For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
مصر کا بازار دیکھ کر ۔ متینؔ امروہوی
۱
سر دیکھ کر کبھی مری دستار دیکھ کر
شرمندہ ہے وہ مجھ کو سرِ دار دیکھ کر
۲
آیا نہ فرق اُس کی انا میں کبھی کوئی
دنیا بدل گئی مرا کِردار دیکھ کر
۳
جنّت کی جو تھی دل میں وہ حسرت نکل گئی
آنکھوں سے اپنی کوچۂ دلدار دیکھ کر
۴
راہِ وفا میں حادثہ اِس پر بھی ہو گیا
ہم تو چلے تھے راستہ ہموار دیکھ کر
۵
احباب مجھ کو دیتے ہیں شعر و سخن کی داد
حاسد خموش ہیں مرا معیار دیکھ کر
۶
انمول کر دیا ہے زلیخا نے عشق کو
یوسف یہ بولے مصر کا بازار دیکھ کر
۷
وہ تو متینؔ کر نہ سکا کوئی فیصلہ
دل میں نے دے دیا اُسے اک بار دیکھ کر
मिस्र का बाज़ार देख कर – मतीन अम्रोहवी
१
सर देख कर कभी मेरी दस्तार देख कर
शर्मिन्दा है वो मुझ को सर-ए दार देख कर
२
आया न फर्क़ उस कि अना में कभी कोई
दुनिया बदल गई मेरा किर्दार देख कर
३
जन्नत कि जो थी दिल में वो हस्रत निकल गई
आंखौं से अपनी कूचा-ए दिल्दार देख कर
४
राह-ए वफ़ा में हादेसा इस पर भी हो गया
हम तो चले थे रास्ता हमवार देख कर
५
अहबाब मुझ को देते है शे’र ओ सुख़न की दाद
हासेद ख़मोश हैं मेरा मे’आर देख कर
६
अनमोल कर दिया है ज़ुलैख़ा ने इश्क़ को
यूसुफ़ ये बोले मिस्र का बाज़ार देख कर
७
वो तो मतीन कर न सका कोई फ़ैसला
दिल मैं ने दे दिया उसे एक बार देख कर
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mateen amrohvi (xxxx-xxxx). Much as I tried I could not figure out any personal background other than the following bits and pieces … his collection of Ghazal in the zamin of Ghalib was published in 2008. He was born and raised in amroha but was a prominent resident of dehli living next to the dargaah of nizamuddin and within a short walk of Ghalib Academy. Apparently, he was very active in the mushaa’era circuit in dehli, but particularly in the annual Republic Day mushaa’era in the laal qila. I could not figure out if he had a day job although there are bits and pieces about him and TV programs. This Ghazal in the zamin of Ghalib’s ‘dete haiN baada zarf-e qadah-Khwaar dekh kar’ is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
sar dekh kar kabhi meri dastaar1 dekh kar
sharminda2 hai vo mujh ko sar-e-daar3 dekh kar 1.cap – usually a ceremonial cap for nobility 2.regretful, shamed 3.head of the gallows
‘dastaar’ is not to be interpreted literally. It is used here mean something like, “I am an honourable man (as indicated figuratively, not literally, by the dastaar)”. The poet/lover has been sentenced to be hanged and is the head of the gallows. It is implied that the beloved has had a role in the sentencing. She is at the scene but now appears to be regretting her role in it, seeing that this was an honourable man.
2
aaya na farq1 us ki anaa2 meN kabhi koii
duniya badal gaii mera kirdaar3 dekh kar 1.difference 2.ego, self-absorption 3.character
The poet claims that he is a ‘ideal’ lover of high character. The world has seen his character and changed its attitude towards him. But the beloved is so absorbed with herself that even after seeing his character it has made no difference in her attitude.
3
jannat1 ki jo thi dil meN vo hasrat2 nikal-gaii3
aaNkhoN se apni koocha4-e dildaar5 dekh kar 1.heaven 2.longing, desire 3.fufilled 4.lane 5.beloved
There is a conventional (probably what the shaa’er meant) and an uncoventional (mischievous) interpretation. That hinges on how you interpret ‘nikal gaii’. In the conventional interpretation ‘hasrat nikal gaii’ means desire was fulfilled. Thus, the poet/lover has a desire to go to heaven (rather than hell) but when he saw the street of the beloved with his own eyes, it felt like that desire was fulfilled i.e., the street of the beloved IS heaven. The mischievous interpretation is that ‘hasrat nikal gaii’ means left my heart. Thus, the poet/lover had a desire to go to heaven, but when he saw the madness in the street of the beloved that desire left him. He no longer cared for heaven. Reminds me of jigar muradabadi …
teri baatoN se aaj to vaa’ez
vo jo thi Khwaahish-e najaat gaii
4
raah1-e vafa2 meN haadesa3 is par bhi ho gaya
ham to chale the raasta4 hamvaar5 dekh kar 1.path 2.steadfast love 3.accident, calamity 4.way 5.even, level, easy
The poet/lover launched on the path of steadfast love seeing that it was even/level/obstacle free. Even then, there were calamities that befell him along the way.
5
ahbaab1 mujh ko dete haiN she’r2 o suKhan3 ki daad4
haased5 Khamosh haiN mera me’aar6 dekh kar 1.friends 2.verse, couplets 3.recitation, speaking 4.appreciation, praise 5.envious 6.standard
The implication is that the poet’s standards of versification are high. His friends appreciate that and give him praise/encouragement. But those who are envious remain quiet upon seeing his high standard.
6
anmol1 kar diya hai zulaiKha2 ne ishq ko
yusuf3 ye bole misr4 ka bazaar dekh kar 1.invaluable 2.wife of Potiphar – an Egyptian nobleman 3.Joseph 4.Egypt
The story is that yusuf/Joseph was an extremely handsome young man. His jealous brothers threw him down a well and left him to die. He was retrieved from the well by a traveling caravan and sold as a slave in the ‘bazaar of misr’ to nobleman, who took him home. The nobleman’s wife fell hopelessly in love with him and tried to seduce him. She did not succeed but this is often used as a metaphor for sincere/spiritual devotion. Thus, love became ‘anmol’ – invaluable in the bazaar of misr, so said yusuf.
7
vo to mateen1 kar na saka koii faisla2
dil maiN ne de diya use ek baar dekh kar 1.pen-name of the poet 2.decision
The beloved could not make any decision, O mateen, but I gave her my heart after taking one look.
mateen amrohvi (xxxx-xxxx). Much as I tried I could not figure out any personal background other than the following bits and pieces … his collection of Ghazal in the zamin of Ghalib was published in 2008. He was born and raised in amroha but was a prominent resident of dehli living next to the dargaah of nizamuddin and within a short walk of Ghalib Academy. Apparently, he was very active in the mushaa’era circuit in dehli, but particularly in the annual Republic Day mushaa’era in the laal qila. I could not figure out if he had a day job although there are bits and pieces about him and TV programs. This Ghazal in the zamin of Ghalib’s ‘dete haiN baada zarf-e qadah-Khwaar dekh kar’ is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
sar dekh kar kabhi meri dastaar1 dekh kar
sharminda2 hai vo mujh ko sar-e-daar3 dekh kar
1.cap – usually a ceremonial cap for nobility 2.regretful, shamed 3.head of the gallows
‘dastaar’ is not to be interpreted literally. It is used here mean something like, “I am an honourable man (as indicated figuratively, not literally, by the dastaar)”. The poet/lover has been sentenced to be hanged and is the head of the gallows. It is implied that the beloved has had a role in the sentencing. She is at the scene but now appears to be regretting her role in it, seeing that this was an honourable man.
2
aaya na farq1 us ki anaa2 meN kabhi koii
duniya badal gaii mera kirdaar3 dekh kar
1.difference 2.ego, self-absorption 3.character
The poet claims that he is a ‘ideal’ lover of high character. The world has seen his character and changed its attitude towards him. But the beloved is so absorbed with herself that even after seeing his character it has made no difference in her attitude.
3
jannat1 ki jo thi dil meN vo hasrat2 nikal-gaii3
aaNkhoN se apni koocha4-e dildaar5 dekh kar
1.heaven 2.longing, desire 3.fufilled 4.lane 5.beloved
There is a conventional (probably what the shaa’er meant) and an uncoventional (mischievous) interpretation. That hinges on how you interpret ‘nikal gaii’. In the conventional interpretation ‘hasrat nikal gaii’ means desire was fulfilled. Thus, the poet/lover has a desire to go to heaven (rather than hell) but when he saw the street of the beloved with his own eyes, it felt like that desire was fulfilled i.e., the street of the beloved IS heaven. The mischievous interpretation is that ‘hasrat nikal gaii’ means left my heart. Thus, the poet/lover had a desire to go to heaven, but when he saw the madness in the street of the beloved that desire left him. He no longer cared for heaven. Reminds me of jigar muradabadi …
teri baatoN se aaj to vaa’ez
vo jo thi Khwaahish-e najaat gaii
4
raah1-e vafa2 meN haadesa3 is par bhi ho gaya
ham to chale the raasta4 hamvaar5 dekh kar
1.path 2.steadfast love 3.accident, calamity 4.way 5.even, level, easy
The poet/lover launched on the path of steadfast love seeing that it was even/level/obstacle free. Even then, there were calamities that befell him along the way.
5
ahbaab1 mujh ko dete haiN she’r2 o suKhan3 ki daad4
haased5 Khamosh haiN mera me’aar6 dekh kar
1.friends 2.verse, couplets 3.recitation, speaking 4.appreciation, praise 5.envious 6.standard
The implication is that the poet’s standards of versification are high. His friends appreciate that and give him praise/encouragement. But those who are envious remain quiet upon seeing his high standard.
6
anmol1 kar diya hai zulaiKha2 ne ishq ko
yusuf3 ye bole misr4 ka bazaar dekh kar
1.invaluable 2.wife of Potiphar – an Egyptian nobleman 3.Joseph 4.Egypt
The story is that yusuf/Joseph was an extremely handsome young man. His jealous brothers threw him down a well and left him to die. He was retrieved from the well by a traveling caravan and sold as a slave in the ‘bazaar of misr’ to nobleman, who took him home. The nobleman’s wife fell hopelessly in love with him and tried to seduce him. She did not succeed but this is often used as a metaphor for sincere/spiritual devotion. Thus, love became ‘anmol’ – invaluable in the bazaar of misr, so said yusuf.
7
vo to mateen1 kar na saka koii faisla2
dil maiN ne de diya use ek baar dekh kar
1.pen-name of the poet 2.decision
The beloved could not make any decision, O mateen, but I gave her my heart after taking one look.
