne ziyaa husn ko baKhshii us kaa to ko_ii zikr nahii.n
Lekin ghar ghar me.n charchaa hai aaj terii raanaa_ii kaa
I lent splendour (ziyaa) to (your) beauty, there is no mention of that
But, everywhere there is talk of your radiance (raanaa_ii)
Ahal-e-havas ab ghabaraate hai.n Duub ke behar-e-Gam me.n “Shakeel”
Pahale na thaa bechaaro.n ko a.ndaazaa geharaa_ii kaa
People of lust or desire (ahal-e-havas) are now worried whilst drowning in the sea of sorrows (behar-e-Gam), Shakeel
Earlier the poor souls (bechaaro.n) had no estimate of the depth
I couldn’t locate the Peenaz Masani version. I am giving you Begum Akhtar version:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=PHwT0PF2c2E%3F
Greetings to everyone on the Birth Anniversary of Shakeel Badayuni on 03rd August.
Here is his Ghazal #42 on this auspicious day that in a way tell us what his life and poetry are all about.
Please enjoy: KABHII ISHQ KAA TAQAAZA KABHI HUSN KE ISHAARE
Kahii.n ishq kaa taqaazaa kahii.n husn ke ishaare
Na bachaa sake.nge daaman Gam-e-zi.ndagii ke maare
Somewhere there is demand (taqaazaa) of Love, at others there are gestures of Beauty
You won’t be able to save the hem of your dress from the sorrow of life
Shab-e-Gam kii tiiragii me.n merii aah ke sharaare
Kabhii ban gaye hai.n aa.Nsuu kabhii ban gaye hai.n taare
In the gloom (tiiragii) of night of sorrow (Shab-e-Gam) are the sparks (sharaare) of my sigh (aah)
Sometimes they appear as tears and sometimes as stars.
Jinhe.n ho sakaa na haasil kabhii kaif-e-qurb-e-ma.nzil
Wahii do kadam hai.n mujhako terii justajuu se pyaare
Those that couldn’t obtain the intoxication of vicinity of destination (kaif-e-qurb-e-ma.nzil)
Those two steps in your quest (justajuu) are dear to me
Mai.n ‘Shakeel’ unakaa ho kar bhii na paa sakaa huu.N unako
Merii tarah zi.ndagii me.n ko_ii jiit kar na haare
Shakeel, I couldn’t claim her even though I was hers,
Like me, in life, no one should lose after winning.
I have already given you a blog – post on a favourite lyricist Raja Mehdi Ali Khan: ‘The Magic Of The Lyrics Of Raja Mehdi Ali Khan’. He paired with the great Music Director Madan Mohan to make some of the most memorable songs of Lata Mangeshkar. His song for the 1946 movie ‘Do Bhai’: Mera sundar sapna toot gaya reminds us that he was capable of deep philosophy and understanding of womanly pain and anguish at a very young age (he wasn’t yet 18 years of age when he wrote the song sung by Geeta Dutt on SD Burman’s music.
The great music director Naushad Ali brought out that two of his ghazals: Aap ki nazaron ne samajha and Hai isi mein pyaar ki aabru, with Madan Mohan‘s music were better than the entire compositions of Naushad!
And yet, not many people are aware of this that Raja Mehdi Ali Khan delved in funny, humorous and satirical Urdu poetry. As an example, I am giving you his nazm: Adib Ki Mehbooba. It is really very humorous. He has used the takhallus (pen names or non de plume) of various poets and writers both in their metaphorical sense as well as their identities to bring out the tale of his failed love.
I have attempted not just a translation of this humorous poem but also have given you the full names and short description and life-span of the poets and writers mentioned.
Please enjoy: Raja Mehdi Ali Khan’s Adib Ki Mehbooba:
Tumhaari ulfat mein harmonium pe Meer ki ghazlen ga raha hoon
Bahattar in mein chhupe hain nashtar jo sab ke sab aazma raha hoon.
In your love I am singing the ghazals of Meer
These have 72 cutters (nashtar) hidden in them that I am trying out all.
Bahut dinon se tumhaare jalwe Khadija Mastoor ho gaye hain,
Hai shukr-e-baari ki saamne apne aaj phir tumako paa raha hoon.
Since many days your splendor has become Khadija Mastoor (Pakistani writer 1927-1982)
But, thank God, I still find you in front of me today.
Lihaf ‘Ismat’ ka o.Dh kar tum fasane Manto ke pa.Dh rahi ho
Pahan ke ‘Bedi’ ka garam coat aaj tumase aankhen mila raha hoon
Wrapping the quilt of Ismat (Chugtai Ismat; Urdu writer 1915-1991), you are reading the tales of Manto (Saadat Hassan Manto; 1912-1955, short-story writer)
I am wearing Bedi’s (Rajinder Singh Bedi) warm coat and looking into your eyes.
Tumhaare ghar Noon Meem Rashid ka le ke aaya sifarshi KHat,
Magar ta.ajjub hai phir bhi tumase nahin main kuchh Faiz pa raha hoon.
I came to your house with a letter of recommendation by Noon Meem Rashid (1910-1975)
But it is surprising that I am not getting any Faiz (success or victory; and also the poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz; 1911-1984) from you
Bahut hai sidhi si meri baat na jaane tum kyun nahin samajhati,
Kasam KHuda ki kalaam-e-Ghalib nahin main tumako suna raha hoon.
My talk is straight, why do you not understand it
By God, I am not making you listen to some (difficult) poetry of Ghalib (1797-1869).
Tumhaari zulf-e-siyaah pe tangiid kis se likhwaayun tum hi bolo, Shri Ibadat Barelvi ko main taar de kar bula raha hoon
The criticism (tangiid) of your black tresses (zulf-e-siyaah) who should I ask to write,
I am sending a telegram to call Shri Ibadat Barelvi (1920-1999)
Main tum pe hoon Jaan Nisar Akhtar, kasam hai Munshi Fida Ali ki,
Bahut dinon se main tum pe Sahir se jaadu tone kara raha hoon.
I am Jaan Nisar Akhtar (poet and lyricist 1914 – 1976) on you, I swear by Munshi Fida Ali (a Lucknow poet),
Since many days I am trying Sahir’s (Sahir Ludhainvi 1921 – 1980) magic and black magic on you.
Agar ho tum Hajara to phir mujh se mil ke Masroor kyun nahin ho
Tumhaare aage Upendra Nath Ashq ban ke aansu baha raha hoon
If you are Hajara (abandoned; also feminist Pakistani poet Hajara Masroor 1930-2012), then why are you not happy (Masroor) upon meeting me,
I am shedding tears in front of you like Upendra Nath Ashq (novelist 1910-1996).
Haseen ho zehra-jamaal ho tum mujhe sata ke nihal ho tum
Tumhaare ye zulm Qurrat-ul-Ain ko bataane jaa raha hoon
You are beautiful, you are like Zahra Jamal (Dr Zahra Jamal – leading protagonist of international Women’s right), you are joyous (nihal) after oppressing me,
I am going to Qurrat-ul-Ain (Qurrat-ul-Ain Hyder, female novelist 1927-2007) to tell about your tyranny (zulm).
Meri mohabbat ki dastaan sun ke ro pa.De Josh Malsiyani,
Sukha ke pankhe se un ke aansu abhi wahan se main aa raha hoon.
After hearing the tale (dastaan) of my love, Josh Malsiyani (poet, 1883-1976) was in tears,
I am just returning after blowing dry his tears by a fan.
Meri tabaahi ki chhap denge Naqsh ka ek KHaas number, Tufail sahib ke paas saare musavvade le ke jaa raha hoon.
The imprint of my wreck shall be given in a special number by Naqsh (84 years old poet and lyricist from Lyallpur in Pakistan)
I am taking all manuscripts to Tufail sahib (Ibn Tufail – writer, novelist, philosopher 1105-1185)
Vazir Agha pathan hain saath saath yaaron ke yaar bhi hain,
Pakad ke who tum ko peet denge main kal unhe saath la raha hoon.
Vazir Agha (Pakistani poet and writer 1922-2010) is a pathan and also friend of friends,
He will catch you and beat you; I shall arrive with him tomorrow.
Hakim Yousuf Ali ne jab meri nabz dekhi to ro ke bole: Jigar hai zakhmi tabah gurde yeh baat tum se chhupa raha hoon.
Doctor Yousuf Ali (Sir Abdullah Yusuf Ali, the famous scholar who translated Quran into English 1872-1953) when he felt my pulse, he cried and said:
Your Jigar (Liver; also famous poet Jigar Moradabadi 1890 – 1960) is wounded, kidneys are ruined; this fact I am hiding from you.
Malihabad aaj jaa raha hoon main Josh laa.un ki aam laa.un,
Tumhaare hontho pe gham ki maujon ko dekh kar tilmila raha hoon.
I am going to Malihabad (the town of famous Pakistani poet Josh Malihabadi 1894-1982) today; should I bring Josh or mangoes,
I am agitated to see the waves of sorrow on your lips.
Fasana-e-ishq mukhatsar hai qasam KHuda ki na bore hona, Firaq Gorakhpuri ki ghazalen nahin main tum ko suna raha hoon.
The tale of love is short, I swear by God, please don’t get bored,
I am not reciting to you (the long) ghazals of Firaq Gorakhpuri (1896-1982)
Meri mohabbat ki daastaan ko gadhe ki mat sarguzisht samajho,
Main Krishan Chander nahin hoon yakeen tum ko dila raha hoon.
Do not think of the tale of my love as a donkey’s biography,
I am not Krishan Chander (Urdu writer of short stories & novels 1914-1977) I can assure you that.
Pilaao aankhon se taaki mujh ko kuchh ‘aal-e-ahmed-suruur’ aaye,
Bahut hain gham aashiqi ke bina piye dagmagaa raha hoon.
Make me drink from your eyes so that I should get Ale Ahmed Suroor (Intoxication; as well as famous poet 1911-2002)
I have a lot of sorrows of love, without drinking I am ambling.
They look at my gaunt frame and ask:
“What keeps you so fit and lean?”
I tell them try to look inside the mask,
And see all the running I have seen.
When I was small I used to run,
From poverty, violence and abuse,
The taunts of my classmates were no fun,
It almost made me a recluse.
They teased me for my long hair,
Since I was born and brought up as a Sikh,
Horrible jokes they cracked on me,
Sexist, racist, I could take my pick.
At home, we always had “discussions”
My dad’s favourite subject,
Anger and abuses were the concomitants,
I used to run away in fear abject.
In studies there were these smarties,
Who always knew more than I did;
I used to race away from them,
Until my face from them I hid.
I joined the Navy at an early age,
It was indeed a dream come true;
Here I could be at peace with myself,
And the seas: black, green and blue.
But some men there that I met,
Were suave, clever and cunning;
They were skilled in pretense and deceit
And I soon resumed my running.
I made a lot of friends, but I know,
There were some that I’ve had,
I had to quickly run from them
For they made me lonely and sad.
I’ve had my share of wise men,
The so called pseudo-intellectuals;
I ran away as far as I could,
Since they were neither real nor factual.
I ran away from gathering riches,
By means that were suspect;
And hence I stayed poor at heart,
I raced from being abject.
On retirement, I didn’t have much,
But I had my running shoes,
So I kept fit by running away from
All those who often talk loose.
I joined the social media
Blog, Twitter, Whatsapp and Facebook,
But I often run away from those
Who post by hook or crook.
I have listed a few things above,
But this isn’t a list complete;
Greed, mobs, falsehood and unfairness,
Are others that make my legs fleet.
There, that’s my exercise regime,
That I follow without pause and break;
All the running keeps me in good shape,
Though I may not do it for fitness’s sake.
So, if there is one advice that I can give,
For the health of body and mind:
‘Live life, love life, love all you can,
But there are things that you must leave behind.’
‘Run away from them as fast as you can,
Don’t ever regret their loss,
Listen to everyone, and yet,
Love yourself and be your own boss.’
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो दुनिया से डरते हैं,
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो रह रह के मरते हैं,
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो दुनिया का दम भरते हैं,
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो यह करते हैं और वह करते हैं.
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो दुनिया से दौड़ते हैं दूर
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो जीने से हैं मजबूर
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो अपने आप में हैं मग्रूर
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जिनका दुनिया नहीं है दस्तूर.
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जिन्हें दुनिया से है रंजिश
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जिन्हे दुनियादारी लगती है बंदिश
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जिन्हे हर बात में लगती है साजिश
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो करते हैं दुनिया की गुज़ारिश
दुनिया तो सिर्फ बेखबर मत्वालों के लिए है,
हर इक लमहा शान में जीने वालों के लिए है
जो हर बात दिल पे न लें ऐसे दिल्वालों के लिए है
हर हाल में मुत्मैन रेहने वालों के लिए है
दुनिया उनकी है जो वक्त की रफ्तार समझते हैं
हर इन्कार को जो दुनिया का ईकरार समझते हैं
जंग – ओ – जदल को भी जो प्यार समझते हैं
बेकार कचरे को जो हुसन – ए – शिन्गार समझते हैं
दुनिया में रह के जो जानते हैं दुनिया का सबब
दुनिया उन्ही को करती है झुक झुक के अदब
हम तो हैरान हैं, ये कैसा है गज़ब :
हस्ती उन्ही की है जो दुनिया में हैं जज्ब
फिर भी:
क्या करेंगे दुनिया में दुनिया के हो के ?
जल जल के मर के, घुट घुट के रो के,
नंगे ज़खम अपने आंसुयों से धो के
टूटे हुए जज्बात नज्मों में पिरो के
देख लो ए दुनिया, हम दुनिया को नहीं मानते,
तुम्हारे बनाए कानून हम नहीं पहचानते
चढा दो हमें फाँसी, हम यह नहीं जानाते:
कयुं दुनिया वाले रब्ब ओ इमान को नहीं पहचानते?
(Pic courtesy: paulzef.deviantart.com)
Duniya unake liye nahin jo duniya se darte hain,
Duniya unake liye nahin jo reh reh ke marte hain,
Duniya unake liye nahin jo duniya ka dam bharte hain,
Duniya unake liye nahin jo yeh karte hain aur woh karte hain.
Duniya unake liye nahin jo duniya se bhaagte hain door
Duniya unake liye nahin jo jeene se hain majboor
Duniya unake liye nahin jo apane aap mein hain magroor
Duniya unake liye nahin jinaka duniya nahin hai dastoor
Duniya unake liye nahin jinhen duniya se hai ranjish
Duniya unake liye nahin jinhe duniyaadari lagati hai bandish
Duniya unake liye nahin jinhe har baat mein lagati hai saazish
Duniya unake liyer nahin jo karte hain duniya ki guzarish
Duniya to sirf bekhabar matwaalon ke liye hai,
Har ik lamhaa shaan mein jeene waalon ke liye hai
Jo har baat dil pe na lein aise dilwaalon ke liye hai
Har haal mein mutmain rehane waalon ke liye hai
Duniya unaki hai jo waqt ki raftaar samajhate hain
Har inkaar ko jo duniya ka ikraar samajhate hain
Jang-o-jadal ko bhi jo pyaar samajhate hain
Bekaar kachre ko jo husn-e-shingaar samajhate hain
Duniya mein reh ke jo jaante hain duniya ka sabab
Duniya unhi ko karti hai jhuk jhuk ke adab
Ham to hairaan hain, ye kaisa hai ghazab:
Hasti unhi ki hai jo duniya mein hain jazb
Phir bhi:
Kyaa karenge duniya mein duniya ke ho ke?
Jal jal ke mar ke, ghut ghut ke ro ke,
Nange zakham apne aansuyon se dho ke
Toote huye jazbaat nazmon mein piro ke
Dekh lo ai duniya, ham duniya ko nahin maanate,
Tumhaare banaye kanoon ham nahin pehchante
Chadha do hamen faansi, ham yeh nahin jaanate
Kyun duniya waale rabb o imaan ko nahin pehchaante?
On the 10th of January this year I started a Facebook group ‘Main Shayar To Nahin’ primarily to air my devotion for him and some other Urdu poets. I regularly put up Shakeel’s poetry with meanings so that more and more people can savour his excellence. I call him the King of Irony since no one can write irony better than he did. Just one example:
Na milata gham to barbaadi ke afsaane kahan jaate? If there was to be no sorrow, where would odes of ruin find a place Agar duniya chaman hoti to veeraane kahan jaate? If the world would be just a garden, where would deserts find a place Chalo achha hua apano mein koi gair to nikala, It is good that amongst own people there was an outsider too Agar hote sabhi apane to begaane kahan jaate? If all people were your own (in the world) where would strangers find a place
My blog already has a number of articles on Shakeel Badayuni (‘Shakeel Badayuni – The King Amongst Lyricist And Poets – Part I’; ‘Shakeel Badayuni – The King Amongst Lyricist And Poets – Part II’, ‘The Best Of Old Hindi Songs – Rafi, Shakeel, Naushad And Dilip Kumar Together’, and ‘Another Tribute To Shakeel Badayuni In The Month Of His Death Anniversary’)
We were a slave nation for 31 years of his 53 that he walked on this earth. All his contemporaries wrote about social inequalities, poverty, slavery and the like. Shakeel wrote about Love, Mohabbat, Ishq, Wafa, Ulfat; it is as if he lived in a different world. In addition, his god faring nature ensured that he also wrote the finest Bhajans in Hindi movies.
Lets restart the journey into his Ghazals:
Ghazal #16
This is not just beautiful; Shakeel has crafted it to perfection with his lament.
Chandnii mein rukh-e-zebaa nahin dekha jaata
Maah o khurshiid ko yakjaa nahin dekha jaata In the moonshine you shouldn’t see (her) beautiful face,
(Just as) You can’t see moon-month and sun together.
(rukh-e-zebaa=beautiful face; maah= moonmonth; khurshiid= the sun; yakjaa=together)
Youn to un aankhon se kyaa kyaa nahin dekha jaata
Haan magar apana hi jalwa nahin dekha jaata Those eyes, they can see this and that and everything,
However, they cannot see their own splendour
(jalwa=display, splendour)
Diida o dil ki tabaahi mujhe manzuur magar
Un kaa utara huaa chehra nahin dekha jaata
I accept the ruining of my sight and heart,
But, I just can’t bear to see her fallen face
(Diida=sight; tabaahi=ruin; manzuur=accepted)
Zabt-e-gham haan ashkon kaa talaatum
Ab to suukhaa huaa dariyaa nahin dekha jaata
Tolerance is necessary to see the upheaval of tears,
Now, it is unbearable to see the river having dried up
Zindagi aa tujhe qaatil ke havaale kar duun
Mujhase ab khoon-e-tamanna nahin dekhaa jaata My life, come I shall offer you to the murderer
I cannot bear to see the murder of my desires
(qaatil=murderer; khoon-e-tamanna=murder of desires)
Ab to jhuutii bhi tasalli ba-sar-o-chashm qubuul
Dil kaa rah rah ke tadapanaa nahin dekha jaata Now I accept by all means false or fake assurance
I cannot bear to see my heart repeatedly sobbing
(tasalli=assurance, comfort; ba-saro-chashm=by all means; qubuul=consented)
Ghazal #17
This too has been sung by Talat Mahmood and has exquisite lyrics.
Please enjoy: Dil ko behlaane ki tadbeer to hai
Dil ko behlaane ki tadbeer to hai
Tu nahin teri tasveer to hai I have a solution for amusing my heart
I don’t have you but have your picture
(Tadbeer=solution)
Hamsafar chhod gaye mujhako to kyaa
Saath mere meri taqdeer to hai So what if fellow travellers abandoned me
I have my destiny to keep me company
(Hamsafar=fellow travellers; taqdeer=destiny)
Qaid se chhoot ke bhi kyaa paaya
Aaj bhi paanv mein zanjeer to hai. What did I obtain by freeing myself from the prison
Even today my feet are shackled
Kyaa majal unaki ke na den khat ka jawaab
Baat kuch baa.is-e-taakheer to hai How dare she not reply to my epistle?
It is just that there is some cause for delay
(baa.is-e-taakheer=cause of delay)
Purshish-e-haal ko woh aa hi gaye
Kuchh bhi ho ishq mein taaseer to hai She came just to enquire about my well-being
Whatever happens there is power in Love
(Purshish-e-haal=to enquire about well-being; taaseer=effect)
Gham ki duniyaa rahe aabaad Shakeel
Muflisi mein koi jaagir to hai
The world of sorrows may prosper, Shakeel
There are riches even in poverty
(Muflisi=poverty; jaagir=property)
Ghazal#18
Please enjoy: Hum unaki anjuman ka samaan ban ke reh gaye
Ham unaki anjuman ka samaan ban ke reh gaye
Sar-taa-qadam nigaah o zubaan ban ke reh gaye. I only remained a scene in her society
From head to foot I remained just eyes and tongue.
(Anjuman=society, party; samaan=scene; Sar-taa-qadam= from head to foot)
Palte muqqadaraat kuchh is taur se ki ham
Tasveer-e-inqilaab-e-jahaan ban ke reh gaye My destiny turned in such a manner
That I could just become the picture of world’s revolution
(Muqqadaraat= destiny; taur=manner; tasveer-e-inqilaab-e-jahaan= picture of world’s revolution)
Mazloom dil ki talkh-navaayi to dekhna
Naghme to jab taq aaye fugaan ban ke reh gaye
Just have a look at the bitter things said by my oppressed heart
Songs were yet to arrive, I could just become clamour.
Ab ham hain aur haqeeqat-e-aalam hai ai Shakeel,
Lamhe khushi ke khwaab-e-giraan ban ke reh gaye. Now I am here and the reality of tragedy, O Shakeel
Hours of happiness were just dream makers.
(Haqeeqat-e-aalam= reality of tragedy; lamhe= moments; khwaab-e-giraan= dream makers)
Ghazal #19
A little difficult but very meaningful.
Please enjoy: Duniya ki rawayat se begaana nahin hoon
Duniya ki rawayat se begaana nahin hoon,
Chhedo naa mujhe main koi deewana nahin hoon. I am not a stranger to the tradition of the world
Don’t tease me, I am not some mad man
(Rawayat=tradition)
Is kasrat-e-gham pe bhi mujhe hasrat-e-gham hai,
Jo bhar ke chhalak jaaye wo paimaana nahin hoon. I have a desire for sorrows for this excess of sorrows
It is not a true wine measure that overflows after being full
(kasrat-e-gham=excess of sorrows; hasrat-e-gham=desire for sorrows)
Ruudaad-e-gham hai taaza mere dam se
Unvaan-e-har-fasaana hoon afsaana nahin hoon Story of sorrows is fresh because of me
I am the beginning of every romance but not the tale of romance
(Ruudaad-e-gham=story of sorrows; taaza=fresh; unvaan-e-har-fasaana=Beginning of romance; afsaana=tale of romance)
Ilzaam-e-junoon den na mujhe ahl-e-mohabbat,
Main khud ye samajhtaa hoon deewana nahin hoon. People of love shouldn’t accuse me of madness
I consider myself that I am not a mad man
(Ilzaam-e-junoon= Accusation of madness; ahl-e-mohabbat= people of love; deewana=crazy in love)
Main qaayal-e-khud-daari-e-ulfat sahi lekin
Aadaab-e-mohabbat se begaana nahin hoon. I may be a fan of selfish love, but
I am not a stranger to the norm of Love
(Qaayal-e-khud-daari-e-ulfat= Fan or follower of selfish love; Aadaab-e-mohabbat=ways/norms of love; begaana=stranger)
Hai barq-e-sar-e-toor se dil shola-ba-daaman
Sham-e-sar-e-mahfil hoon parvaana nahin hoon Because of lightening on Toor mountain, there is fire at the hem of my heart
I am a patron if the evening assembly of poets and not a moth
(barq-e-sar-e-toor=lightening on Toor mountain; shola-ba-daaman= fire at hem of apparel; Sham-e-sar-e-mahfil=Patron of evening assembly of poets; parvaana=moth)
Hai gardish-e-saagar meri taqdeer ka chakker
Mohtaaj-e-tavaaf-e-dar-e-maikhaana nahin hoon The movement (or revolution) of the wine-glass is the turn of my fate,
(But) I am not a slave of the door knob of the bar
(gardish-e-saagar=movement of glass of wine; taqdeer= fate; Mohtaaj-e-tavaaf-e-dar-e-maikhaana=slave of the door-knob of the bar)
Kaanto se guzr jaata hoon daaman ko bacha kar
Phoolon ki siyaasat se mein begaana nahin hoon. I pass through the thorns protecting the hem if my apparel
However I am not a stranger to the administration or rule of flowers
(siyaasat=administration)
Lazzat-kash-e-nazraana Shakeel apni nazar hai
Mahruum-e-jamaal-e-rukh-e-jaanaana nahin hoon. It is in my eye the taste of the pull (like a cigarette) of the gift (or present)
I am not deprived of the beauty of the female face
(Lazzat-kash-e-nazraana=taste of the pull of gift or present; nazar=eye; Mahruum-e-jamaal-e-rukh-e-jaanaana= deprived of the beauty of the female face)
Ghazal #20
This one is so good!
Please enjoy: Jab kabhi ham tere kuche se guzar jaate hain
Jab kabi ham tere kuche se guzr jaate hain
Lauh-e-idraak pe kuchh aur ubhar jaate hain When I go through your narrow streets
Levels of perception become even higher (than before)
(Lauh-e-idraak = level of perception)
Husn se leejiye tanzeem-e-do-aalam ka sabaq
Subah hoti hai to gessu bhi sanvar jaate hain Let the Beauty give a lesson in administration of the two worlds
As the morning comes, the tresses are combed too
(tanzeem-e-do-aalam = administration of two worlds; sabaq = lesson; gessu = hair, tresses)
Ham ne paaya hai mohabbat ka khumaar-e-abadi
Kaise hote hain vo nashe ki utar jaate hain? I have obtained the everlasting intoxication of Love
What kind of intoxications are those that come down?
(Khumaar-e-abadi = everlasting intoxication)
Itne khaaif hain mai-o-mah se janaab-e-vaaiz
Naam-e-kausar bhi jo sunte hain to dar jaate hain Mister Abstinent is so timid with wine and moon
He hears the name of fountain of wine in paradise and he trembles with fear
(Khaaif = timid, afraid; mai -o-mah = wine and moon; janaab-e-vaaiz = respected abstinent; Naam -e-kausar = name of fountain of wine in paradise)
Maikada band muqaffal hain dar-e-daur-o-haram
Dekhna hai ki Shakeel aaj kidhar jaate hain The bar is closed and locked are the doors of the temple and mosque
Lets see Shakeel where do the go today
(Maikada = bar; muqaffal = locked; dar-e-daur-o-haram = doors of temple and mosque)
Ghazal #20
This has been sung by both Begum Akhtar and Farida Khanum. At the end of the original ghazal and its translation I am going to give you the version by Farida Khanum.
Please enjoy: Mere ham-nafas, mere ham-navaa, mujhe dost banake dagaa na de…
Mere ham-nafas, mere ham-navaa, mujhe dost banake dagaa na de
Main huu.N dard-e-ishq se jaa.N_valab, mujhe zindagii ki dua na de My friend, my co-speaker, don’t deceive me after befriending me I am almost dead with heartache, don’t wish life for me
[ham-nafas=friend; ham-navaa=speaking in unison; dagha=deceit; dard-e-ishq=heart sore; jaa.N_valab=near death, heart/life in mouth]
Mere daag-e-dil se hai raushani, usi raushani se hai zindagi
Mujhe dar hai aye mere chaaraagar, ye charaag tuu hi bujhaa na de There is light because of my heartache, there is life because of that light I am afraid my physician, you may not extinguish this lamp
[daag-e-dil=heart sore; chaaraagar=physician]
Mujhe chhod de mere haal par, teraa kyaa bharosaa hai chaaraagar
Ye teri nawaazish-e-muKhtasar, mera dard aur badaa na de Please leave me on my condition, I have no trust in you physician This small request of yours may not augment my ache
[nawaazish= request; muKhtasar=brief]
Mera azm itana baland hai ke paraaye sholon kaa dar nahin
Mujhe Khauf aatish-e-gul se hai, ye kahin chaman ko jalaa na de My conviction is so great that I do not fear the other’s cinders My fear is with the flame of flower that may burn down the garden
[azm=conviction; baland= high, great; sholo.n=balls of fire; khauf=fear; aatish-e-gul=flame of flower]
Wo uthe hain leke hom-o-subu, arey o ‘Shakeel’ kahaan hai tuu
Tera jaam lene ko bazm mein koi aur haath badaa na de
She has risen holding the wine cup, O Shakeel, where are you?
In this assembly in order to hold that wine cup someone else shouldn’t extend his hand
The subject of drinking wine from the hands of the beloved is a common subject in Urdu poetry. Shakeel did full justice to it.
Please enjoy: Laa raha hai mai koi sheeshe mein bhar ke saamne….
Laa raha hai mai koi sheeshe mein bhar ke saamne,
Kis kadar pur-kaif hai manzar nazar ke saamne Someone is bringing wine before me in a glass How intoxicated the scene is in front of my eyes
(pur-kaif = full of intoxication; manzar = scene, view)
Main to is aalam ko kyaa se kyaa bana deta magar,
Kis ki chalti hai hayaat-e-mukhatsar ke saamne I could have changed this atmosphere into something, but, Who is in control in the face of this short-life?
Phir na dena tanaa-e-nakaam-e-zauk-e-nazar
Hausla hai kuchh to aa jaao nazar ke saamne Again do not rebuke me about the taste of failure I challenge you if you have courage come face me
Aah ye rudaad-e-hangaam-e-tarab ai gham-gusaar
Zikr-e-gulshan jaise ik be-baal-o-par ke saamne O you who comforts, my sigh is that story of happening of music As the narration of garden is in front of a bird without feathers and wings
(rudaad-e-hangaam-e-tarab = story of happening of music; gham-gusaar = one who comforts or consoles; zikr-e-gulshan = narration of garden; be-baal-o-par = without feathers and wings; helpless)
Ho chukaa jab khaatma saari ummidon ka to phir
Jaa rahe ho kyun Shakeel us fitnagar ke saamne After the (brutal) end of all your hopes Why then are you going Shakeel in front of the mischief maker?
(fitnagar = mischief maker)
Ghazal #22
This is so perfect that it is bound to leave you breathless!
Please enjoy: Nigaah-e-naaz ka ik vaar kar ke chhod diya…..
Nigaah-e-naaz ka ik vaar kar ke chhod diya
Dil-e-hareef ko bedaar kar ke chhod diya She left with after just one attack of her look of love
She left me after awakening my rival heart
(Nigaah-e-naaz=Look of love; vaar=attack; Dil-e-hareef=heart of rival; bedaar = awake, vigilant)
Hui to hai younhi tardeed-e-ahd-e-lutf-o-karam
Dabi zubaan se ikraar kar ke chhod diya It has happened somehow the refusal to accept the promise of pleasure and favour With pursed lips she left me after giving consent
(tardeed=to refuse to admit/accept; ahd=promise; lutf=pleasure; karam=favour; ikraar=consent, promise)
Chhupe kuchh aise ki taa-ziist na aaye nazar
Raheen-e-hasrat-e-deedaar kar ke chhod diya She hid herself such that even the trace of life cannot be seen She left after making a pledge about the desire to see
(taa-ziist=trace or proof of life; Raheen-e-hasrat-e-deedaar=pledged to the desire to see)
Mujhe to qaid-e-mohabbat azeez thi lekin
Kisi ne mujh ko giraftaar kar ke chhod diya The prison of love became dear to me, but, Someone made me a prisoner but then left me
Nazar ko jur.at-e-takmeel-e-bandagii na hui
Tavaaf-e-kucha-e-dildaar kar ke chhod diya My eyes couldn’t get the courage for completion of devotion I left after circumambulation of the street of the beloved
(jur.at-e-takmeel-e-bandage=courage for completion of devotion; tavaaf-e-kucha-e-didaar=circumambulation of street of the beloved (just as you circumambulate around the idol of a god/goddess)
Khushaa vo kashmakash-e-rabt-e-baahamii jis ne
Dil-o-dimaag ko bekaar kar ke chhod diya Blessed is she who through the dilemma of slow sadomasochism Has left me after making my heart and mind useless
(Khushaa=blessed, fortunate; kashmakash=dilemma; rabt=slow; baahami=sadomasochism. So the meaning of this really excellent couplet is=Fortunate/blessed is she who through the dilemma of slow sadomasochism has made my heart and mind useless!)
Zahe-naseeb ki duniya ne tere gham se mujhe
Masarraton ko talabgaar kar ke chhod diya The world of the lucky has done to me in your sorrow That I am left as a seeker of happinesses
(Zahe-naseeb=one who has good luck/lucky; Masarraton=happinesses; talabgaar=seeker, desirous; Another excellent couplet; I am lucky in the world wherein your sorrow has left me after making me a seeker of happinesses)
Karam ki aas mein ab kis ke dar pe jaaye Shakeel
Jab aap hi ne gunaahgaar kar ke chhod diya. Shakeel, in the hope of kindness (karam) now at whose door should I go When you yourself has abandoned me as an accused
Ghazal #23
This one is as expressive as it is simple.
Please enjoy: Pehlu mein dard-e-ishq ki duniya liye hue….
Pehlu mein dard-e-ishq ki duniya liye hue,
Baitha hoon zindagi ka sahaara liye hue. In the flank with the world of pain of love I sit leaning on life
Dil hai tajalii-e-rukh-e-zebaa liye hue,
Aagosh mein hai chand ko dariya liye hue. Heart has the lightening of her beautiful face (As if) The river has moon in its embrace
(tajalii-e-rukh-e-zebaa=lightening of beautiful face; Aagosh=embrace)
Pahunche to dil mein josh-e-tamanna liye hue,
Laute magar lutii hui duniyaa liye hue. I reached there with heart full of zeal and desire I returned with my world in shambles
Main jii raha hoon gham-kada-e-rozgaar mein,
Teri mohabbaton ka sahaara liye hue. I am living in the house of sorrow of livelihood With the support of your love
(gham-kada-e-rozgaar=house of sorrow of livelihood/employment)
Utha hoon bazm-e-husn se loghzish-ba-paa Shakeel,
Behaki hui ik nazar ka sahaara liye hue. I have risen from the assembly of beauty having slipped with my feet But seeking the support of her intoxicating eyes
(bazm-e-husn=assembly of beauty; loghzish-ba-paa=slipping of foot)
Ghazal #24
Irony and despondence are two characteristics of Shakeel Badayuni’s poetry. Here both are seen together. At the end of the translation, please listen to Ustaad Moin Khan and his group.
Please enjoy: Zindagi uanki chaah mein guzari….
Zindagi unaki chaah mein guzari
Mustaqil dard o raah mein guzari My life was spent desiring her Permanently spent in the street of pain
(Mustaqil=permanently, firmly)
Rahmaton se nibaah mein guzari
Umr saari gunaah mein guzari It was spent dealing with blessings The whole life was spent sinfully
(Rahmaton=blessings; nabaah=dealing)
Haay vo zindagi ki ik saa.at
Jo teri baargaah mein guzari Alas, those moments in my life Which were spent in your court
(saa.at=moment; baargaah=audience hall, court)
Sab ki nazaron mein sar-buland rahe
Jab taq unaki nigaah mein guzari My head was held high in every eye Until I passed in front of her eyes
Main vo ikraar-e-mohabbat hoon
Jis ki manzil bhi raah mein guzari I am that consent of love Whose destination is lost on the way
Ik khushi hamane dil mein chaahi thi
Vo bhi gham ki panaah mein guzari I sought just one joy, but That too was at the mercy of (panaah) of her sorrow
Zindagi apani ai Shakeel ab tak
Talkhi-e-rasm-o-raah mein guzari O Shakeel, my life so far Was spent in the bitterness of the path of tradition
(Talkhi-e-rasm-o-raah= bitterness of the path of tradition)
Ghazal #25
The subject of wine-glass or goblet again; but, with a difference.
Please enjoy: Naa paimaane chhalakte hain naa daur-e-jam chalta hai….
Naa paimaane khanakte hain naa daur-e-jaam chalta hai,
Nayi duniya ki rindon mein khuda ka naam chalta hai. Neither there is tinkle of peg-measures nor there is round of wine drinking In the world of the drunkards the name of God is prevalent
(rindon=drunkards)
Gham-e-ishq se hain gham-e-hasti ke hungaame judaa lekin,
Vahan bhi din guzarte hain yahaan bhi kaam chalta hai. The commotion (hungama) of sorrow of existence (gham-e-hasti) is separate from sorrow of love (gham-e-ishq) There too days pass, here too work goes on
Chhupe hain laakh haq ke marhale gumnaam hontho par,
Usi ki baat chal jaati hai jiska naam chalta hai. Lakhs of stages of right are hidden on unnamed lips He who has a name is able to dictate terms
Junoon-e-rah-ravii-e-waqt ki raftaar se poochho,
Koi manzil nahin lekin yeh subah o shaam chalta hai.
Enquire from the speed of the madness of time’s journey
It has no destination but it goes on morning and evening (meaning all the time)
(Junoon-e-rah-ravii-e-waqt=madness of time’s journey in orbit)
Shakeel-e-mast ko masti main jo kehna hai kehne do,
Ye maikhaana hai ai vaaiz yahan sab kaam chalta hai. Let Shakeel who is fun-filled say whatever he wants to say in fun This is a tavern O preacher, here anything is acceptable
(vaaiz=preacher)
Ghazal #26
There wasn’t a poet and lyricist like him. Probably, there won’t ever be. He used words as a goldsmith uses gold to make beautiful ornaments.
Here is his second most popular ghazal sung by Shanti Heranand.
Please enjoy: Nazar Nawaz nazaron mein ji nahin lagata….
Nazar nawaaz nazaron mein ji nahin lagata,
Woh kyaa gaye ki bahaaron mein ji nahin lagata. My heart cannot find joy in sights that are pleasing to the eye She left and now spring cannot amuse me
(Nazar nawaaz=Pleasing to the eye)
Shab-e-firaaq ko ai chaand aa ke chamka de,
Nazar udaas hai taaron mein ji nahin lagata. Only moon (her) can come and brighten the night of separation My sight is sad, stars cannot amuse me
(Shab-e-firaaq=Night of separation/longing)
Gham-e-hayaat ke maare to ham bhi hain lekin,
Gham-e-hayaat ke maaron mein ji nahin lagata.
Even I am a victim of sorrow of life, but
I do not find amusement in the midst of other victims of sorrow of life.
(Gham-e-hayaat=Sorrow of life)
Na poochh mujhase tere gham mein kyaa guzarti hai,
Yahi kahunga hazaaron mein ji nahin lagata. Don’t ask me how I spend my time in your sorrow I shall say only this that I don’t find amusement in the midst of thousands
Kuchh is qadar hai gham-e-zindagi se dil maayus,
Khizaan gayi to bahaaron mein ji nahin lagata. In this manner is the heart saddened by sorrow of life That when autumn was over, spring doesn’t amuse me
Fasaana-e-shab-e-gham khatm hone waala hai,
Shakeel chand sitaaron mein ji nahin lagata.
Story of the night of grief is about to end now
Shakeel, (now) moon and the stars don’t amuse me anymore
(Fasaana-e-shab-e-gham=Story of the night of grief)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=WYQRvcaU8FA%3F
Ghazal #27
One wonders how Shakeel was able to write one after the other beautiful ghazal!
Please enjoy: Shikwe tere huzoor kiye jaa raha hoon main….
Shikwe tere huzoor kiye jaa raha hoon main,
Jo kuchh bhi ho qusoor kiye jaa raha hoon main. Respected Sir, I keep complaining to you Whatever happens I keep doing wrong
(Shikwe=Complaints)
Vahm-e-ta.ayyunaat ka anjaam dekhna,
Nazdeekiyon ko door kiye jaa raha hoon main. Look for the result of the whim of fixtures I keep converting nearness into distances
(Vahm-e-ta.ayyunaat=Whim of fixtures)
Mahv-e-tavaaf koocha-e-hasti mein rahmaten,
Shayad koi qusoor kiye jaa raha hoon main. I seek mercies through being busy in circumambulation of street of life Perhaps I am committing some wrong somewhere
(Mahv-e-tavaaf=Busy in circumambulation; Koocha-e-hasti=Street of life; Rahmaten=Mercies)
Rakhi hui hai sang-e-dar-e-yaar par jabeen,
Is ijz par ghurur kiye jaa raha hoon main. My forehead is kept at the stone of my beloved’s doorstep This modesty of mine fills me with pride
(Sang-e-dar-e-yaar=Stone of beloved’s doorstep; Jabeen=Forehead; Ijz=Modesty; Ghurur=Pride)
Nazar-e-nigaah-e-naaz hain dil ki nazaakten,
Sheeshe ko choor choor kiye jaa raha hoon main. Offerings of beloved’s glance are the delicacies of heart I am smashing into fragments the wine-glass
(Nazar-e-nigaah-e-naaz=Offering of beloved’s glance; Nazaakten=Delicacies)
Rabt-e-niyaaz-o-naaz ka aalam to dekhna,
Naadim hain vo qusoor kiye jaa raha hoon main. Just look at the contact of love and coquetry She is sorry for the wrongs that I am committing
(Rabt-e-niyaaz-o-naaz=Contact of love and coquetry; Naadim=Sorry)
Socha kabhi na hazrat-e-vaa.iz ne ye Shakeel,
Rindon mein zikr-e-hoor kiye jaa raha hoon main. The master preacher never thought of this, O Shakeel In the midst of drunkards I am describing a beautiful angelic woman
(Hazrat-e-vaa.iz=Master preacher; Rindon=Drunkards; Zikr-e-hoor=Description of beautiful woman)
Ghazal #28
Please enjoy Gayatri Gaekwad sing this beautiful ghazal: Unake bagair hum jo gulistaan mein aa gaye…..
Unake bagair ham jo gulistaan mein aa gaye,
Mehsoos ye hua ke bayabaan mein aa gaye. Without her when I entered the flower-garden It felt like I entered some wilderness
(Bayabaan=wilderness)
Tash.heer-e-dil-giraftagi-e-husn ho gayi,
Aansu chhalak ke chashm-e-pashemaan mein aa gaye. Her heart-ravishing beauty was publicised when My tears dropped from my repentant eyes
(Tash.heer-e-dil-giraftagi-e-husn=publicity of captivating or heart ravishing beauty; Chashm-e-pashemaan=repentant eyes)
Ham tark-e-rabt-o-zabt-e-mohabbat ke baavjuud,
Sau baar khinch ke kuucha-e-jaanan mein aa gaye. I, in spite of the renunciation of contact with and control over love Hundreds of times fell victim to the pull of beloved’s street
(Tark-e-rabt-o-zabt-e-mohabbat=Renunciation of contact with and control over Love; Kuucha-e-jaanan=beloved’s street)
Phuulon ko raas aaya na jab arsa-e-bahaar,
Gulshan se hat ke gosha-e-daaman mein aa gaye. Flowers didn’t find alright the duration of spring Abandoning the garden they came to the piece of her hem
(Gosha-e-daaman=piece of the hem)
Har-chand ahl-e-hosh the arbaab-e-zindagi,
Lekin fareb-e-gardish-e-dauraan mein aa gaye. Although people of reason were the ambassadors (ardaab) of life But they fell victim to the deception of movement of times
(Har-chand=although; Ahl-e-hosh=people of reason; Fareb-e-gardish-e-dauraan=deception of movement of times)
Aaya meri zubaan pe yaka yak jo unka naam,
Kis kis ke haath mere garebaan pe aa gaye. When suddenly her name came on my tongue Whose all hands held my collar (in anger)
(Garebaan=collar)
Chhup kar nigaah-e-shauk se dil mein panaah li,
Dil mein naa chhup sake to rag-e-jaan mein aa gaye. My heart sought refuge hidden from the eye that seeks pleasure When it couldn’t hide in the heart, it came into the jugular vein
(Rag-e-jaan=jugular vein)
The muntashar azal mein jo zarraat-e-kuu-e-dost,
Insaan ban ke aalam-e-imkaan mein aa gaye. The particles from the street of the beloved were disorderly They became human and entered the world of possibilities
(Muntashar=disorderly; Azal=beginning; Zarraat-e-kuu-e-dost=particles from the street of the beloved; Aalam-e-imkaan=world of possibilities)
Jinaki adaa adaa mein hain raanaayiyan Shakeel,
Ash.aar ban ke vo mere deevaan mein aa gaye. In whose grace are beauties, Shakeel They entered my royal court after becoming couplets
(Raanaayiyan=beauties; Ash.aar=couplets; deevaan=royal court)
Ghazal #29
A relatively simpler one sung by the Ghazal King Talat Mehmood.
Koi aarzu bahin hai, koi mudda nahin hai,
Tera gham rahe salaamat, mere dil mein kyaa nahin hai. There is no desire (aarzu), there is no issue (mudda) Long live your sorrow, what is not there in my heart?
Kahaan jaam-e-gham ki talkhi kahaan zindagi kaa darmaan,
Mujhe vo dawa mili hai jo meri dawa nahin hai. Where is bitterness of goblet of sorrow, where is remedy for life I have got that medicine, which is not my medicine
(Jaam-e-gham=goblet of sorrow; Talkhi=bitterness; Darmaan=remedy)
Tu bachaaye laakh daaman mera phir bhi hai ye vaada,
Tere dil mein main hi main hoon koi doosra nahin hai. You may take your hem of dress away, but I still make that promise In your heart only I am there, no one else resides there
Tujhe keh diya sitamgar ye qusoor tha zabaan kaa,
Mujhe tum muaaf kar do meraa dil bura nahin hai. I called you a tyrant (sitamgar), it was guilt of my tongue Please forgive me, my heart is not bad
Mujhe dost kehne waale zaraa dosti nibha de,
Ye mutaalba hai haq kaa koi iltija nahin hai. You who calls me friend, you come a little equal to friendship This is a demand of right and not a request
(Mutaalba=demand; Iltija=request)
Ye udaas udaas chehre ye haseen haseen tabassum,
Tere anjuman mein shayad koi aainaa nahin hai. These sad faces, these beautiful smiles Perhaps there is no mirror in your society
(Anjuman=society or gathering)
Meri aankh ne tujhe bhi bakhudaa Shakeel paaya,
Main samajh raha tha mujh sa koi doosra nahin hai. My eyes found you too, Shakeel swears by God (Before that) I thought there is no one like me
(Bakhudaa=swear by God)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=E12S5MsrpO4%3F
Ghazal #30
This is the last one in this Part II (wait for Part III for the remaining ghazals)
Please enjoy: Jazbaat ki rau mein beh gaya hoon….
Jazbaat ki rau mein beh gaya hoon,
Kehna jo naa tha wo keh gaya hoon. I have flown in the flow of emotions (Jazbaat) What I didn’t want to say I have said
Har lamha-e-sar khushi mein aksar,
Do ashq baha ke reh gaya hoon. Often in every moment of ecstasy I couldn’t help shedding two tears
(Lamha-e-sar-khushi=moment of ecstasy)
Thaa jin pe gumaan tere sitam kaa,
Kuchh aise karam bhi seh gaya hoon. Those that were suspiciously your tyrannies Even those mercies I have tolerated
(Gumaan=suspicion; Sitam=tyranny)
Shayad vo ise junoon samajh lein,
Ik baat pate ki keh gaya hoon. Perhaps she may think of this as my madness (junoon) (But) one thing of substance I have said
Ab kyaa gham-e-saahil-o-talaatum,
Ik mauj ke haath beh gaya hoon. Now what is the sorrow of shore and storm I have flown at the hands of a wave
(Gham-e-saahil-o-talaatum=sorrow of shore or storm; Mauj=wave)
एक मुद्दत से तमन्ना थी जिसे कहने की,
बात वो अब भी मैं कह नहीं पायूँगा सनम,
ज़िंदा हैं अश्क़ अब भी जो बहाये मैंने,
मैं उन अश्कों मैं कभी बह नहीं पायूँगा सनम I
याद आएँगी मुझे खामोश ओ मजबूर रातें,
अपने ही आप से मैं करता रहा था बातें
सोचा था अब तेरे दीदार को ना तरसूँगा कभी
जो न मुझे मिल सका उस प्यार को ना तरसूँगा कभी
सोच कर फिर वही मायूस सा हो कर सोचा
बिन तुम्हारे मैं रह भी ना पायूँगा सनम
वो बात अब भी मैं कह नहीं पायूँगा सनम I
मेरे बारे में कभी तुमने भी ये सोचा होगा
ये भी एक और दीवाना है दीवानो की तरह
मैं जो रौशन हूँ सियाह रात में शमा की तरह
मेरा परवाना है यह भी परवानो की तरह
सोच कर तूने इतना तो सोचा होता:
इतने सितम मैं सह भी ना पायूँगा सनम
वो बात अब भी मैं कह नहीं पायूँगा सनम I
खुद को मुझसे इतना भी ना तू दूर समझ
अपने परवाने को इतना भी ना मजबूर समझ
मैं अगर चाहूँ तो इतनी भी है ताक़त मुझ में:
याद को तेरी मैं इक तू ही बना सकता हूँ
इक तो तू है जो मेरी हर बात को समझे वहशत
अपनी तू को मैं हर इक बात सुना सकता हूँ
तुझको सजाना चाहूँ तो ज़ुल्फ़ भी छूने नहीं दे
अपने अरमानो से तेरा हर अंग सजा सकता हूँ
गम नहीं अब जो तू लाख भी रूठे मुझसे
अपनी तू को मैं जब चाहे मना सकता हूँ I
(Pic courtesy: www.dreamtime.com)
Ek muddat se tamanna thi jise kehane ki,
Baat wo ab bhi main keh nahin paayunga sanam,
Zinda hain ashq ab bhi jo bahaaye maine,
Main un ashqon main kabhi beh nahin paayunga sanam.
Yaad aayengi mujhe khaamosh o majbuur raaten
Apane hi aap se main karta raha tha baaten
Socha tha ab tere deedaar ko naa tarsuunga kabhi,
Jo naa mile mil saka us pyaar ko naa tarsuunga kabhi.
Soch kar phir wohi mayuus saa ho kar socha:
Bin tumhaare main reh bhi naa paayunga sanam,
Wo baat ab bhi main keh nahin paayunga sanam.
Mere bare mein tum ne bhi ye socha hoga,
Yeh bhi ik aur deewana hai deewano ki tarah;
Main jo raushan hoon siyaah raat ki shamaa ki tarah,
Mera parwaana hai yeh bhi parwaano ki tarah.
Soch kar tune itana to socha hota,
Itane sitm main she bhi naa paayunga sanam,
Wo baat ab bhi main keh nahin paayunga sanam.
Khud ko mujh se itana bhi naa tu door samajh,
Apane parwaane ko itana bhi naa majbuur samajh.
Main agar chaahun to itani bhi hai taaqat mujh mein,
Yaad ko teri main ik tu hi bana sakata hoon.
Ik to tu hai jo meri har baat ko samajhe vehshat,
Apani us tu ko main har ik baat suna sakata hoon.
Tujhako sjaana chaahun to zulf bhi chhune nahin de,
Apane armaano mein tera har ang saja sakata hoon.
Gam nahin ab jo agar laakh bhi roothe mujh se,
Aapni tu ko main jab chaahe manaa sakata hoon.
Why do we sometimes cry listening to our favourite old songs?
Last night, I got the desire to see 1952 iconic movie Baiju Bawra after five decades. As each song was played from ‘Jhule mein pawan ke aayi bahaar’ as Gauri and Baiju grow up, to ‘Tu Ganga ki mauj’, ‘Door koi gaaye’, ‘Insaan bano’, Bachpan ki mohabbat ko, ‘Mujhe bhool gaye saanwariya’, ‘Man tadpat Hari darsan ko aaj’ and ‘O duniya ke rakhwaale’; I felt the eyes and heart becoming more and more moist.
Why do we cry? Oh, I will give anything to have those movies and songs again; flute was an essential instrument, there was simplicity, there was innocence and there was as Badshaah Akbar said in the movie: Azmat!
I was thrillrd to see that credits to Ustaad Amir Khan and DV Paluskar ranked ahead of playback singers Rafi, Lata and Shamshad Begum.
Why do we cry?
Does anyone have the answer? Well, I posed this question in my Facebook Group ‘Yaad Kiya Dil Ne’ (I had to make this group when in the last group ‘Dil Ki Nazar Se’ people started putting up frivolous posts. All my groups, on the other hand, are based on the principle of mutual-learning than merely groups for entertainment and socialising). Here are the responses from some of my friends on the group.
1. Nitin Shringarpure “Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of Powerful feelings. It takes its origins from the emotions recollected in tranquillity” William Wordsworth, “Same is the thing with crying”.
2. Surekha Saini Well my reason for crying is a bit stupid. ..when I listen to these songs I start relating myself to the character n feel the same pain through lyrics n music the character must be feeling in that situation. …n I cry every time when I listen to. .Mann tadpat Hari darsan ko aaj…and..O duniyaa ke rakh wale. ..from my childhood so no chance of memories related to the songs…I mentioned both poetry n music. ..as a child I used to cry with no reason but now its lyrics n poetry n of course singing. ..n if I relate myself to the character means movie n the storyline come naturally. ..until I understand the film thoroughly how can I relate myself to the character. …actually mera dil mere dimag se jyada kaam karta hai. …
3. Raj Dutta When ever our Soul wishes to have a bath…it takes the body and the brain though a memory trip facilitated by sense organs mostly eyes and ears…the brain does some chemical locha and triggers and squeezes the tears ducts…moistening your eyes and sinuses…And lo the Soul is fresh again…sentimentally and temperamentally formatted…But my late eldest Tayyaji never wept even on the demise of his near and dear ones…When I once asked him the reason He in a shayrana andaz said, “Bahut roya hoon Ghame zindagi mein, Ab toh ansuon ne bhi mujhe bhula diya hai”…He had taken part in WW II.
Raj Dutta then put up a Pakistani song by Rahim Shah to explain this:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=KyHanHl5X30%3F
This only means one thing that the very songs that we rued kept us away from storyline and “avoidable” at that time when we used to see movies as children and teenagers, are actually the most wonderful memories of the movies of that time. And remember how we used to compare with Hollywood matter-of-fact, “professionally made” “no nonsense and no songs” movies?
There is no better way to express emotions than through poetry.
Tears are also seen as a ‘release’ of emotions. Indeed, at deep and traumatic shocks, the docs get worried if the affected person does not cry. There are many theories about crying. One lovely one was given to us by Mukesh through Anand Bakshi and Laxmikant Pyarelal in 1967 movie Milan:
Mubaarak ho sab ko samaa ye suhaanaa mai.n khush huu.N mere aa.Nsuo.n pe na jaanaa mai.n to diivaanaa diivaanaa diivaanaa – 2
Hazaaro.n tarah ke ye hote hai.n aa.Nsuu agar dil me.n Gam ho to rote hai.n aa.Nsuu khushii me.n bhii aa.Nkhe.n bhigote hai.n aa.Nsuu inhe.n jaan sakataa nahii.n ye zamaanaa mai.n khush huu.N mere aa.Nsuo.n pe na jaanaa mai.n to diivaanaa diivaanaa diivaanaa – 2
The other is the 1964 movie Hamrahi song put together by Hasrat Jaipuri and Shankar Jaikishen and Rafi for Rajendra Kumar:
Ye aa.Nsuu mere dil kii zubaan hai.n -2
mai.n ro_uu.N to ro de.n aa.Nsuu
mai.n ha.Ns duu.N to ha.Ns de.n aa.Nsuu
ye aa.Nsuu mere dil kii zubaan hai.n -2
Aa.Nkh se Tapakii jo chi.ngaarii, har aa.Nsuu me.n chhabii tumhaarii
chiir ke mere dil ko dekho, bahate lahuu me.n priit tumhaarii
ye jiivan jaise sulagaa tuufaan hai
ye aa.Nsuu mere dil ki zubaan hai.n -2
mai.n ro_uu.N to ro de.n aa.Nsuu
mai.n ha.Ns duu.N to ha.Ns de.n aa.Nsuu
ye aa.Nsuu mere dil kii zubaan hai.n -2
So then why did the eyes start becoming moist with the very first song: Jhule mein pawan ke aayi bahaar even though the song is nice, happy and romantic song in the movie Baiju Bawra?
Here are the responses:
Ritu Soni I cry sometimes because I connect with the lyrics and music to a very emotional and personal level and sometimes I cry as I feel where all this has gone.. The simple beautiful people and life.
Manju Saigal Mittal Tears r just an expression of emotion I think!
Surekha Saini Ravi ji. …its not necessary that u cry only when you feel sad or hurt…Hum log jab anandit hote hain tab bhi to aankhe chhalakti hain. …Ab main. ..Mann tadpat Hari darsan ko aaj. ..pe kyon roti hun….may be its my desire to see God…reason for crying while listening to a song varies person to person. ..
Vipan Kohli Much has been written by Surekha ji Raj Ritu Soni and Nitin Shingarpure about tears. Here’s Hindi poem on tears. I don’t know who wrote it but it appealed to me the moment I read it.
आंसू छंद नहीं होते हैं आंसू नियम नहीं होते हैं
भावों की अनुभूति है आंसू, कभी ख़ुशी कभी गम होते हैं.. मैंने देखे सुख के आंसू, हंसते गाते झिलमिल आंसू
दुःख मे भी देखे हैं आंसू, दर्द भरे रोते से आंसू.. हुई बिदाई जब बिटिया की, छलक पड़े आँखों से आंसू
गौरव के पल आने पर भी, बह निकले आँखों से आंसू.. कभी किसी की मृत्यु हुई जब, बरबस बहते देखे आँसू
खुशियों के अवसर पर भी तो, रुक न सके आँखों मे आंसू.. दरिया कभी बनाते हैं आंसू, मोती सम पलकों मे आंसू
जार-जार रोते हैं आंसू, बार-बार आते हैं आंसू.. दिल ने जब भी रोना चाहा, सुख गए आँखों के आंसू
प्यार जहां इनको मिल पाया, छलक गये आँखों से आंसू.. सुख में भी आँखों मे आंसू, सूरदास के बहते आंसू
ऊँच -नीच का भेद न करते, नर-नारी के आते आंसू.. प्रियतम की चाहत है आंसू, माँ नयनो मे ममता आंसू भाई बहन का प्यार हैं आंसू, जीवन का श्रृंगार है आंसू..
At this stage, Amit Lambah and Maj Vishwas Mandloi took opportunity to post some Aansu songs (the group is meant for that) such as:
“Teri aankh kay aansoo pii jaoon aisi meri taqdeer kahan”
“Tukde hain mere dil kay aye yaar tere aansoon, dekhey nahin jaate hain dildaar tere aansoo.”
“Rona kabhi nahi rona …chahe toot jaye koyi khilona”
I, therefore, realised that whilst I was looking for reasons as to why does one cry listening to old favourites, everyone has own reasons for the same. This thought itself was covered so nicely by Sahir Ludhianvi (I regard this as his best) in the 1961 Hum Dono’s most beautiful song:
कभी ख़ुद पे, कभी हालात पे रोना आया
बात निकली, तो हर इक बात पे रोना आया
हम तो समझे थे कि हम भूल गए हैं उनको
क्या हुआ आज, ये किस बात पे रोना आया
किस लिये जीते हैं हम किसके लिये जीते हैं
बारहा ऐसे सवालात पे रोना आया
कौन रोता है किसी और की ख़ातिर ऐ दोस्त
सबको अपनी ही किसी बात पे रोना आया
Vipan Kohli, at this stage, put up a most beautiful Punjabi song by Jimmy Shergil: Rona Chadita Mahi Mahi
Raj Dutta wasn’t to be left behind and put up: Aaj bahut roya main….
https://youtube.com/watch?v=qqd4RyezpP0%3F
Here is a moistening of eyes of different nature as a tribute to all my friends on YKDN: Yaaro mera saath nibhaao roz aisi mehfil kahan:
rahe na kuch aaj sab luta do
dilo me jitna hai pyar baki
rahe na kuch aaj sab luta do
dilo me jitna hai pyar baki
rang ho jitne bhi yahi saja do
hogi na kal ye bahar baki
hasi ke chirag jalao ho gayi raat jawan
bhig jaye aaj palke aao hase itna
yaro mera sath nibao roj aisi mahfil kaha
bhig jaye aaj palke aao hase itna
kisi liye koi luta to gham kya
jine ko ek ye khushi bahut hai
kisi liye koi luta to gham kya
jine ko ek ye khushi bahut hai
mile na mile ek sanam ki bahe
mujhe tumhari basti basti bahut hai
dekho aise dur na jao pyar ka yahi hai sama
bhig jaye aaj palke aao hase itna
yaro mera sath nibao roj aisi mahfil kaha
bhig jaye aaj palke aao hase itna
aao hase itna aao hase itna
And since it was the death anniversary of Talat Mehmood and since Patita is the movie of the title song of the group, I put up one more reason why aansu jhalak jaate hain.
Please enjoy: Hain sabase madhur woh geet jinhe…
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत जिन्हें, हम ददर् के सुर में गाते हैं
जब हद से गुज़र जाती है खुशी, आँसू भी छलकते आते हैं
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत
(पहलू में पराये दर्द बसाके, हँसना हँसाना सीख ज़रा
तू हँसना हँसाना सीख ज़रा ) – २
तूफ़ान से कह दे घिर के उठे, हम प्यार के दीप जलाते हैं
हम प्यार के दीप जलाते हैं
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत …
(काँटों में खिले हैं फूल हमारे, रंग भरे अरमानों के
रंग भरे अरमानों के ) – २
नादान हैं जो इन काँटों से, दामन को बचाये जाते हैं
दामन को बचाये जाते हैं
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत …
(जब ग़म का अन्धेरा घिर आये, समझो के सवेरा दूर नहीं
समझो के सवेरा दूर नहीं ) – २
हर रात की है सौगात यही, तारे भी यही दोहराते हैं
तारे भी यही दोहराते हैं
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत …
HAIN SABSE MADHUR WO GEET -TALAT MEHMOOD…
Manik Lakhkar Chava Awwww…. long discussion. Ravi, there is and can not be any remote control. One feels like crying… aansu bahane dijiye. Cry for some one with some one… the drop of pearls are too valuable…. for you, me for every one.
Evani Leela Aansoo aanaa matlab aatma parmatma ko chu rahi hai. Jab dil se dil ke taar juDte hain to jo bridge banta hai, wohi aansoo hote hain. Jab koi drishya dekha, kuch suna, kuch mehsoos kiya, kisi ki uaad aayi, koi kitab yaa kahani paDhi to aanssoo bhi chalakte hain, muskaan bhi khilti hai. Inn donon par jab sanyam nahin hai to samjho hum uss paramatma ke kareeb hain.
Evani Leela Phoolon ki khushboo bhi aapko rulasakti hai khushi se, bachon ki kilkaari bhi rulasakti hai. Manik Lakhkar Chava se poochiye jab humne inki poti par geet post kiye to kyon royi. Humne jab anniversary lar geet post kiye to kyon aansoo chalke?
Evani Leela Aansoo aur muskaan donon par jab hamara vash na rahe to hum saamne wale ke dil ke ander samaa gaye. Isi liye jab geetkaar ke shabd humen rulate hain to iska matlab hai, woh geetkaar hamare dil mein ufar gaya aur usne woh kaha jo hum khud kehna chahte the. Jab woh shabd hum tak pahunchte hain to hamare dil ke taaron mein jhankaar hoti hai. Wohi niyam sangeet ke liye bhi laagoo hota hai.
Amit Lambah “Jo hamne dastaan apni sunayii aap kyon roye….hamara dard o gham hai yeh issay kyon aap sehte hain, yeh kyun aansoo hamare aapki aankhon se behte hain….. qayamat aapke ashkon ne dhayi aap kyon roye .jo hamne dastaan aoni sunayi…..naa yeh ansoin rukke to dekhiye phir hum bhi ro denge, hum apne ansoo on mein chaand taaron ko dubbo denge, fanaah ho jayegi saari khudaayi aap kyon roye…
Evani Leela Maine ek baar ek choti si kahaani paDhi thi, jismein do sceintist shukr grah par pahunchte hainn wahan par ek hi praani dikha jo ek talab mein tair raha tha. Use ek sceintist ne dekha aur use chune ki koshish ki.par woh haath na aakar door door tairta …See More
This started another round of Aansu songs with Vipan Kohli suggesting that we have a Flash Fest on Aansu
Maj Vishwas Mandloi Jo hamne dastaan apni sunayi … aap kyu roye …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf3RhMt_ljU
I reminded them that the other day Surekha Saini commented how at one time she was jealous of my comments on Evani Leela’s posts and comments.
“Now, take this post itself. All of us, in answer to the question ‘Why Do We Cry With Our Favourite Songs?‘ thought of this as an oopurtunity to put up Aansu songs. Some even suggested that we have an Aansu Fest here itself. Not Evani Leela. She responded with ‘dil se’ (something that she does in all her posts and comments, beautifully and brilliantly, in the wee hours of the morning after all the dust had settled down, as to why do we cry.
Now, you will understand, brothers and sisters, this special relationship of not just brother and sister but of love, dard, empathy, and emotions. I remember the time about two years back when her description of a song would be one or two words: eg, Song#1 and the first word of the song such as Aansu. However, I saw in her someone special, someone who feels deeply. The result is for all of you to see.
Evani Leela came up with a gem, at this stage that Aansu and Muskaan are two sides of the same coin. In her own words: “Maine yehi mehsoos kiya ki aansoo aur muskaan sikke ke do pehlu hain. Kisi bhi tarf dekgo sikke ki value kum nahin hoti. Haan yeh baat alag hai ki humari aankhen num hon to tapasya doosron ke aansoo pee saken to paramatma ka vardaan.
She put up a beautiful song by Shailendra from the 1959 Raj Kapoor Movie Anadi:
किसी की मुस्कुराहटों पे हो निसार
किसीका दर्द मिल सके तो ले उधार
किसीके वास्ते हो तेरे दिल में प्यार
जीना इसी का नाम है
किसी की …
(माना अपनी जेब से फ़कीर हैं
फिर भी यारों दिल के हम अमीर हैं ) – (२)
मिटे जो प्यार के लिये वो ज़िन्दगी
जले बहार के लिये वो ज़िन्दगी
किसी को हो न हो हमें तो ऐतबार
जीना इसी का नाम है
(रिश्ता दिल से दिल के ऐतबार का
ज़िन्दा है हमीं से नाम प्यार का ) – (२)
के मर के भी किसी को याद आयेंगे
किसी के आँसुओं में मुस्कुरायेंगे
कहेगा फूल हर कली से बार बार
जीना इसी का नाम है
So, ultimsately, I had dozens of excellent replies as to why do we cry when we listen to old favourite songs.
We feel for the era gone by: our own as well as the era of the song, we feel for the Lyricists, Music Directors, Singers and Actors of those movies. We relive their emotions. We are touched by the simplicity and innocence in people as there used to be (Read: Hindi Songs And The Age of Innocence). There are many valid reasons.
I think, there is one more reason; and that is the great longing to belong (both emotionally and poetically) and call something one’s own: my own thoughts with which I relate to others who have similar (if not identical thoughts); someone who can understand my state of mind; something that I can call my own.
I am past sixty years of age now. And yet, at the end of six decades of going through this world, are friends my own? No. Are relatives my own? No. Are my children I can call my own? No. Is there something I can call my own? Hardly. Songs and poetry are something that helped me build my own private world. I cry when I am reminded of this world, however small, where I was I and I am still I
I was in school when Trini Lopez’s number by the name What Have I Got Of My Own? was released. I later heard the song from pop-singer Ajit during Summer Festival in Shimla.
The lyrics of the song went like this:
What have I got of my own, my own?
What have I got of my own?
The castles I build when I lie in the sand,
Belong to a king in a fairy tale land.
The treasures I find, when I dream in my sleep,
Are gone in the dawn. not a thjng I can keep.
What have I got of my own, my o~own?
What have I got of my own?
The stars all belong high in heaven above.
My heart belongs to the one that I love.
The rivers that flow all belong to the sea.
What have I got that belongs to me?
What have I got of my own, my o~own?
What have I got of my own?
I hope someday before too long
My heart will sing a happy song.
I’m tired of being lonely, unhappy and sad.
I wanna have the things that other men have.
What have I got of my own, my o~own?
What have I got of my own?
Solo interlude
If I could choose one thing forever to hold,
I know I would never choose diamonds or gold.
Just give me one true love to be mine alone,
Then I’ll have all the things of my own, my own.
What have I got of my own?
I was embarking on my journey through life and hence everything appeared within reach, everything was to be owned, to belong.
Four and half decades later, I am not too sure if anything at all belongs to me. Of course religion and scriptures tell me that finally when we go, we don’t take anything with us. And yet, there is this innate desire to own, to possess, to relate to; to be a little more precious than a speck of dust.
My own.
What have I got of my own?
I cry when I realise that just like Baiju Bawra, Naushad, Shakeel and Rafi; everything will pass away and even the memories would get blurred. As Shakeel, Naushad and Rafi voiced in the 1948 movie Mela:
ये ज़िंदगी के मेले, दुनिया में कम न होंगे
अफ़सोस हम न होंगे
इक दिन पड़ेगा जाना, क्या वक़्त, क्या ज़माना
कोई न साथ देगा, सब कुछ यहीं रहेगा
जाएंगे हम अकेले, ये ज़िंदगी …
दुनिया है मौज-ए-दरिया, क़तरे की ज़िंदगी क्या
पानी में मिल के पानी, अंजाम ये के पानी
दम भर को सांस ले ले, ये ज़िंदगी …
होंगी यही बहारें, उल्फ़त की यादगारें
बिगड़ेगी और चलेगी, दुनिया यही रहेगी
होंगे यही झमेले, ये ज़िंदगी …
These personalities are still being remembered at least by some one like me who relives their and my own era through their songs.
Who would ever think of me….. a katra (drop of water) in the river?
थक गया हूँ अब मैं ज़िन्दगी के झमेले में
गुम हो गया हूँ सरापर दुनिया के मेले में
मेरा वजूद क्या है मेरी हक़ीक़त क्या है?
पूछता हूँ अपने आप से यह सवाल अकेले में.
कोई जवाब नहीं आता सब धुंधला दिखता है
कौडी के बदले यहाँ इंसान बिकता है,
क्या मैं भी ऐसी “इंसानियत” की शख्सियत हूँ?
जो हो गुनाहगार पर मासूम लिखता है?
मुझे याद है अब भी वह सुहाना बचपन
वह हंसना खेलना वह लापरवाह लड़कपन
ज़िन्दगी ढूँढ़ते ढूँढ़ते कभी सोचा ही न था
वही तो था ज़िन्दगी का खूबसूरत अपनापन.
ज़िन्दगी ने ला दिया अब उस मुकाम पे
जुर्माना लग गया है अब किसी भी आराम पे
कभी जिस्म थक गया है कभी दिमाग हुआ है बंजर
तरस आ रहा है दिल – ऐ – नाकाम पे.
काश किसी जगह मिल जाए इस दिल को सुकून
आँख बंद हो जाए सर्द हो जाए ये गर्म खून
सांस थम जाए उभरते जज़्बात खामोश हो जाएँ
क़त्ल हो जाए दिल ओ दिमाग का जूनून.
बहुत देख लिया बहुत सोच लिया बहुत जी लिया
ग़म का जाम सुबह शाम पी लिया
फरेब – ऐ – नज़र से हयात बेइत्मेनान है
कांपते होंठों को मैंने कस के सी लिया.
(Pic courtesy: insideechenrysbrain.typepad.com)
Thak gaya hoon ab main zindagi ke jhamele mein
Gum ho gaya hoon saraapar duniya ke mele mein
Mera wajood kya hai meri haqeeqat kya hai
Poochhta hoon apne aap se yeh sawaal akele mein.
Koi jawaab nahin aata sab dhundhla dikhta hai
Kaudi ke badle yahan insaan bikta hai,
Kya main bhi aisi “insaaniyat” ki shakhsiyat hoon?
Jo ho gunaahgaar par maasoom likhta hai?
Mujhe yaad hai ab bhi wo suhaana bachpan
Wo hansna khelna wo laaparwaah ladhakpan
Zindagi dhoondte dhoondte kabhi socha hi naa tha
Wohi to tha zindagi ka khoobsurat apnaapan.
Zindagi ne laa diya ab us mukaam pe
Jurmaana lag gaya hai ab kisi bhi aaraam pe
Kabhi jism thak gaya hai kabhi dimaag hua hai banjar
Taras aa raha hai dil-e-nakaam pe.
Kaash kisi jagah mil jaaye is dil ko sukoon
Aankh band ho jaaye sard ho jaaye yeh garm khoon
Saans tham jaaye ubharte jazbaat khaamosh ho jaayen
Qatl ho jaaye dil o dimaag kaa junoon.
Bahut dekh liya, bahut soch liya, bahut jee liya
Gham kaa jam subah sham pi liya
Fareb-e-nazar se hayaat beitmaynan hai
Kaampte hontho ko maine kas ke si liya.
Why do I shed tears, year after year, on the day of the death anniversary of Shakeel (the name means Handsome or Good Looking), today, 20th April? Is it because he died too young (Having been born on 3rd Aug 1916, he was only 53 when he died on this day in 1970)? I am not even well versed in Urdu, not even a hundredth of what he was and yet I pray to God that before I die I should be able to write at least a couplet as good as he wrote.
On the 10th of January this year I started a Facebook group ‘Main Shayar To Nahin’ primarily to air my devotion for him and some other Urdu poets. I regularly put up Shakeel’s poetry with meanings so that more and more people can savour his excellence. I call him the King of Irony since no one can write irony better than he did. Just one example:
Na milata gham to barbaadi ke afsaane kahan jaate? If there was to be no sorrow, where would odes of ruin find a place
Agar duniya chaman hoti to veeraane kahan jaate? If the world would be just a garden, where would deserts find a place
Chalo achha hua apano mein koi gair to nikala, It is good that amongst own people there was an outsider too
Agar hote sabhi apane to begaane kahan jaate? If all people were your own (in the world) where would strangers find a place
We were a slave nation for 31 years of his 53 that he walked on this earth. All his contemporaries wrote about social inequalities, poverty, slavery and the like. Shakeel wrote about Love, Mohabbat, Ishq, Wafa, Ulfat; it is as if he lived in a different world. In addition, his god faring nature ensured that he also wrote the finest Bhajans in Hindi movies.
Lets start the journey into his Ghazals. This is the first part; more to follow:
Ghazal #1
His most famous ghazal had Irony, Gham, Despondency and ruefulness in adequate measures; a ghazal made famous by Begum Akhtar, Mallika-e-Ghazal (Queen of Ghazals), though other vied to sing it too.
Please enjoy: Aye mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aaya….
Aye Mohabbat Tere Anjaam Pe Ronaa Aayaa O love your outcome makes me cry
Jaane Kyun Aaj Tere Naam Pe Ronaa Aayaa Today I do not know why the mention of your name makes me cry
Youn To Har Shaam Ummidon Mein Guzar Jaati Hai As it is that every evening passed by in expectations
Aaj Kuch Baat Hai Jo Shaam Pe Ronaa Aayaa Today something is there that the evening makes me cry
Kabhi Taqdeer Ka Maatam Kabhi Duniyaa Ka Gilaa Sometimes I grieve for my destiny, sometimes I blame the world
Manzil-e-Ishq Mein Har Gaam Pe Ronaa Aayaa Every step I take towards the destination of love makes me cry
Mujh Pe Hi Khatam Huaa Silsila-e-nauhagari With me ended series of lamenting
Is Kadar Gardish-e-Ayyaam Pe Rona Aaya To this extent the vicissitudes of fortune made me cry
Jab Huaa Zikr Zamaane Mein Mohabbat Ka Shakeel When there was a discussion on love, worldwide, Shakeel
Mujh Ko Apne Dil-e-Naakaam Pe Ronaa Aayaa The futile struggles of my love made me cry
Ghazal #2
Another of his ghazals made immortal by Begum Akhtar had the same despondency, irony, sadness about it. Words melted into tears.
Please enjoy: Mere humnafas, mere humnuwa, mujhe dost ban ke daga na de….
Mere Humnafas, Mere Humnawaa, My soul-mate, my dearest friend
Mujhe Dost Ban Ke Dagaa Na De Do not be my friend and betray me
Main Hoon Dard-e-Ishq Se Jaan-Valab, The pain of love has left me lifeless
Mujhe Zindagi Ki Dua Na De Do not give to me the blessing of life
Main Gham-E-Jahan Se Nidhaal Hoon I am listless with the sorrow of life
Ke Saraapaa Dard-O-Malaal Hoon I am head to toe in the pain of grief
Jo Likhi Hai Mere Naseeb Mein What has been written in my fate
Wo Aalam Kisi Ko Khudaa Na De May God not grant to anyone this state
Na Ye Zindagi Meri Zindagi Neither this life is my life
Na Ye Daastaan Meri Daastaan Nor this story is my story
Main Khayaal O Weham Se Door Hoon From thoughts and fancies I am far away
Mujhe Aaj Koi Sadaa Na De May anyone not call me today
Mere Ghar Se Door Hain Raahatein Relief is distant from my home
Mujhe Dhoondhti Hain Musibatein Trouble has been searching for me
Mujhe Khauf Yeh Hai Ke Mera Pataa I am scared of this, that my address
Koi Gardishon Ko Bataa Na De May someone not reveal to my misfortunes
Mujhe Chhodd De Mere Haal Par, Let me please be on my own
Teraa Kyaa Bharosaa Hai Chaaragar How can I rely on you, O healer
Ye Teri Nawaazish-e-Mukhtasar, This inadequate favor of yours
Meraa Dard Aur Badhaa Na De May it not further aggravate my pain
Meraa Azm Itnaa Buland Hai My resolve is so sublime
Ke Paraaye Sholo-n Kaa Darr Nahin That the fire-bolts of others scare me not
Mujhe Khauf Aatish-e-Gul Se Hai, I fear the flare within the flower
Ye Kahin Chaman Ko Jalaa Na De May it not set the garden ablaze
Mere Daagh-e-Dil Se Hai Roshni, The scar of my love begets a radiance
Isi Roshni Se Hai Zindagi This radiance begets an existence
Mujhe Darr Hai Aye Mere Chaaragar, I am scared of this O healer of mine
Ye Chiraag Tu Hi Bujha Na De May you not yourself, blow out this lamp
Mera Chashm-E-Shauq Tera Bharam The desire in my eyes is a delusion for you
Rahe Umr Bhar Yoon Hi Taaza Dam Shall be fresh like this all of it’s life
Naa Pukaar Us Ko Ke Wo Sanam Do not call her or that darling of yours
Kahin Jal Ke Jalwa Dikha Na De May she not light up to display her splendour
Dar-E-Yaar Par Badi Dhoom Hai There is a big ruckus at the door of my lover
Wahi Aashiqon Ka Hujoom Hai That mob of her suitors has gathered there
Abhi Neend Aayi Hai Husn Ko My sweetheart has just now gone to sleep
Koi Shor Kar Ke Jagaa Na De By their noise they may not wake her up
Kabhi Jaam Lab Se Lagaa Diya Sometimes she takes the wine-cup to my lips
Kabhi Muskura Ke Hataa Diyaa Sometimes she smiles and takes it away
Teri Chedh Chaadh Aye Saaqiyaa This teasing of yours O bar-tender
Meri Tishnagi Ko Badhaa Na De May it not intensify my longing for you
Wo Uthein Hain Leke Khum-o-Suboo, She rises-up holding a cup of wine
Are Aye ‘Shakeel’ Kahaan Hai Tu Listen O Shakeel Where are you
Tera Jaam Lene Ko Bazm Mein To take away your cup of wine
Koi Aur Haath Badha Na De May Someone else not extend his hand
Ghazal #3
Whilst Beghum Akhtar sang some of his non-filmy ghazals, the best filmy ghazals of Shakeel Badayuni were sung by both Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. But, the fact is that they sang some of his non-filmy ghazals too.
Here is one of my favourites by Lata Mangeshkar: Aank se aankh milata hai koi…
Aa.Nkh se aa.Nkh milaataa hai ko_ii Someone is making his eyes rest on mine
Dil ko khii.Nche liye jaataa hai ko_ii Someone is tugging at my heart
Vaa-e-hairat ke bharii mahafil me.n Alas in this party full of wonder
Mujh ko tanhaa nazar aataa hai ko_ii
I find someone is alone
Sub.h ko KHunuk fanaa.oñ ki qasam I vow by the happy weather of the morning
Roz aa aa ke jagaata hai ko_ii Someone comes again and again to awaken me
Manzar-e-husn-e-do-aalam ke nisaar Offering of the spectacle of the beauty of two world
Mujh ko aa-iina dikhaataa hai ko_ii Someone his showing me the looking-glass
Chaahiye Khud pe yaqiin-e-kaamil One should have firm belief on oneself
Hausalaa kis kaa ba.Dhaataa hai ko_ii Who is there to provide encouragement?
Sab karishmaat-e-tasavvur hai “Shakeel” All are miracles of imagination, Shakeel
Varanaa aataa hai na jaataa hai ko_ii Else no one comes, no one goes
Ghazal #4
Another singer who added his name into the list of immortal ghazal singers was Talat Mehmood.
Here is he singing Shakeel’s famous ghazal: Meri zindagi hai zaalim tere gham se aashkara…
Merii zindagii hai zaalim, tere Gam se aashkaaraa My life is a manifestation of your sorrow, O tyrant Teraa Gam hai dar-haqiiqat mujhe zindagii se pyaaraa The truth is that your sorrow is dearer to me than my life
Vo agar buraa na maane to jahaa.N-e-rang-o-buu me.n If she won’t mind then in this world of colour and fragrance
Mai.n sukuun-e-dil kii Khaatir koii Dhuu.NDh luu.N sahaaraa May I search for support for the sake of peace of my heart?
Ye fulak fulak havaaye.N ye jhukii jhukii ghaTaaye.N These happy winds, these low rain bearing clouds
Vo nazar bhii kyaa nazar hai jo samajh na le ishaaraa What kind of eye is that which can’t take this hint?
Mujhe aa gayaa yaqii.n saa yahii hai merii ma.nzil I have come to believe that this is my destination
Sar-e-rah jab kisii ne mujhe daffa’atan pukaaraa On the road when someone called me spontaneously
Mai.n bataauu.N farq naasih, jo hai mujh me.n aur tujh me.n I can tell you my counsellor, the difference between you and me
Merii zindagii talaatum, terii zindagii kinaaraa My life is like a sea-storm, your life is like a shore
Mujhe guftaguu se ba.Dakar Gam-e-izn-e-guftaguu hai More than the conversation, I have grief of permission to converse
Wahii baat puuchhte hai.n jo na kah sakuu.N dobaaraa She asks me about that thing that I can’t repeat
Koii aye ‘Shakeel’ dekhe, ye junuu.N nahii.n to kyaa hai Someone should see this, Shakeel, isn’t it madness
Ke usii ke ho gaye ham jo na ho sakaa hamaaraa That I became hers but she couldn’t be mine
Ghazal #5
These ghazals are not in any order. Here is a famous ghazal of his (there are none of his ghazals that are not famous!). This has been sung by Pankaj Udhas.
Please enjoy: Kaise keh doon ke mulaaqaat nahin hoti hai….
Kaise kah duu.N ki mulaaqaat nahii.n hotii hai How can I say that meeting with her doesn’t take place?
Roz milate hai.n magar baat nahii.n hotii hai We meet everyday but don’t say anything
Aap lillaah na dekhaa kare.n aaiinaa kabhii For God’s sake, don’t ever see a looking-glass
Dil kaa aa jaanaa ba.Dii baat nahii.n hotii hai It is not such a big thing that I fell for you
Chhup ke rotaa huu.N terii yaad me.n duniyaa bhar se Stealthily from the world I cry in your memory
Kab merii aa.Nkh se barasaat nahii.n hotii hai That’s why rain of tears don’t freely fall from my eyes
Haal-e-dil puuchhane vaale terii duniyaa me.n kabhii You aske me the wellness of my heart, in your world at any time
Din to hotaa hai magar raat nahii.n hotii hai Day rises but night never comes
Jab bhii milate hai.n to kahate hai.n kaise ho “Shakeel” When you meet me you ask me how are you, Shakeel
Is se aage to koii baat nahii.n hotii hai Post this, no other conversation takes place
https://youtube.com/watch?v=I3-BbFDE5ys%3F
Ghazal #6
Anyone singing any of Shakeel’s ghazals would gain instant immortality. Begum Akhtar did and also Nirmala Devi, actor Govinda’s mother. She was a Hindustan classical vocalist of the Patiala Gharana and her rendition of Shakeel’s ghazal Bana bana ke tamanna mitayi jaati hai got her fame.
Please enjoy: Bana bana ke tamanna mitayi jaati hai….
Banaa banaa ke tamannaa miTaa_ii jaatii hai Craving is repeatedly built up and destroyed
Tarah tarah se vafaa aazamaa_ii jaatii hai In many different ways fidelity is tested
Jab un ko merii muhabbat kaa aitabaar nahii.n When she has no trust in my love
To jhukaa jhukaa ke nazar kyo.n milaa_ii jaatii hai Then why does she meet my eyes lovingly?
Hamaare dil kaa pataa vo hame.n nahii.n dete She doesn’t let me know where has my heart gone
Hamaarii chiiz hamii.n se chhupaa_ii jaatii hai My own thing is kept hidden from me
‘Shakeel’ duurii-e-manzil se naa-ummiid na ho Shakeel, destination is far, don’t lose hope
Manzil ab aa hii jaatii hai ab aa hii jaatii hai You are about to reach the destination now
Ghazal #7
This is very good and you ought to read it with translation. However, I couldn’t find either the video or the audio for this except for a recitation by Nomaan Shauque. It is still a very fine ghazal.
Please enjoy: Woh hamase door hote jaa rahe hain…
Woh hamase door hote jaa rahe hain She is moving far from me
Bahut maghroor hote jaa rahe hain And becoming arrogant
Bas ik tark-e-mohabbat ke iraade Only the resolve for break-up
Hamen manzoor hote jaa rahe hain Is becoming increasingly acceptable to me
Manaazir the jo firdaus-e-tasavvur The scenes of paradise of imagination that were earlier accepted
Vo sab mastuur hote jaa rahe hain Are becoming hidden now
Badalti jaa rahi hai dil ki duniyaa The world of the heart is changing
Naye dastuur hote jaa rahe hain
New customs are arising
Bahut maghmuum tha jo deeda o dil Very sad was the sight of my heart
Bahut masruur hote jaa rahe hain Very cheerful is she becoming
Wafa par murdaani si chha chali hai Fidelity has the shadow of death over it
Sitam kaa noor hote jaa rahe hain She is becoming the light of the oppression
Kabhi woh pass aaye jaa rahe the At one time she was coming closer
Magar ab door hote jaa rahe hain But now she is moving farther
Firaq-e-hijr ke taareek lamhe The dark moments of parting and separation
Saraapaa noor hote jaa rahe hain Totally are becoming clearernow
Shakeel, ehsaas-e-gumnaami se keh do Shakeel, let the feeling of anonymity know
Ke ham mashhuur hote jaa rahe hain That I am becoming famous now
Ghazal #8
Begum Akhtar again and this time with a much simpler ghazal.
Please enjoy: Khush hoon mera husn-e-talab kaam to aaya…
Khush huu.N ki meraa husn-e-talab kaam to aayaa I am happy my way of wanting beauty has found a use
Khaalii hii sahii merii taraf jaam to aayaa Even though empty at least the wine glass has been offered to me
Kaafii hai mere dil ki tasallii ko yahii baat This thing is sufficient for the consolation of my heart
Aap aa na sake aap kaa paiGaam to aayaa You couldn’t come but at least your message came
Apano.n ne nazar pherii to dil ne to diyaa saath When my own people moved away at least the heart accompanied me
Duniyaa me.n koii dost mere kaam to aayaa In this world at least some friend was of some use
Wo subah kaa ehasaas ho yaa.N merii kashish ho It may be the feeling of morning or my attraction
Duubaa hua Khurshiid sar-e-baam to aayaa Sinking Sun came to the corner of the terrace
Log un se ye kahate hai.n ki kitane hai.n “Shakeel” aap People tell her how Shakeel (good-looking) is she
Is husn ke sadaqe me.n meraa naam to aayaa At least my name was uttered in the offering of the beauty
https://youtube.com/watch?v=fbYP0Y3pHXc%3F
Ghazal #9
If I have given you a ghazal of his sung by Lata Mangeshkar, I am bound to give you one by Asha Bhosle (Asha ji). This is from the 1953 movie Hazaar Raten.
Please enjoy: Meri Zindagi Pe Na Muskaraa Mujhe Zindagi Kaa Alam Nahin….
Merii zindagii pe na muskaraa mujhe zindagii kaa alam nahii.n Don’t smile on my life, I have no anguish about life
Jise tere Gam se ho vaastaa vo Khizaa.N bahaar se kam nahii.n The one that’s related to your sorrow, that autumn is not less than spring
Meraa kufr haasil-e-zuud hai meraa zuud haasil-e-kufr hai My disbelief is in the realm of abstinence, my abstinence is in the realm of disbelief
Merii bandagii vo hai bandagii jo rahiin-e-dair-o-haram nahii.n My devotion is that devotion that’s not pledged to temple or mosque
Mujhe raas aaye Khudaa kare yahii ishtibaah kii saa_ate.n God willing my moments of ambiguity should become acceptable
Unhe.n aitabaar-e-vafaa to hai mujhe aitabaar-e-sitam nahii.n She at least has trust in love, I don’t have trust in her tyranny
Vahii kaaravaa.N vahii raaste vahii zindagii vahii marahale Same caravan, same raods, same stages of life’s journey
Magar apane-apane muqaam par kabhii tum nahii.n kabhii ham nahii.n But in our own stations, sometimes you ain’t there, sometimes I am not there
Na vo shaan-e-jabr-e-shabaab hai na vo rang-e-qahar-e-itaab hai Neither is there pride in being a young man, nor is there atmosphere of havoc and displeasure
Dil-e-beqaraar pe in dino.n hai sitam yahii ki sitam nahii.n These days my restless heart is oppressed that there is no oppression
Na fanaa merii na baqaa merii mujhe ai ‘Shakeel’ na Dhuu.NDiye Neither I own mortality nor death, please don’t search for me
Mai.n kisii kaa husn-e-Khayaal huu.N meraa kuchh vujuud-o-adam nahii.n I am someone’s beauty of thought, I don’t have life or after life
Ghazal #10
K Asif’s 1960 magnum opus Mughal-e-Azam was as famous for depicting the love affair between Prince Salim and courtesan Ananrkali as for its songs and ghazals penned by Shakeel Badayuni with Naushad Ali’s music.
The best ghazal of the movie in his characteristic style is this.
Please enjoy in Lata’s voice: Aye ishq ye sab duniya waale bekaar ki baatein karte hain….
Ae ishq ye sab duniya wale Oh love! All these people of the world
Bekaar ki baatein karte hai Talk nonsense (about love)
Payal ke ghamon ka ilm nahin They don’t have any knowledge of the pain in the ankle bells
Jhankaar ki batein karte hai And then they talk about its jingling (sarcasm)
Ae ishq ye sab duniya wale Oh love! All these people of the world
Har dil me chhupa hai teer koi In every heart there is a hidden arrow
Har paanv me hai zanjir koi In every leg there is a shackle
Puchhe koi unase gham ke maze May someone go and ask them the joys of grief
Jo pyaar ki batein karte hai All those who talk about love
Ae ishq ye sab duniya wale Oh love! All these people of the world
Ulfat ke naye deewano ko The ones who have recently fallen in love
Kis tarah se koi samjhaye How to make them understand
Nazron pe lagi hai paabandi Here, there is a restriction on gazing
Deedar ki baatein karte hai And they are talking about getting a glimpse
Ae ishq ye sab duniya wale Oh love! All these people of the world
Bhanware hain agar madhosh to kya If the bees are intoxicated, then what
Parwane bhi hain khamosh to kya If the moths are silent, then what
Sab pyaar ke nagme gaate hai All of them sing melodies of love
Sab yaar ki baatein karte hai All of them talk about their beloved’s
Ae ishq ye sab duniya wale Oh love! All these people of the world
Bekaar ki baatein karte hai Talk nonsense
Ae ishq ye sab duniya wale Oh love! All these people of the world
https://youtube.com/watch?v=2_scqYgA92s%3F
Ghazal #11
A beautiful ghazal sung very beautifully by Kusum Sharma. Please keep thinking of what I have told you about irony.
Shaayad aaGaaz huaa phir kisii afasaane kaa Perhaps there is beginning of a new romantic tale
Hukm aadam ko hai jannat se nikal jaane kaa Edict has been given to Adam to quite the paradise
Un se kuchh kah to rahaa huu.N magar allaah na kare I am saying something to her but it shouldn’t be Allah
Vo bhii mafahuum na samajhe mere afasaane kaa She too is not able to understand the meaning of my tale of love
Dekhanaa dekhanaa ye hazarat-e-vaa_iz hii na ho.n See again that it shouldn’t be the mister preacher himself
Raastaa puuchh rahaa hai ko_ii maiKhaane kaa He is asking for the way to the tavern
Beta’alluq tere aage se guzar jaataa huu.N Without your acknowledging I pass in front of you
ye bhii ek husn-e-talab hai tere diivaane kaa This too is a way of longing for your mad-lover
hashr tak garmii-e-ha.ngaamaa-e-hastii hai “Shakeel” Until the day of judgment the heat of riotous life is there
sil-silaa Khatm na hogaa mere afasaane kaa The series of my tales of love shall never conclude
https://youtube.com/watch?v=xav5wjLUcs0%3F
Ghazal #12
Once again, I couldn’t find a video or audio for this ghazal. But, nevertheless, it is a beautiful ghazal.
Please enjoy: Teri mehfil se uthkar ishq ke maaron pe kyaa guzari….
Terii mahafil se uThakar ishq ke maaro.n pe kyaa guzarii What happened with the love-stricken who left your assembly?
muKhaalif ik jahaa.N thaa jaane bechaaro.n pe kyaa guzarii The world was inimical, God knows what happened to the poor souls?
Sahar ko ruKhsat-e-biimaar-e-furqat dekhane vaalo O you who look at the departure of ill with separation in the mornings
kisii ne ye bhii dekhaa raat bhar taaro.n pe kyaa guzarii Did you ever think what happened to the stars in the nights?
Sunaa hai zindagii viiraaniyo.n ne luuT lii milakar I have heard that life was looted by the deserted places
na jaane zindagii ke naaz_baradaaro.n pe kyaa guzarii God knowswhat happened to those who tolerate coquetry in life?
Ha.Nsii aa_ii to hai bekaif sii lekin Khudaa jaane Laughter came but joylessly God knows
mujhe masaruur paakar mere Gam_Khvaaro.n pe kyaa guzarii After finding me cheerful what happened to my sympathisers?
Asiir-e-Gam to jaa.N dekar rihaa_ii paa gayaa lekin Prisoners of sorrow escaped after sacrificing their life
kisii ko kyaa Khabar zindaa.N kii divaaro.n pe kyaa guzarii Who knew what happened to the cells of the living?
Ghazal #13
This one is so perfect that I often marvel at its beauty. Once again, I could neither find a video or an audio.
Please enjoy: Ab taq shikaayetein hain dil-e-bad-naseeb se….
Ab taq shikaayetein hain dil-e-bad-nasiib se Until now she has complaints about my unfortunate heart
Ik din kisi ko dekh liya tha kariib se All I did was to see her closely
Aksar ba-zom-e-taraq-e-mohabbat Khudaa gavaah Often with the pride and determination of renouncing love, God be my witness
Guzraa chala gaya huun dayaar-e-habiib se I have crossed the place of the beloved
Dast-e-Khizaan badh ke wahin usako chun liya Autumn’s hand came forward to select the one
Jo phool gir gaya nigaah-e-andaliib se Flower that had fallen from Nightingale’s glance
Ahl-e-sukoon se khel naa ai mauj-e-imbisaat O wave of ecstasy do not play with those who are at peace
Ik din ulajh ke dekh kisi gham-nasiib se One day battle with those who are destined for grief
Naa ahl-e-naaz ko bhi mile fursat-e-niyaaz People of vanity will not find leisure for amorous words
Main duur hat gaya who jo guzre kareeb se I distanced myself when they passed close to me
Ye kis Khata pe rooth gayi chashm-e-iltifaat On whose oversight glance of love became angry
Ye kab kaa intiqaam liya mujh gareeb se I don’t understand of which thing’s revenge was this
Unake bagaair bhi hai wohi zindagi ka daur Without her too there is era of life
Halaat-e-zindagi hain magar kuchh ajeeb se Circumstances of life are there but a little strange
Samajhe huye the husn-e-azal jisako hum Shakeel The one who I had imagined to be eternal beauty
Apna hi aks-e-rukh nazar aaya kareeb se From close it turned out to be own reflection of face
Ghazal #14
Ghazal-king Talat Mehmood again with a very beautiful ghazal of Shakeel Badayuni.
Please enjoy: Unase umeed-e-ruunuumaai hai….
Un se ummiid-e-ruunumaa_ii hai There is hope of guidance/leadership from her
Kyaa nigaaho.n kii maut aa_ii hai Are my eyes heading for death?
Dil ne Gam se shikast khaa_ii hai Heart has been defeated by sorrows
Umr-e-raftaa terii duhaa_ii hai There is appeal to the past life
Dil kii barbaadiyo.n pe naazaa.N huu.N I am proud of the ruins of heart
Fatah paakar shikast khaa_ii hai I have tasted defeat after victory
Mere maa_abad nahii.n hai dair-o-haram My house of worship is not the temple of sanctuary
Ehatiyaatan jabii.n jhukaa_ii hai I have bowed my forehead to my misgivings
Vo havaa de rahe hai.n daaman kii She is fanning with the hem of her dress
Haaye kis vaqt niind aa_ii hai I don’t know when I went to sleep
Khul gayaa un kii aarazuu me.n ye raaz The secret in her longing became known
Ziist apanii nahii.n paraa_ii hai Life is not mine but belongs to someone
Duur ho Gunche-o-gul merii nazar se Remain away from my sight flowers and buds
Tuu ne merii ha.Nsii churaa_ii hai You robbed me of my laughter
Gul fasurdaa chaman udaas ‘Shakeel’ Flower is disappointed, garden is saddened
Yuu.N bhii aksar bahaar aa_ii hai Sometimes spring comes in this manner
https://youtube.com/watch?v=QopXvVHibYs%3F
Ghazal #15
Must end Part I of this labour of love for Shakeel Badayuni’s poetry in the form of Ghazals with this Yaad ghazal.
Please enjoy: Rooh ko tadapa rahi hai unaki yaad….
Ruuh ko ta.Dapaa rahii hai un kii yaad Soul is tormented by her memory
Dard ban kar chhaa rahii hai un kii yaad Pain is the manifestation of her memory
Ishq se ghabaraa rahii hai un kii yaad Scared of love is her memory
Rukate rukate aa rahii hai un kii yaad It is coming haltingly is her memory
Vo ha.Nse vo zer-e-lab kuchh kah uThe She laughed and whispered something
Khvaab se dikhalaa rahii hai un kii yaad It is as if her memory is showing me dreams
Mai.n to Khuddaarii kaa qaa_il huu.N magar I am in favour of self-respect, but
Kyaa karuu.N phir aa rahii hai un kii yaad What can I do when her memory comes to me?
Ab Khayaal-e-tark-e-rabt zabt hii se hai Now there is affinity towards tolerance of thought of giving up
Khud ba Khud sharmaa rahii hai un kii yaad By itself her memory is shy
Please await Part II of Immortal Ghazals of Shakeel Badayuni
