Meg Index | November 2000 Index

Date: 09-Nov-2000
Poet: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

The first ghazal from the Farida Khanum album 'Gulistan' is from 
Faiz Ahmed Faiz's book 'Dast-e-Tah-e-Sang'. Farida Khanum 
sings four of the five ashaar (couplets) from the ghazal. I have 
included the fifth sher also.


na ga.Nvaao naavak-e-niim-kash, dil-e-rezaa-rezaa ga.Nvaa diyaa 
jo bache hai.n sang sameT lo, tan-e-daaG-daaG luTaa diyaa 

[ga.Nvaanaa = to waste; naavak = arrow; niim-kash = half-drawn]
[rezaa-rezaa = pieces; sang = stone; sameTanaa = to gather]

mere chaaraagar ko naviid ho, saf-e-dushmanaa ko Khabar karo 
vo jo qarz rakhate the jaan par, vo hisaab aaj chukaa diyaa 

[chaaraagar = healer; naviid = good news]
[saf-e-dushmanaa = enemy ranks; qarz = debt]

karo kaj jabii.n pe sar-e-kafan, mere qaatilo.n ko gumaa.N na ho 
ki Guruur-e-ishq kaa baa.Nkapan, pas-e-marg ham ne bhulaa diyaa 

[kaj = crooked; jabii.n = forehead; gumaa.N = doubt; pas-e-marg = after death]

jo ruke to koh-e-garaa.N the ham, jo chale to jaa.N se guzar gaye 
rah-e-yaar ham ne qadam qadam, tujhe yaadagaar banaa diyaa 

[koh-e-garaa.N = large mountain]

** The following sher is not sung by Farida Khanum**

udhar ek harf ki kushtanii, yahaa.N laakh uzr thaa guftanii 
jo kahaa to sun ke u.Daa diyaa, jo likhaa to pa.Dh ke miTaa diyaa 

[harf = letter of the alphabet/word; kushtanii = to die for ;-)]
[uzr = helpless; guftanii = worth saying]

Note: the 'ki' in the first misra (line) is NOT the possesive form 
(ghar kii diivaar). It is the conjunctive form (main jaane hii vaalaa 
thaa *ki*.....). It is often written/spoken as 'ke' which is again NOT 
the same as (us ne daravaaze *ke* bahaar jaise hii qadam rakhaa...)