Aaj baazaar mein...

An amazing nazam by Faiz Ahmed Faiz:

Chashm-e-nam (teary eyes), jaan-e-shoreeda (distressed soul) kaafi nahin;
Tohmat-e-ishq (accusation of love) posheeda (covered) kaafi nahin;
Aaj baazaar mein paa-ba-jaulaan (cuffed feet) chalo!

Dast afshaan (hands swinging) chalo!
mast-o-raqsaan (carefree and dancing) chalo!
Khaak bar-sar (dust on the head) chalo!
khoon ba-daamaan (blood on the clothes) chalo!
Raah taktaa hai sab shehar-e-jaanaan (city of the beloved) chalo!
Aaj baazaar mein paa-ba-jaulaan chalo!

Haakim-e-shehar (ruler of the city) bhi,
majmaa-e-aam (common crowd) bhi;
Subh-e-naashaad (sad morning) bhi,
roz-e-naakaam (unsuccessful day) bhi;
Teer-e-ilzaam bhi (arrows of accusation),
sang-e-dushnaam (stones of abuse) bhi;
Inka damsaaz (sympathizer) apne siwa kaun hai?
Shehar-e-jaanaan (city of the beloved) mein ab ba-safaa (sincere) kaun hai?
Dast-e-qaatil (murderer's hands) ke shaayaan (worthy) raha kaun hai?
Rakht-e-dil (heartbeats) baandh lo,
dil-figaaron (broken-hearted) chalo!
phir humiin (hum hi) qatl ho aayen yaaron chalo!

Once Faiz was taken out from a prison in an open horse-drawn cart. The intention of the government was to ridicule him, but it inspired him to write this awesome poem. Here's he reciting the nazam.

And here is a video of the same nazm sung beautifully by Nayyara Noor.



Hum ke thehre ajnabi...

Here's one of my most favorite ghazals. Written by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. The best thing about this ghazal is that though it sounds like a sad romantic song, the original context is very different. Apart from being one of the greatest poets of our times, Faiz was a political activist and had been involved in Pakistani politics during Zia-ul-Haque's dictatorship and had also spent many years in exile. This particular ghazal was his reaction to what pakistanis call as the 'Fall of Dhaka', which marked the separation of Bangladesh from Pakistan.

The ghazal beautifully explains Faiz's disappointment on losing Bangladesh and the trust of Bangladeshi people in Pakistan. Listen to it twice; once as a sad romantic ghazal and again as for what it was written. How amazingly it fits in both contexts. Thats poetry at its best!

Hum ke thehre ajnabi itni madaaraaton(exchange of civilities) ke baad

Phir banenge aashnaa(acquainted) kitni mulaaqaaton ke baad

Kab nazar mein aayegi be-daagh(spotless) sabze(greenery) ki bahaar

Khoon ke dhabbe dhulenge kitni barsaaton ke baad

Dil to chaaha, par shikast-e-dil(defeated heart) ne mohlat(respite) hi na di

Kuchh gile-shikwe(complaints) bhi kar lete, munajaaton(pleadings) ke baad

The bahut bedard(cruel) lamhe(moments) khatm-e-dard-e-ishq(end <of the pain> of love) ke

Thin bahut be-meher(unkind) subhein, meherbaan(kind, generous) raaton ke baad

Unse jo kehne gaye the 'Faiz' jaan sadqa(with great courage*) kiye

Ankahi(unsaid) hi reh gayi wo baat sab baaton ke baad

Poet: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Singer: Nayyara Noor

*jaan sadqa = to be ready to sacrifice one's life (for something)

Muhabbat aur Kahaani...

Stumbled upon this poem the other day. Cant decide what I like better, the poem or the recitation. May be both are better than each other. Only the video has nothing to do with the poetry. A blank screen would have been much better.

Tumhein kaise batayen hum,

muhabbat aur kahaani mein, koi rishta nahin hota.

Kahaani mein toh hum waapas bhi aate hain;

muhabbat mein palatne ka koi rastaa nahin hota.

Zara socho...

kahin dil mein kharashen(scratches) daalti yaadon ki saffaaki(cruelty);

kahin daaman se lipti hai kisi bhoooli hui sa'at(moment) ki namnaaki(moistness);

kahin aankhon ke khemon(tents) mein charaagh-e-khwaab(lamp of dream) gul(put off) karne ki saazish(conspiracy) ko hawa deti hui raaton ki chaalaaki(shrewdness);

magar main banda-e-khaaki(a man made of dust* ),

na jaane kitne Firaun-on(devils**) se uljhi hai mere lehje ki bebaaki(outspoken-ness).

Mujhe dekho.

Mere chehre pe kitne mausamon(seasons) ki gard(dust), 

aur is gard ki teh(layer) mein,

samay ki dhoop mein rakkha ek aaiina, 

aur aaiine mein ta-hadde-nazar(as far as the eyes can see) phaile muhabbat ke sitaare aks(image) bankar jagmagaate hain.

Nayi duniyaaon ka rastaa bataate hain.

Usi manzar(scene) mein aaiine se uljhi kuchh lakeerein hain. 

Lakeeron mein kahaani hai.

Kahaani aur muhabbat mein azal(time before time) se jang jaari hai.

Muhabbat mein ik aisa mod aata hai,

jahan aa kar kahaani haar jaati hai.

Kahaani mein toh hum kuch kirdaar(characters) khud farz(assume) karte hain.

Muhabbat mein koi kirdaar bhi farzi(fictitious) nahin hota.

Kahaani ko kayi kirdaar milljull kar kahin aage chalaate hain.

Aur muhbbat...

muhabbat apne kirdaaron ko khud aage barhaati hai.

Kahaani mein kayi kirdaar zinda hi nahin rehte.

Aur muhabbat...

muhabbat apne kirdaaron ko marne hi nahin deti.

Kahaani ke safar mein manzaron ki dhool udti hai.

Muhabbat ki musaafat(journey) raah-geeron(travellers) ko bikharne hi nahin deti.

Aur muhabbat ik shajar(tree) hai.

Aur shajar ko iss se kya matlab,

ke iss ke saaye mein jo bhi thaka haaraa musaafir(traveller) aa ke baitha hai,

ab uss ki nasl(ethnicity) kya hai,

rang kaisa hai?

Kahan se aaya hai?

Kis sammt(direction***) jaana hai?

Shajar ka kaam toh bas chhaaon dena, dhoop sehna hai.

U-se iss se gharaz(interest) kya hai,

ke paraav(camp) daalne waalon mein kisne chhaaon ki taqseem(distribution) ka jhagra uthaya hai.

Kahan kis ahad(promise) ko toda, kahan waadaa nibhaaya hai.

Magar hum jaante hain,

chhaaon jab taqseem(divide) ho jaaye,

toh jalti dhoop ke naize(spears) rag-o-pai(veins and organs) mein utarte hain

Aur iss ke zakhm-khurda(wounded) log...

jeete hain,

na marte hain...

Poet - Saleem Kausar

Recitation - Asim Bashir


* here it means - a modest person
** refers to Firaun or Pharoah of the Exodus
*** the actual word is 'Simmt'