Mehfil-e-Gazal #21

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Another poet who had been heavily involved in the Indian film industry 
but who, at the same time, was able to carve out a niche for himself in 
the world of Urdu poetry was Shakeel Badayuni. Known for his songs 
written for music maestro Naushad, Shakeel's non-filmi work was also 
well known and no less a personage than Begum Akhtar was known to be 
partial to his work. 

Here is a ghazal by Shakeel Badayuni:

shikavaa-e-izataraab kaun kare
apanii duniyaa Kharaab kaun kare

[shikavaa = complaint; izataraab = anxiety]

gin to lete hai.n u.ngaliyo.n pe gunaah
rahamato.n kaa hisaab kaun kare

[gunaah = sin; rahamato.n = (acts of) kindness]

ishq kii talKh kaamiyo.n ke nisaar
zi.ndagii kaamayaab kaun kare

[talKh = bitter; kaamiyo.n = failures (naakaamiyo.n)]

daavat-e-mayakashii un aa.Nkho.n me.n
jurrat-e-izataraab kaun kare

[jurrat = dare]

dil kaa aa_iinaa saamane laakar
tujh ko teraa javaab kaun kare

ham se mayakash jo taubaa kar baiThe.n
phir ye kaar-e-savaab kaun kare

[kaar = work; savaab = heavenly reward for a good deed]

Garq-e-jaam-o-sharaab hoke 'Shakeel'
shuGl-e-jaam-o-sharaab kaun kare

[Garq = to drown in; shuGl = to be busy with/lost in]




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