Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mohammed husain qamar jalaalavi (1887-1968), was born in jalaali, near aligaRh, moved to pakistan after partition/independence. He was popularly known as ‘ustad’, for his expertise in repairing bicycles, which is how he earned his living and 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 a poignant Ghazal that can be interpreted as the pain of being forced to leave home. It can also be interpreted as an expression of pain of the experience of the mohajir in the new homeland. It might also help to read the perspective of the same poet on the pain of having found no peace in the new home, and missing the original homeland – see ‘fikr-e aashiyaana’. But at least some of the ash’aar apply to the condition of the muslim minority in India today and are being used for that purpose.
1
aye mere ham-nashiiN¹ chal kahiiN aur chal, is chaman meN ab apna guzaara² nahiiN
baat hoti guloN³ tak to sah⁴ lete ham, ab to kaaNToN pe bhi haq⁵ hamaara nahiiN   1.friend 2.stay, sojourn, survival 3.flowers 4.accept, bear, suffer through 5.rights
O friend, let’s go, let’s go somewhere else. We can no longer live in this garden. If it had been only about (access to) flowers, then we could have borne it, but we have even been denied rights to thorns. This can be read as the pain of being forced to leave India or being made to feel unwelcome in pakistan. I am not sure if it is meant to reflect one or the other or perhaps something else, but it can also be applied to the condition of the muslim minority in India.
2
aaj aaye ho tum kal chale jaaoge, ye mohabbat ko apni gavaara¹ nahiiN
umr bhar ka sahaara² bano to bano, do ghaRi ka sahaara sahaara nahiiN   1.acceptable 2.support, help
You are here today, but will leave tomorrow. This is not acceptable in love. If you provide partnership/support, commit to a lifetime of partnership. Help for a flashing two minutes is no help at all. (I have the same comments here as in the first she’r, except perhaps it does not quite apply to the muslim minority in India).
3
dii sadaa¹ daar² par aur kabhi tuur³ par, kis jagah maiN ne tum ko pukaara nahiiN
ThokareN⁴ yuN khilaane se kya faa’eda⁵, saaf⁶ kah do keh milna gavaara⁶ nahiiN   1.call 2.hanging platform, gallows 3.mount tuur (see notes) 4.stumble, trip over 5.use, benefit 5.clearly 6.acceptable
The reference to mount tuur draws on the story of moosa who went on top of the mountain and called to see god. I called you from the gallows (when I was oppressed and in danger), I called you from the mountain top (out of a desire to see you). I called you from everywhere. What pleasure do you get in making me wander and stumble/trip, clearly say that I am not welcome, that you don’t want to see me.
4
dil ko bahlaa’eN¹ kaise shab-e-hijr² meN, dil bahalne¹ ka koii sahaara³ nahiN
chaand bhi chhup gaya raat bhi Dhal gaii, aasmaaN pe bhi koii sitaara nahiN 1.console 2.night of separation (from the homeland) 3.support
How can we console our hearts during this night of separation (loss of home), there is no means of support. The moon has set, the night has passed, there is not a single star in th esky (but still I am not consoled).
5
jaane¹ kis ki lagan² kis ke dhun meN magan, ham ne jaate hue muR ke dekhaa nahiiN
ham ne aavaaz par tum ko aavaaz di, phir bhi kahte haiN ham ne pukaara nahiiN   1.(kaun) jaane – who knows 2.longing, desire
Who knows what desire/longing we had in our hearts as we left (the homeland). We never turned around to look back. We answered your call (for a new homeland), but you tell us we have never called you. This implies that the migrant, obsessed with a new vision, made sacrifices without looking back, but the migrant/refugee is accused of disloyalty and shut out of the mainstream (just as the muslim is, in today’s India).
6
bahaaroN¹ ke din yaa KhizaaN² ki ghaRi, apne har daur³ meN saath chhoRa nahiN
dil ke muKhtaar⁴ hum tum ko bhoole nahiN, ho ke majbuur⁵ daaman⁶ pasaara⁷ nahiN    1.spring, prosperity 2.autumn, dry season, scarcity 3.period, times, conditions 4.leader, holding power 5.helpless 6.hem of the robe 7.spread the hem of the robe (as in begging for alms)
Whether it was times of plenty or scarcity, we stood with you during every period. We have control over our hearts (we are self-respecting), we did not forget you nor in helplessness, did we beg.
7
gulsitaaN¹ ko lahu² ki zaruurat³ paRi, sab se pahle hi gardan hamaari kaTi
phir bhi kahte haiN mujh se ye ahl-e-chaman⁴, ye chaman hai hamaara tumhaara nahiiN    1.garden 2.blood 3.need 4.people of the garden, people in power
Whenever the garden (homeland) needed blood (as in being ready to be killed to protect), we were the first to be sacrificed. Yet, those in power say to us, this garden is ours, not yours. This and the previous she’r have strong echoes of a mohaajir/refugee protest.
8
zaalimo¹ apni qismat pe naazaaN² na ho, daur³ badlegaa ye vaqt ki baat hai
vo yaqinan⁴ sunega sadaa’eN⁵ meri, kya tumhaara Khuda hai hamaara nahii  1.oppressors, tyrants 2.proud, arrogant 3.times, system 4.certainly 5.cries
O tyrants, do not be arrogant of your fate. The system will change, it is only a matter of time. He surely will hear our cries, is he just your god, not ours!
9
apni zulfoN¹ ko ruKh² se haTaa lijiye, mera zauq³-e nazar⁴ aazma⁵ lijiye
aaj ghar se chalaa huN yahi soch kar, yaa to nazreN⁶ nahiiN yaa nazaara⁷ nahiiN   1.hair 2.face 3.taste, desire 4.eyes, sight 5.try, test 6.eyes 7.sight to be seen
This is composed in the language of the classical struggle between lover and beloved – one desiring to see and the other mischievously trying to hide. Part your hair from your face, test my discriminating taste (loyalty), if you like. I am setting out today with the determination that this matter will be settled once and for all. It sounds to me that the immigrant is ready for his loyalty/love of the new homeland to be put to the test, but can also apply to the Indian muslim.