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The last in the Sahir series is a nazm where Sahir demonstrates his 
ability to present things from a new perspective. The nazm is titled 
"Taaj Mahal". Known throughout the world as a symbol of love and for its 
beauty, the Taj Mahal, in Sahir's opinion, is an insult to the love and 
aspirations of the millions of common men and women who live their lives 
quietly, toiling, sweating, ceaselessly working to scratch a living, and 
amongst all that, still finding the time and optimism to love. They 
don't have the wherewithall to proclaim their love by building something 
as grandiose as the Taj Mahal but that does not mean that there love is 
any less than that of any emperor. It is also ironic, as Sahir notes, 
that the universal symbol of love should be a tomb, a mausoleum - almost 
as if to denote that love is forever doomed to failure, never to attain 
happiness, never to be united with one's lover.


Taaj Mahal

taaj tere liye ik mazahar-e-ulfat hii sahii
tum ko is vaadii-e-ra.ngii.n se aqiidat hii sahii

[mazahar-e-ulfat = symbol of love; vaadii-e-ra.ngii.n = beautiful spot; 
aqiidat = respect/preference?]

mere mahabuub kahii.n aur milaa kar mujh se!

bazm-e-shaahii me.n Gariibo.n kaa guzar kyaa maanii
sabt jis raah pe ho.n satavat-e-shaahii ke nishaa.N
us pe ulfat bharii ruuho.n kaa safar kyaa maanii

[bazm-e-shaahii = royal court; sabt = etched]
[satavat-e-shaahii = royal grandeur; ulfat bharii ruuh = lovers]

merii mahabuub pas-e-pardaa-e-tashhiir-e-vafaa
tuu ne satavat ke nishaano.n ko to dekhaa hotaa
murdaa shaaho.n ke maqaabir se bahalevaalii
apane taariik makaano.n ko to dekhaa hotaa

[pas-e-pardaa-e-tashhiir-e-vafaa = behind the veil of this advertisement 
of faith/love]
[satavat = wealth/grandeur; maqaabir(maqabaraa) = tomb; taariik = dark]

anaginat logo.n ne duniyaa me.n muhabbat kii hai
kaun kahataa hai ki saadiq na the jazbe un ke
lekin un ke liye tashhiir kaa saamaan nahii.n
kyuu.N ke vo log bhii apanii hii tarah mufalis the

[saadiq = true; tashhiir = advertisement; mufalis = poor]

ye imaaraat-o-maqaabir ye fasiile.n, ye hisaar
mutal-qulhukm shahanashaaho.n kii azamat ke sutuu.N
daaman-e-dahar pe us ra.ng kii gulakaarii hai
jis me.n shaamil hai tere aur mere ajadaad kaa Khuu.N

[hisaar = forts; mutal-qulhukm = unthinking/arrogant; azamat = 
greatness; sutuu.N = symbol]
[daaman-e-dahar = on the face of this world; gulakaarii = flowers and 
vines]
[ajadaad = ancestors]

merii mahabuub! u.nhe.n bhii to muhabbat hogii
jinakii sannaa_ii ne baKhshii hai ise shakl-e-jamiil
un ke pyaaro.n  ke maqaabir rahe benaam-o-namuud
aaj tak un pe jalaa_ii na kisii ne qa.ndiil


[sannaa_ii = artistry; shakl-e-jamiil = beautiful form]
[benaam-o-namuud = without name or even a trace; qa.ndiil = candle]

ye chamanazaar ye jamunaa kaa kinaaraa ye mahal
ye munaqqash dar-o-diivaar, ye maharaab ye taaq
ik shahanashaah ne daulat kaa sahaaraa le kar
ham Gariibo.n kii muhabbat kaa u.Daayaa hai mazaak

mere mahabuub kahii.n aur milaa kar mujhase!


This concludes the series of nazms by Sahir Ludhianvi. Next week we 
shall bring you ghazals of Faiz Ahmed Faiz.