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Recitation
پرچھائیاں – محبّت کی اِبتدا کی تھی ۔ ساحرؔ لدھیانوی
۱
جوان رات کے سینے پہ دودھیا آنچل
مچل رہا ہے کسی خوابِ مرمریں کی طرح
حسین پھول، حسیں پتّیاں، حسیں شاخیں
لچک رہی ہیں کسی جسمِ نازنیں کی طرح
فضا میں گھل سے گئے ہیں اُفق کے نرم خطوط
زمیں حسین ہے، خوابوں کی سرزمیں کی طرح
۲
تصوّرات کی پرچھائیاں اُبھرتی ہیں
کبھی گمان کی صورت کبھی یقیں کی طرح
۳
وہ پیڑ جن کے تلے ہم پناہ لیتے تھے
کھڑے ہیں آج بھی ساکت کسی امیں کی طرح
انھیں کے سائے میں آج پھر دو دھڑکتے دِل
خموش ہونٹوں سے کچھ کہنے سننے آئے ہیں
نہ جانے کتنی کشاکش سے کتنی کاوش سے
یہ سوتے جاگتے لمحے چرُا کے لائے ہیں
۴
یہی فضاتھی یہی رُت یہی زمانہ تھا
یہیں سے ہم نے محبّت کی اِبتدا کی تھی
دھڑکتے دِل سے لرزتی ہوئی نگاہوں سے
حضورِ غیب میں ننھی سی اِلتجا کی تھی
کہ آرزو کے کنول کِھل کے پھول بن جائیں
دِل ونظر کی دعائیں قبول ہو جائیں
۵
تصورات کی پرچھائیاں اُبھرتی ہیں
کبھی گمان کی صورت کبھی یقیں کی طرح
पर्छाईयां – मोहब्बत की इब्तेदा की थी – साहर लुधियानवी
१
जवान रात के सीने पे दूधिया आँचल
मचल रहा है किसी ख़्वाब-ए मरमरीं की तरह
हसीन फूल, हसीं पत्तियां, हसीं शाख़ें
लचक रही हैं किसी जिस्म-ए नाज़्नीं की तरह
फ़िज़ा में घुल से गए हैं उफ़क़ के नर्म ख़ुतूत
ज़मीं हसीन है, ख़्वाबों की सरज़मीं की तरह
२
तसव्वुरात की पर्छाईयां उभरती हैं
कभी गुमान की सूरत, कभी यक़ीं की तरह
३
वो पेड़ जिन के तले हम पनाह लेते थे
खड़े हैं आज भी साकित किसी अमीं की तरह
उन्हीं के साए में फिर आज दो धड़कते दिल
ख़मोश होंटों से कुछ कहने सुन्ने आए हैं
न जाने कितनी कशाकश से कितनी काविश से
ये सोते जागते लम्हे चुरा के लाए हैं
४
यही फ़िज़ा थी, यही रुत, यही ज़माना था
यहीं से हम ने मोहब्बत की इब्तेदा की थी
धड़कते दिल से लरज़्ती हुई निगाहों से
हुज़ूर-ए ग़ैब में नन्ही सी इल्तेजा की थी
के आरज़ू के कँवल खिल के फूल हो जाएं
दिल ओ नज़र की दुआएं क़ुबूल हो जाएं
५
तसव्वुरात की पर्छाईयां उभरती हैं
कभी गुमान की सूरत, कभी यक़ीं की तरह
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sahir ludhianavi (1921-1980) progressive poet writing in chaste yet relatively easily understood urdu. He brought the quality of urdu nazm to movie songs and raised the standards to a high level. Supported labour movements. The poet/lover is looking at the scene of two young lovers come to a tryst making promises of love in great hopes and expectations. Memories emerge and he recalls the story of his own love. He and his beloved had met in the same grove of trees many years ago, also in great hope. The onset of war and the resulting destitution and famine destroy their dreams. The long beautiful poem ends with a powerful anti-war and in particular, anti-nuclear war message.
1
jawaan raat ke seene pe dudhia aaNchal
machal raha hai kisi Khwaab-e marmariN1 ki tarah
haseen2 phool, hasiN pattiaaN, hasiN shaaKheN
lachak3 rahiN haiN kisi jism-e nazniN4 ke tarah
fiza5 meN ghul se gaye haiN ufaq6 ke narm Khutoot7
zamiN haseen hai, KhwaaboN ki sarzamiN8 ki tarah 1.marble white 2.beautiful 3.sway, dance 4.stylish body 5.ambience 6.horizon 7.soft lines 8.homeland
The poet/lover recalls meeting his beloved in this very same nook. He recalls the scene – an early moonlit evening, draped in a milky white, moonlit sheet, shimmering like marble, like waves in an ocean of dreams. Flowers and leaves, each more beautiful than the other, branches swaying in the gentle breeze like the supple moves of a young damsel; the soft lines of the horizon dissolve into the hazy dusk. The place is beautiful like the homeland of dreams.
2
tasavvuraat9 ki parchhaiyaaN10 ubharti11 haiN
kabhi gumaan ki soorat, kabhi yaqiN ki tarah 9.memories 10.shadows, images 11.emerge
Memories emerge in the mind of the poet/lover, at times hazy, at times crystal clear.
3
vo peR jin ke tale ham panaah12 lete the
khaRe haiN aaj bhi saakit13 kisi amiN14 ki tarah
unhiN ke saaye meN phir aaj do dhaRakte dil
Khamosh hoNToN se kuchh kahne sun-ne aaye haiN
na jaane kitni kashakash15 se kitni kaavish16 se
ye sote jaagte17 lamhe chura ke laaye haiN 12.refuge 13.stationary 14.caretaker 15.anxiety 16.trials 17.fleeting, (waking-sleeping)
The poet/lover sees that two young lovers of the next generation have come again to seek shelter under those very trees where he and his beloved used to meet. The trees are still there, standing still like sentinels/guardians. In the shadow of those same trees again today, two throbbing hearts speak of love in silent glances. How many trials, how much struggle, they must have gone through to steal a few moments of togetherness.
4
yahi fiza18 thi, yahi ruth19, yahi zamaana tha
yahiN se hum ne mohabbat ki ibteda20 ki thi
dhaRakte dil se larazti hui nigahoN se
huzoor e Ghaib21 meN nanhi si ilteja22 ki thi
ke aarzu23 ke kaNval khil ke phool ho jaaeN
dil o nazar ki duaaeN qubool24 ho jaaeN 18.ambience, scene 19.season 20.beginning 21.hidden, mysterious 22.appeal, pray 23.desire 24.accepted, fulfilled
It was the same scene, the same spring and the same time where the poet and his beloved began their story of love with throbbing hearts, with trembling lips and prayed to the mysterious presence that budding love may bloom into the fullness of flowers, that their hearts’ desires be fulfilled.
5
tasavvuraat9 ki parchhaiyaaN10 ubharti11 haiN
kabhi gumaan ki soorat, kabhi yaqiN ki tarah 9.memories 10.shadows, images 11.emerge
Memories emerge in the mind of the poet/lover, at times hazy, at times crystal clear.
sahir ludhianavi (1921-1980) progressive poet writing in chaste yet relatively easily understood urdu. He brought the quality of urdu nazm to movie songs and raised the standards to a high level. Supported labour movements. The poet/lover is looking at the scene of two young lovers come to a tryst making promises of love in great hopes and expectations. Memories emerge and he recalls the story of his own love. He and his beloved had met in the same grove of trees many years ago, also in great hope. The onset of war and the resulting destitution and famine destroy their dreams. The long beautiful poem ends with a powerful anti-war and in particular, anti-nuclear war message.
1
jawaan raat ke seene pe dudhia aaNchal
machal raha hai kisi Khwaab-e marmariN1 ki tarah
haseen2 phool, hasiN pattiaaN, hasiN shaaKheN
lachak3 rahiN haiN kisi jism-e nazniN4 ke tarah
fiza5 meN ghul se gaye haiN ufaq6 ke narm Khutoot7
zamiN haseen hai, KhwaaboN ki sarzamiN8 ki tarah
1.marble white 2.beautiful 3.sway, dance 4.stylish body 5.ambience 6.horizon 7.soft lines 8.homeland
The poet/lover recalls meeting his beloved in this very same nook. He recalls the scene – an early moonlit evening, draped in a milky white, moonlit sheet, shimmering like marble, like waves in an ocean of dreams. Flowers and leaves, each more beautiful than the other, branches swaying in the gentle breeze like the supple moves of a young damsel; the soft lines of the horizon dissolve into the hazy dusk. The place is beautiful like the homeland of dreams.
2
tasavvuraat9 ki parchhaiyaaN10 ubharti11 haiN
kabhi gumaan ki soorat, kabhi yaqiN ki tarah
9.memories 10.shadows, images 11.emerge
Memories emerge in the mind of the poet/lover, at times hazy, at times crystal clear.
3
vo peR jin ke tale ham panaah12 lete the
khaRe haiN aaj bhi saakit13 kisi amiN14 ki tarah
unhiN ke saaye meN phir aaj do dhaRakte dil
Khamosh hoNToN se kuchh kahne sun-ne aaye haiN
na jaane kitni kashakash15 se kitni kaavish16 se
ye sote jaagte17 lamhe chura ke laaye haiN
12.refuge 13.stationary 14.caretaker 15.anxiety 16.trials 17.fleeting, (waking-sleeping)
The poet/lover sees that two young lovers of the next generation have come again to seek shelter under those very trees where he and his beloved used to meet. The trees are still there, standing still like sentinels/guardians. In the shadow of those same trees again today, two throbbing hearts speak of love in silent glances. How many trials, how much struggle, they must have gone through to steal a few moments of togetherness.
4
yahi fiza18 thi, yahi ruth19, yahi zamaana tha
yahiN se hum ne mohabbat ki ibteda20 ki thi
dhaRakte dil se larazti hui nigahoN se
huzoor e Ghaib21 meN nanhi si ilteja22 ki thi
ke aarzu23 ke kaNval khil ke phool ho jaaeN
dil o nazar ki duaaeN qubool24 ho jaaeN
18.ambience, scene 19.season 20.beginning 21.hidden, mysterious 22.appeal, pray 23.desire 24.accepted, fulfilled
It was the same scene, the same spring and the same time where the poet and his beloved began their story of love with throbbing hearts, with trembling lips and prayed to the mysterious presence that budding love may bloom into the fullness of flowers, that their hearts’ desires be fulfilled.
5
tasavvuraat9 ki parchhaiyaaN10 ubharti11 haiN
kabhi gumaan ki soorat, kabhi yaqiN ki tarah
9.memories 10.shadows, images 11.emerge
Memories emerge in the mind of the poet/lover, at times hazy, at times crystal clear.
