Saiyaara

Main akelaa hoon
Tumhaari yaadon mei akelaa hoon
Kis taraf chaloon
Ek taraf safed phoolon si bikhri tumhaari muskuraahatein
Jaise meelon door tak safed chaadarein
Aur is taraf tumhaare haath ki narmi
Badhte badhte ek baagh ban chuki hai
Hazaaron darakht hain, phalon se lade
Kya kho jaun in mei jaa kar
Ya udhar bhi ho lun
Tumhaari aakhon ki jheelon mei
Jinme duniyaa dikhai deti hai
Neele khule aasmaan
Aur meri zindagi
Dono ke aks hain wahaan
Tar hain jheelen phir kyun aaj
Kuchh der ruk hi letaa hoon udhar
Kuchh tishnagi mitaa letaa hoon
Pataa nahi wahaan se kab niklungaa
Idhar to kya kuchh baaqi hai abhi
Dard mei bhare wo raat din
Jab tum the hi nahi
Bin bataaye chale gaye the kahin
Unki bhi to yaadein hain
Kaanton bharaa ek bayaabaan
Dartaa hoon aaj bhi unse
Par jaana padta hai kabhi in mei bhi
Aakhir tumhaari hi to yaadein hain...

Hoton ki to baat na puchho
Jaise jumbish karte pyaare parindey
Kabhi baithen kabhi ud jaayen
Mujhe dekhte hi rehte hain
Main hiloon to ye hil jaate hain
Thodaa ghabraa ke paas aate hain
Ab bhi nahi jaante
Meraa hi chaman hai inkaa ghar
Kyun hijraton ko jaate hain
Inki ek ek chehchahaahat
Mausiqi ban ke goonjti rehti hai yahan kab tak...

Kya kuchh hai aur kya batlaun
Kuchh dekhaa, kuchh to maine bhi dekhaa nahi hai
Zulfon ke ghane andhere behte dariyaa
Kho jaane ko
Jabeenon ke maahtaab
Raah dikhaane ko
Til aise
Khatarnaak raahon pe sandeson jaise
Yahin ruk jaao
Aage mat jaana
Par aur mujhe bhadkaate hi hain
Un raaston pe kheench le jaate hi hain
Jahaan ki khaak bhi lage hai aise
Bikhre laale kabhi bhi khilne waale
Gulistaan hi gulistaan ta-hadd-e-nazar
Surkh phoolon se lade
Koi aur hi saiyaara hai shaayad
Yahaan to saanson ki raftaar hi alag hai...

Main kitnaa khush hoon in yaadon mei
In phoolon jheelon aur bayabaanon mei
Mujhe dhoondh lenaa jab bhi waapas aao
Main kahin nahi gayaa hoon aaj tak
Inhi mei kahin khoyaa hua milungaa
Kisi jheel kinaare baagh mei letaa
Parindon mei soyaa hua milungaa
Aa jao to jagaa denaa
Tab tak to nahi kuchh duniyaa mei meri
Is laayaq ke is jannat se niklun.


[By Siyaah]

----
Meanings
Tishnagi: thirst
Bayaabaan: wilderness
Hijraton: plural of hijrat, hijr = migration
Mausiqi: music
Jabeenon: plural of jabeen = forehead
Maahtaab: moon
Khaak: dust
Laale: tulips, in South Asia also refers to red poppy flowers
Gulistaan: flower garden
Ta-hadd-e-nazar: as far as the eye can see
Saiyaara: planet
Raftaar: speed
Jannat: garden, by implication means paradise

RIP Jagjit Singh

In memory of Jagjit Singh, who played a major role in popularizing and keeping alive the ghazal and other poetic forms for several decades. Like many other listeners, Jagjit's choice of simpler yet beautiful ghazals was an important initiation point for me into the world of Urdu poetry. Looking for my earliest memories, I remembered this one today, from a compilation that was passed down (or rather, fell into my hands by chance) from an earlier generation.

Mohabbat aur Kahani: Saleem Kausar

I was lucky to attend a live mushaira recently after quite a long time. The feeling of an interactive mushaira is quite amazing. Saleem Kausar was the last poet of the evening and recited some real gems. Here's a clip of the last two verses of his most famous ghazal: 

But what really caught my attention was his "Mohabbat aur Kahaani", which I couldn't record, but found in a raw video elsewhere, here: 

"Tumhein kaisay bataaein hum,
Mohabbat aur Kahaani mein koi rishtaa nahi hota,
Kahaani mein to hum waapas bhi aate hain
Mohabbat mein palatne ka koi rastaa nahi hota...
...
Kahaani ko kai kirdaar mil jul kar kahin aage chalaate hain,
Mohabbat apne kirdaaron ko khud aage barhaati hai..."

Naseeb

Tere dard mein bhi qareeb nahi,
Aaj itna bhi naseeb nahi.

[by Siyaah]

Ek hi Siyaahi

Wahi kehne lage deewaana jab se
Kya shikwa kare koi baaqi sab se

Hai kaisi wafaa ye aakhir tujhse
Hun bewafaa jaise duniya se jab se

Barson mein tumhe dekha to samjha
Kis toofaan ko tha thaame kab se

Kya maangun aakhir ab tujhse
Wo chand din hi geraan hain kab se
[geraan=heavy]

Aaj tumhe sach bola to laga yun
Sab jhooth tha umr bhar baaqi sab se

Koi manzil hi humein raas na aayi
Tum raah mein saath rahe na jab se

Har taabeer adhoori hi lagi
Tum hi khwaab the awwal sab se

Har dard mein yaad tumhi kyun aaye
Zakhm tum hi the gehre sab se

Ye kaisi tishnagi tere liye thi
Barhdti hi jaae mile ho jab se

Hai zyaada khushi ke aaj mile hain
Ya ghum ke bichhde hain hum kab se

Sab de dun tujh ko waapas le lun
Kaise karun ye sauda rab se

Roz tumhe socha to nahi par
Sab ghum aur khushi hain tere kab se

Ab phir se kya maangun main rab se
Tum to mere hi rahe ho tab se

Koi dard hi baaqi nahi daaman mein
Wo ghar waapas aaye hain jab se

Hai gunaah to kyun sohbat mein teri
Raabta bardhta jae hai rab se

Sab ek hi Siyaahi se likh daale
Aaghaaz-e-ashaar hua tumse jab se.


[By Siyaah]

Sukoon

Koi sukoon mil hi nahi sakta;
Bas is hi baat se sukoon hai ab.

[by Siyaah]

Ab waapas jaane do

Ab waapas jaane do
Dard mein waapas jaane do

Main kho sa gaya hoon khushion mein
Mujhe dard mein waapas jaane do

Main ab aadi hoon tanhai ka
Sab chhupaane ka, chup rahne ka,
Sab kuchh keh kar sab logon se
Kuchh bhi na kehne ka

Main kaise jiyunga tumse sab kuchh keh kar
Kehna bhi nahi aata hai ab to
Kaha hi nahi kisi se jo umr bhar
Kaise kahunga
Kehta bhi hoon to lagta hai
Kuchh keh hi nahi paa raha hoon jaise
Kuchh ghalat sa ho raha hai jaise
Koi yaad kisi baat ke kehne se
Kahin chhoo na jaae, bigard na jaae
Wo tasweeren dhundli zaroor hain ab
Par gehri bhi hain, dar lagta hai
Kuchh mit naa jaae, hil naa jaae

Main aadi nahin hoon yaadon ko
Kisi se kehne sunne ka
Tumse bhi nahi
Tumse to bilkul hi nahi
Tumhi to wo tasweer ho
Kahin hil naa jao, bigard na jao
Saalon ki mehnat se yaad rakha hai
Ab aise kaise kho doon tumko
Bas tumhare mil jaane se
Wo tum to hamesha se mere saath ho
Aur tum to abhi aaye ho waapas
Kuchh sabr karo
Saans lene do
Kuchh sochne do
Kuchh sehne do
Kuchh dar ko sambhaal lene do
Kuchh muafi maang lene do
Kuchh rehne do
Kuchh to rehne do

Ab mujhse hi tum khud ko kyun
Chheenne aaye ho
Kyun ye zulm mujhpar karne aaye ho
Main toot jaunga
Is tarah ke kuchh bhi nahi reh jaunga
Na tanha aur na saath tumhare
Nahi
Mujhe jaane do
Dard mein waapas jaane do

Wo dard hi humara bandhan hai ab
barson se wahi hai, kuchh aur nahi hai
Kis sukoon se jeeta tha main dard main
Koi fikr hi nahi thi kuchh khone ki
Jo kuchh khona tha kabka kho chuka tha
Tumse bichhardna to kabka ho chuka tha
Kis kis tarah se seekha sambhalna
Ek zindagi guzaar ke seekha tha jeena
Ab kya karunga
Tum phir jaoge
Har koi to kabhi jaata hi hai na
Tumne hi kaha hai
Kyun aa kar kaha hai
Kyun daraa kar kaha hai
Kya chhahte ho aakhir
Kuchh jaante hi nahi ho
Mujhe jaante hi nahi ho
Mere apne dard
Aur tumhara dard
Sab ek hue kabse
Ab na poochho
Kya ye kya wo hai
Sab ek hi hai
Sab dard hi hai
Kuchh aur mujhe
Maloom hi nahi hai
Waapas jaane do
Paas na aane do
Mujhe sambhaal lo
Door hi rakho
Khud se door
Khushion se door
Naye dard se door
Wo dard purane hi kaafi hain
Unko to main khoob jaanta hoon ab
Wo aur nahi satayenge mujhe
Sehla sehla ke sulaayenge mujhe
So jaane do
Phir muaf karo
Is baar bhi mujhko jaane do
Abhi jaane do
Abhi bhi kuchh bigrda nahi hai
Main shayad kuchh samjha hi nahi hoon
Ke tum laute ho
Ya khwabon mein hoon
Ab bhi shayad bach jaun
Der na ho jaane do
Fauran jaana hai
Ek ek pal ka dard
Ek sadi ki tarah peechha karega
Ye jaanta hoon- tab bhi to yahi sab ek baar hua tha
Ek pal bhi na zaaya karne do
Jaane do
Mujhe fauran waapas jaane do
Dard mein waapas jaane do.

-------
By Siyaah.
-------

A 'stream of consciousness' nazm...could not stop it once it started forming mentally...posting unedited. Somewhat different from my usual attempts which are generally in the ghazal style...this is more in the modern nazm style, I guess...

Aaj yoon mauj dar mauj gham tham gaya: Faiz

Aaj yoon mauj dar mauj gham tham gaya
Is tarah ghamzadon ko qaraar aa gaya
Jaise khushboo-e-zulf-e-bahaar aa gayi
Jaise paighaam-e-deedaar-e-yaar aa gaya...

[by Faiz Ahmed Faiz]

The entire ghazal is mesmerizing. My favorite rendition, somewhat in an unorthodox style, is the Muzaffar Ali composition sung by Sukhwinder Singh...

Faiz has been translated well by others, so I generally don't translate him here...(even the youtube video below has a translation)

Barson baad

Barson baad mile hain aise
Ek pal bhi beeta na ho jaise

Kya samjhen is haalat ko ab
Sab paaya sab khoya jaise

Wo paakeezgi ke do lamhe
Aur ek umr azaab ki jaise

Tab ye gham tha tumko khoya
Ab samjha do jahaan kho diye kaise


[work in progress...by Siyaah]

Thinking of adding another matla (opening couplet) [Jigar Moradabadi sometimes has two matlas...would be interesting to explore this tradition more]

Gunaah-gunaah mein farq hai aise
Tum - aur baaqi duniya jaise...

Agar Na Zohra Jabeenon: Jigar Moradabadi

Agar Na Zohra Jabeenon...
By Jigar Moradabadi.

Agar na zohra jabeenon ke darmiyaan guzre
To phir ye kaise kate zindagi kahaan guzre [1]

Mujhe ye waham raha muddaton ke jurrat-e-shauq

Kahin na khaatir-e-maasoom par geraan guzre [2]

Khata muaaf, zamaane se badgumaan ho kar

Teri wafaa pe bhi kya kya humein gumaan guzre [3]

Junoon ke sakht maraahil bhi teri yaad ke saath
Haseen haseen nazar aaye, jawaan jawaan guzre [4]

Mujhe tha shikwa-e-hijraan, ke ye hua mahsoos -
Mere qareeb se hokar wo naagahaan guzre [5]

Bohot azeez hain mujhko unhi ki yaad Jigar
Wo haadasaat-e-mohabbat jo naagahaan guzre [6]

---
One of my favourite ghazals by my all-time favourite poet, Jigar Moradabadi...seems I have been carrying it around for decades - especially [2], [3], and [5] touch a very special place that is quite unique and comes straight from the heart. Suddenly and unexpectedly (naagahaan), the right time has come to unburden and post it here...

The version sung by Vinod Sehgal has been with me for ever, and is unsurpassable. Found an mp3 here; surprisingly the full version isn't on youtube yet. 

Let's see if I can translate this well...will take time for sure...each word carries the weight of months and years...

Abandon

"We move on and on, in search of mystery...and then we come to see that the only mysteries we want are the ones we'll never solve. And all we can do is try to cage with reasons what we know to be beyond the scope of reason. Till at last we surrender to something beyond us, and become unknowable ourselves."


"Metaphor was critical to the Sufis...because it was itself a metaphor: it said that behind the things we see, behind the people who speak, there lies another dimension, and that the other person sees even the things of the world in the light of the eternal."


From Pico Iyer's "Abandon".

Hum Dekhenge: Faiz's Predictions, Tunisia, Egypt and Beyond

Faiz Ahmed Faiz's lines echo around in one's mind these days, witnessing the upheavals in large parts of middle-east under oppressive political elites for long, for far too long...

Faiz's choice of words is haunting for several reasons: it is at once inspiring, hopeful, suggests a state of current oppression, and most importantly, predictive. He almost seems to be predicting that this indeed will happen, and "indeed, we too will witness..." - and the predictions at first glance are quite extreme, almost incredible. Yet, it is all happening...

Hum dekhenge
Laazim hai ke hum bhi dekhenge...


Jab zulm-o-sitam ke kooh-e-garaan
Rooi ki tarah ur jaaenge...


Sab taaj uchhaale jaaenge
Sab takht giraae jaaenge...


I rarely translate Faiz, as it has been done by so many others quite well. One blogger's version is here.

Iqbal Bano's version remains the definitive one in terms of singing these lines...