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]