Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mohammed husain ustaad qamar jalaalavi (1887-1968), was born in jalaali, near aligaRh, moved to pakistan after partition/independence. He was popularly known as ‘ustaad’, for his expertise in repairing bicycles, which is how he earned his living initially and later, lived in penury, in spite of his excellence as a poet. He wrote Ghazal is chaste classical style, many of which have been put to music. This is composed in the zamin of Ghalib’s ‘Khaak meN kya soorateN hoNgi keh pinhaaN ho gaiiN’.
1
manzileN¹ Ghurbat² meN mujh ko aafat³-e jaaN ho gaiiN
vus’ateN⁴ ek ek zarre⁵ kii biyaabaaN⁶ ho gaiiN   1.destinations, stations on the way to the destination 2.being away from home, exile 3.curse 4.expanse, possibilities 5.grain of dust 6.wilderness
It is well known that qamar jalalavi was unhappy with his move to pakistan and even tried to return. Each stage of my life, in my exile has become a curse. Every grain of sand became like the expanse of the desert.
2
chaaragar¹ kyuNkar² nikaale dil meN pinhaaN³ ho gaiiN
TooT kar nokeN tere tiiroN ki armaaN⁴ ho gaiiN 1.healer 2.how 3.hidden 4.desires
The beloved’s glances are like arrows. They penetrate the poet/lover’s heart, break off and get hidden/lost. They become his desires. So, how can the healer pull out these arrows to heal him!
3
kya karuN aaheN¹ jo rusvaaii² ka saamaaN³ ho gaiiN
mushkileN⁴ aisi mujhe kyuN diiN jo aasaaN⁵ ho gaiiN    1.sighs 2.shame, embarrassment 3.means, source 4.difficulties 5.easy
Says Ghalib, “mushkileN itni paRiiN mujh par keh aasaaN ho gaiiN”. Here, the poet/lover, sighs sorrowfully. They have become a source of embarrassment (it could be either to him or to the beloved). It appears that he is sighing because his difficulties have become easy i.e., just like Ghalib, he has had so many difficulties that he has become used to them. What can I do if they have become a source of embarrassment. Why did you give me such/so many difficulties that I got used to them!
4
hum-nafas¹ sayyaad² ki aadat³ ko maiN samjha na tha
bhool⁴ kar nazreN⁵ meri suu⁶-e gulistaaN⁷ ho gaiiN    1.friend 2.captor 3.habit 4.in forgetfulness/ignorance 5.glance 6.towards 7.garden
The poet is like a caged bird. He did not fully understand the habit/nature of the captor and cast his glances towards the garden. The captor saw this and got angry and punished him even more. What can I do, my friend, I did not know the captor. The captor could be the beloved who wants full and exclusive attention of the poet/lover, does not like the distraction of his yearning for the garden.
5
aashiyaaN¹ apna uThaate haiN, salaam aye baaGhbaaN²
bijliaaN³ ab dushman-e jaan-e gulistaaN⁴ ho gaiiN    1.nest, home 2.gardener 3.lightning 4.garden
In urdu poetic tradition lightning always strikes the nest of the poet/lover portrayed as a bird. Here his is bidding goodbye to the gardener and taking his nest elsewhere because lightning strikes have become the sworn enemy of the life of the garden.
6
meri hasrat¹ ki nazar² se raaz³-e ulfat⁴ khul gaya
aarzueN⁵ ashk⁶ ban ban kar numaayaaN⁷ ho gaiiN    1.intense grief, longing 2.glance 3.secret 4.love 5.desires 6.tears 7.emerge, visible
Traditionally, the poet/lover hides his love so as not to malign the reputation of the beloved. But his sorrowful glance of longing revealed the secret. His desire emerged in the shape of tears and could be seen clearly.
7
kya nahiN maa’loom kaun aaya ayaadat¹ ke liye
aisi band aaKheN teri biimaar²-e hijraaN³ ho gaiiN    1.to visit, to inquire after health 2.sick 3.separation (from the beloved)
The poet/lover is on his death bed, last breath. The beloved has arrived to inquire after his health. Either the poet is speaking to himself or someone else is speaking to the dying poet. Don’t you know who has arrived to inquire after you. Your eyes, O stricken with separation from the beloved, are closed so tight as if you are not aware.
8
bulbul-e naashaad¹ ye man’hoos² naale³ band kar
phool Ghaarat⁴ ho gaye, barbaad⁵ kaliyaaN ho gaiiN     1.unhappy 2.cursed 3.wailing 4.destroyed 5.destroyed, trampled
Poets often refer to themselves as ‘bulbul’. The poet is like an unhappy bulbul, singing sad songs, wailing. Stop this cursed wailing, because of it flowers have been picked and destroyed, and flower buds trampled.
9
vo uThi aashiq¹ ki mayyat² le mubaarak³ ho tujhe
ab to puuri hasrateN⁴ aye dushman-e-jaaN⁵ ho gaiiN    1.lover 2.corpse, funeral bier 3.congratulations 4.wish, desire
This is addressed to the rival. He is the ‘enemy of life’ i.e., wishing death upon the poet/lover. Now his dead and his funeral is underway. Congratulations to you, O my sworn enemy, now your desires have been fulfilled.
10
kaa’enaat¹-e dil hi kya thi, chaar boondeN² Khoon ki
do Ghiza³-e Gham huiN, do nazr⁴-e paikaaN⁵ ho gaiiN    1.universe 2.drops 3.food 4.sacrificial offering 5.tip of the arrow or lance, sidelong glance of the beloved
The total universe of the heart consisted of just four drops of blood. Two became food for Sorrow and two were sacrificed to the side-long glance of the beloved. This is like …
umr-e daraaz maaNg ke laaye the chaar din
do aarzu meN kaT gaye do intezaar meN
11
aasmaaN par DhoonDta huN un duaaoN ko qamar¹
sub’h ko jo Doobte taaroN meN pinhaaN² ho gaiiN    1.full moon, pen-name of poet 2.hidden
The poet/lover has sent many supplications/prayers towards the sky in the hope of fulfilment. He has spent all night doing this and it is near dawn and stars are setting. His unanswered prayers are disappearing along with the setting stars and he is looking for them in vain. The nice juxtaposition is that the poet himself is qamar … the full moon in the sky and yet he is losing sight of his prayers and stars.