Mehfil-e-Gazal #30

Home | August '98 Index



I have already quoted from this nazm before. It is titled "Mere Geet". 
It is a nazm depicting an on-going struggle within the poet between his 
leanings towards love, his profession as a poet demanding his allegiance 
to all that is beautiful and noble, and his growing disillusionment with reality, 
with what he sees around him and the state of society.

I shall leave it the poet's words to convey why he finds  himself unable 
to write songs of love anymore.


mere sarakash taraane sun ke duniyaa ye samajhatii hai
ki shaayad mere dil ko ishq ke naGmo.n se nafarat hai

[sarakash = full of revolutionary verve]

mujhe ha.ngaamaa-e-ja.ng-o-jadal me.n kaif milataa hai
merii fitarat ko Khuu.Nrezii ke afasaano.n se raGbat hai

[ja.ng-o-jadal = war and strife; kaif = joy; fitarat = nature]
[Khuu.Nrezii = bloodthirsty/bloody; raGbat = interest]

merii duniyaa me.n kuchh vaq'at nahii.n hai raqs-o-naGme.n kii
meraa mahabuub NaGmaa shor-e-aaha.ng-e-baGaavat hai

[vaq'at = value; raqs-o-naGmaa = dancing and singing]

magar ai kaash! dekhe.n vo merii purasoz raato.n ko
mai.n jab taaro.n pe nazare.n gaa.Dakar  aasuu.N bahaataa huu.N

[purasoz = filled with pain]

tasavvur  banake bhuulii vaaradaate.n yaad aatii hai.n
to soz-o-dard kii shiddat se paharo.n tilmilaataa huu.N

[vaaradaate.n = incidents; shiddat = sharpness/quickness]

ko_ii Khvaabo.n me.n Khvaabiidaa uma.ngo.n ko jagaatii hai
to apanii zi.ndagii ko maut ke pahaluu me.n paataa huu.N

[Khvaabidaa = sleepy/sleeping]

mai.n shaayar huu.N mujhe fitarat ke nazzaaro.n se ulfat hai
meraa dil dushman-e-naGmaa-saraa_ii ho nahii.n sakataa

[dushman-e-naGmaa-saraa_ii = enemy of/against singing]

mujhe insaaniyat kaa dard bhii baKhshaa hai qudarat ne
meraa maqasad faqat sholaa navaa_ii ho nahii.n sakataa

[faqat = merely; sholaa_nava_ii = raining/pouring fire]

javaa.N huu.N mai.n javaanii laGzisho.n kaa ek tuufaa.N hai
merii baato.n me.n ra.ng-e-paarasaa_ii ho nahii.n sakataa

[laGzish = stumble/falter; ra.ng-e-paarasaa_ii = colour of purity]

mere sarakash taraano.n kii haqiiqat hai to itanii hai
ki jab mai.n dekhataa huu.N bhuuk ke maare kisaano.n ko
Gariibo.n ko, mufliso.n ko, bekaso.n ko, besahaaro.n ko
sisakatii naazaniino.n ko, ta.Dapate naujavaano.n ko
hukuumat ke tashaddud ko, amaarat ke takabbur ko
kisii ke chitha.Do.n ko aur shahanshaahii Khazaano.n ko

[haqiiqat = reality; tashaddud = violence; amaarat = riches/wealth]
[takabbur = pride/arrogance]

to dil taab-e-nishaat-e-bazm-e-ishrat laa nahii.n sakataa
mai.n chaahuu.N bhii to Khvaab-aavaar taraane gaa nahii.n sakataa

[taab-e-nishaat-e-bazm-e-ishrat = enjoy the luxuries of a wealthy 
society]
[Khvaab-aavaar = sleep-inducing]




Home | August '98 Index