For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اُردو کا ستارہ چمکے گا ۔ جگن ناتھ آزادؔ
۱
سنتے ہیں کہ اپنے دیس میں پھر، اُردو کا ستارہ چمکے گا
پھر جاگے گی تقدیر اپنی، پھر بخت ہمارا چمکے گا
اِس وقت نظر سے دور ہے جو، تاریکی میں مستور ہے جو
کشتی والو مایوس نہ ہو، ساحل وہ دوبارا چمکے گا
۲
دیوانۂ راہِ سفر ہوں جو، تھکنا اُن کا دستور نہیں
ہم حوصلہ ہار کے رہ جائیں، یہ بات ہمیں منظور نہیں
اے اہلِ دل اے اہلِ نظر، ہمّت یہ تقاضا کرتی ہے
دو چار قدم اب اور ذرا، سُنتے ہیں کہ منزل دوُر نہیں
۳
اُردو کو کب تک اہلِ وطن، غیروں کی زباں بتلائیں گے
جو سچّی بات ہے وہ اُس کو، کب تک نہ زباں پر لائیں گے
ہم جن کو اپنا جانتے ہیں، ہم جن کو اپنا مانتے ہیں
کب تک وہ رہیں گے ہم سے الگ، کب تک نہ ہمیں اپنائیں گے
۴
ہم کب تک اپنی بولی کو، بیگانہ کہتے جائیں گے
ہم کب تک ٹھوس حقیقت کو، افسانہ کہتے جائیں گے
اپنا جو یہی دستور رہا، تو یاد رکھو پھر حشر تلک
یہ وقت کے دھارے ہم تم کو، دیوانہ کہتے جائیں گے
۵
غیروں کی نہیں ہے یہ بولی، یہ غالب و میر کی بولی ہے
محروم و سرور کی بولی ہے، یہ داغ و امیر کی بولی ہے
یہ بولی اپنی بزم کی ہے، یہ اپنے دیس کی ہے بھاشا
سرشار و نظر کی بولی ہے، مومن کی دبیر کی بولی ہے
۶
اے اہلِ وطن آؤ مل کر، اِس بولی کو اپنائیں ہم
اِس نور کو بھارت ورش کے گوشے، گوشے میں پھیلائیں ہم
ماحولِ بغض و عداوت میں، پھر چھیڑ کے پیار بھرے نغمے
کھویا ہوا رُتبہ اُردو کا، اُردو کو پھر دلوائیں ہم
उर्दू का सितारा चमकेगा – जगन नाथ आज़ाद
१
सुनते हैं के अपने देस में फिर, उर्दू का सितारा चमकेगा
फिर जागेगी तक़्दीर अपनी, फिर बख़्त हमारा चमकेगा
इस वक़्त नज़र से दूर है जो, तारीकी में मस्तूर है जो
किश्ती वालो मायूस न हो, साहिल वो दुबारा चमकेगा
२
दीवाना-ए राह-ए सफ़र हों जो, थकना उन का दस्तूर नहीं
हम हौस्ला हार के रह जाएं, ये बात हमें मंज़ूर नहीं
अए अहल-ए दिल अए अहल-ए नज़र, हिम्मत ये तक़ाज़ा करती है
दो चार क़दम अब और ज़रा, सुनते हैं के मंज़िल दूर नहीं
३
उर्दू को कब तक अहल-ए वतन, ग़ैरौं कि ज़बां बतलाएंगे
जो सच्ची बात है वो उस को, कब तक न ज़बां पर लाएंगे
हम जिन को अपना जानते हैं, हम जिन को अपना मानते हैं
कब तक वो रहेंगे हम से अलग, कब तक न हमें अपनाएंगे
४
हम कब तक अपनी बोली को, बेगाना कहते जाएंगे
हम कब तक ठोस हक़ीक़त को, अफ़्साना कहते जाएंगे
अपना जो यही दस्तूर रहा, तो याद रखो फिर हश्र तलक
ये वक़्त के धारे हम तुम को, दीवाना कहते जाएंगे
५
ग़ैरौं कि नहीं है ये बोली, ये ग़ालिब ओ मीर कि बोली है
महरूम ओ सुरूर कि बोली है, ये दाग़ ओ अमीर कि बोली है
ये बोली अपनी बज़्म कि है, ये अपने देस कि भाशा है
सरशार ओ नज़र कि बोली है, मोमिन कि दबीर कि बोली है
६
अए अहल-ए वतन आओ मिल कर, इस बोली को अपनाएं हम
इस नूर को भारत-वर्ष के गोशे, गोशे में फैलाएं हम
माहौल-ए बुग़्ज़ ओ अदावत में, फिर छेढ के प्यार भरे नग़्मे
खोया हुआ रुतबा उर्दू का, उर्दू को फिर दिल्वाएं हम
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. jagan nath azad (1918-2004), born in miyaaNvaali (now in pakistan) was the son of another great poet, tilok chand mahroom. He has written with much passion about hindu-muslim and India-pakistan accord. He also composed tributes and several Ghazal in the style of Ghalib. He lived in a lahore for a few months after partition before migrating to India. This is one more of his full-throated support of urdu. He writes that he composed this nazm influenced by the speech and statements of javaahar laal nehru in 1956. I was not able to reconstruct those statements, but they must have been promises to restore the status of urdu in India.
1
sunte haiN keh apne des meN phir, urdu ka sitaara chamkega
phir jaagegi taqdiir1 apni, phir baKht2 hamaara chamkega
is vaqt3 nazar4 se duur hai jo, taariiki5 meN mastoor6 hai jo
kishti vaalo maayoos7 na ho, saahil8 vo dubaara9 chamkega 1.fate 2.luck 3.time 4.sight, eyes 5.darkness 6.hidden 7.hopeless 8.shore 9.once again
We hear that in our homeland, once again the star of urdu will shine. Once again our fate will rise, our luck will turn. At this time, that which is lost on sight, which is hidden in darkness, don’t lose hope, that shoreline will shine again.
2
diivaana-e raah1-e safar2 hoN jo, thakna un ka dastoor3 nahiN
ham hausla4 haar ke rah jaa’eN, ye baat hameN manzoor5 nahiN
aye ahl-e-dil6 aye ahl-e-nazar7, himmat8 ye taqaaza9 karti hai
do-chaar qadam10 ab aur zara, sunte haiN keh manzil11 duur nahiN 1.path 2.journey 3.ways, rule 4.determination 5.acceptable 6.people of heart/love 7.people of vision 8.courage 9.demands 10.steps 11.destination
Getting tired is not the way of those who are passionate about their path on their journey. That we loose our determination and stop, is not acceptable. O loving and visionary people, courage demands a few more steps. We hear that the destination is not too far. Editorial comment – it possible that nehru made some extravagant promises. Compare this naïve confidence with what is going on in the country today.
3
urdu ko kab tak ahl-e-vatan1, GhairoN2 ki zabaaN3 batlaa’eNge
jo sachchi baat hai to us ko, kab tak na zabaaN4 par laa’eNge
ham jin ko apna jaante haiN, ham jin ko apna maante haiN
kab tak vo raheNge ham se alag5, kab tak na hameN apnaa’eNge 1.people of the homeland 2.others, foreigners 3.language 4.tongue 5.separated
How long will the people of the homeland call urdu a foreign language. How long will they not speak that which is the truth. Those who we consider a part of us, and us a part of them, how long will they remain separated from us, how long will they not embrace us. Here the ‘us’ and ‘them’ are urdu-lovers and antagonists.
4
ham kab tak apni boli ko, begaana1 kahte jaa’eNge
ham kab tak Thos2 haqiiqat3 ko, afsaana4 kahte jaa’eNge
apna jo yahi dastoor5 raha, to yaad rakho phir hashr6 talak
ye vaqt ke dhaare ham tum ko, diivaana kahte jaa’eNge 1.strange, foreign 2.solid 3.truth 4.fiction 5.ways, behaviour 6.doomsday
How long will consider our own language to be strange and foreign. How long will we call that which solid truth, fictional. If we continue in these ways, then remember that until doomsday, the currents of time will call us fools.
5
GhairoN1 ki nahiN hai ye boli, ye Ghalib2 o mir3 ki boli hai
mahroom4 o suroor5 ki boli hai, ye daaGh6 o amiir7 ki boli hai
ye boli apni bazm8 ki hai, ye apne desh ki bhaasha hai
sarshaar9 o nazar10 ki boli hai, momin11 ki dabiir12 ki boli hai 1.strangers, foreigners 2.mirza Ghalib (1797–1869) 3.mir taqi mir (1722-1810) 4.tilok chand mahroom (1887 – 1966) 5.durga sahay suroor (1873-1910) 7.daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905) 8.amiir minaaii (1829-1900) 9.ratan nath sarshaar (1846-1903) 10.naubat rai nazar (1864-1923) 11.momin KhaaN momin (1800-1852) 12.mirza dabiir (1803-1875)
This is not the language of foreigners. It is the language of Ghalib and mir, mahroom and suroor, daaGh and amiir. This is the language of our gatherings, it is the language of this nation. It is the language of ratan nath sarshaar, naubat rai nazar, momin and dabiir.
6
aye ahl-e-vatan1 aao mil kar, is boli ko apnaa’eN ham
is noor2 ko bhaarat-varsh ke goshe-goshe3 meN phailaa’eN4 ham
maahaul5-e buGhz6 o adaavat7 meN, phir chheR ke pyaar bhare naGhme8
khoya hua rutba9 urdu ka, urdu ko phir dilvaa’eN ham 1.people of the homeland 2.light, brilliance 3.every corner 4.spread 5.atmosphere 6.hatred, revenge 7.enmity, rivalry 8.songs 9.status
O people of the homeland, come and together we will claim this language as our own, spread this light in every corner of the land of bhaaarat. In this atmosphere of hatred and rivalry, let us break out in songs of love and return the lost status of urdu back to it.
jagan nath azad (1918-2004), born in miyaaNvaali (now in pakistan) was the son of another great poet, tilok chand mahroom. He has written with much passion about hindu-muslim and India-pakistan accord. He also composed tributes and several Ghazal in the style of Ghalib. He lived in a lahore for a few months after partition before migrating to India. This is one more of his full-throated support of urdu. He writes that he composed this nazm influenced by the speech and statements of javaahar laal nehru in 1956. I was not able to reconstruct those statements, but they must have been promises to restore the status of urdu in India.
1
sunte haiN keh apne des meN phir, urdu ka sitaara chamkega
phir jaagegi taqdiir1 apni, phir baKht2 hamaara chamkega
is vaqt3 nazar4 se duur hai jo, taariiki5 meN mastoor6 hai jo
kishti vaalo maayoos7 na ho, saahil8 vo dubaara9 chamkega
1.fate 2.luck 3.time 4.sight, eyes 5.darkness 6.hidden 7.hopeless 8.shore 9.once again
We hear that in our homeland, once again the star of urdu will shine. Once again our fate will rise, our luck will turn. At this time, that which is lost on sight, which is hidden in darkness, don’t lose hope, that shoreline will shine again.
2
diivaana-e raah1-e safar2 hoN jo, thakna un ka dastoor3 nahiN
ham hausla4 haar ke rah jaa’eN, ye baat hameN manzoor5 nahiN
aye ahl-e-dil6 aye ahl-e-nazar7, himmat8 ye taqaaza9 karti hai
do-chaar qadam10 ab aur zara, sunte haiN keh manzil11 duur nahiN
1.path 2.journey 3.ways, rule 4.determination 5.acceptable 6.people of heart/love 7.people of vision 8.courage 9.demands 10.steps 11.destination
Getting tired is not the way of those who are passionate about their path on their journey. That we loose our determination and stop, is not acceptable. O loving and visionary people, courage demands a few more steps. We hear that the destination is not too far. Editorial comment – it possible that nehru made some extravagant promises. Compare this naïve confidence with what is going on in the country today.
3
urdu ko kab tak ahl-e-vatan1, GhairoN2 ki zabaaN3 batlaa’eNge
jo sachchi baat hai to us ko, kab tak na zabaaN4 par laa’eNge
ham jin ko apna jaante haiN, ham jin ko apna maante haiN
kab tak vo raheNge ham se alag5, kab tak na hameN apnaa’eNge
1.people of the homeland 2.others, foreigners 3.language 4.tongue 5.separated
How long will the people of the homeland call urdu a foreign language. How long will they not speak that which is the truth. Those who we consider a part of us, and us a part of them, how long will they remain separated from us, how long will they not embrace us. Here the ‘us’ and ‘them’ are urdu-lovers and antagonists.
4
ham kab tak apni boli ko, begaana1 kahte jaa’eNge
ham kab tak Thos2 haqiiqat3 ko, afsaana4 kahte jaa’eNge
apna jo yahi dastoor5 raha, to yaad rakho phir hashr6 talak
ye vaqt ke dhaare ham tum ko, diivaana kahte jaa’eNge
1.strange, foreign 2.solid 3.truth 4.fiction 5.ways, behaviour 6.doomsday
How long will consider our own language to be strange and foreign. How long will we call that which solid truth, fictional. If we continue in these ways, then remember that until doomsday, the currents of time will call us fools.
5
GhairoN1 ki nahiN hai ye boli, ye Ghalib2 o mir3 ki boli hai
mahroom4 o suroor5 ki boli hai, ye daaGh6 o amiir7 ki boli hai
ye boli apni bazm8 ki hai, ye apne desh ki bhaasha hai
sarshaar9 o nazar10 ki boli hai, momin11 ki dabiir12 ki boli hai
1.strangers, foreigners 2.mirza Ghalib (1797–1869) 3.mir taqi mir (1722-1810) 4.tilok chand mahroom (1887 – 1966) 5.durga sahay suroor (1873-1910) 7.daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905) 8.amiir minaaii (1829-1900) 9.ratan nath sarshaar (1846-1903) 10.naubat rai nazar (1864-1923) 11.momin KhaaN momin (1800-1852) 12.mirza dabiir (1803-1875)
This is not the language of foreigners. It is the language of Ghalib and mir, mahroom and suroor, daaGh and amiir. This is the language of our gatherings, it is the language of this nation. It is the language of ratan nath sarshaar, naubat rai nazar, momin and dabiir.
6
aye ahl-e-vatan1 aao mil kar, is boli ko apnaa’eN ham
is noor2 ko bhaarat-varsh ke goshe-goshe3 meN phailaa’eN4 ham
maahaul5-e buGhz6 o adaavat7 meN, phir chheR ke pyaar bhare naGhme8
khoya hua rutba9 urdu ka, urdu ko phir dilvaa’eN ham
1.people of the homeland 2.light, brilliance 3.every corner 4.spread 5.atmosphere 6.hatred, revenge 7.enmity, rivalry 8.songs 9.status
O people of the homeland, come and together we will claim this language as our own, spread this light in every corner of the land of bhaaarat. In this atmosphere of hatred and rivalry, let us break out in songs of love and return the lost status of urdu back to it.
