For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
رُخ پہ پردہ تانتے ہیں ۔ سردار کرنیل سنگھ پنچھیؔ
۱
اپنی اپنی ذات مذہب جانتے ہیں
اب تو خنجر بھی گلے پہچانتے ہیں
۲
شہر سے نکلیں گے کب کتنے جنازے
یہ خدا سے پہلے نیتا جانتے ہیں
۳
بند ہیں اُن کے دوا خانے ابھی تک
جو ہمارے درد کو پہچانتے ہیں
۴
حادثے دیں گے منافع کس طرح سے
یہ تو بس اہلِ سیاست جانتے ہیں
۵
پھاڑ کر آئین کے اوراق حاکم
قاتلوں کے رُخ پہ پردہ تانتے ہیں
रुख़ पे पर्दा तांते हैं – सरदार करनैल सिंघ पंछी
१
अपनी अपनी ज़ात मज़्हब जानते हैं
अब तो ख़ंजर भी गले पहचानते हैं
२
शहर से निकलेंगे कब कितने जानाज़े
ये ख़ुदा से पहले नेता जानते हैं
३
बंद हैं उन के दवाख़ाने अभी तक
जो हमारे दर्द को पहचानते हैं
४
हादसे देंगे मुनाफ़ा किस तरह से
ये तो बस अहल-ए सियासत जानते हैं
५
फाढ कर आईन के औराक़ हाकेम
क़ातिलौं के रुख़ पे पर्दा तांते हैं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sardar karnail siNgh panchhi (1932-xxxx) gujranvala (now in pakistan). He composed extensively in panjaabi, hindi and urdu and wrote a few songs for movies. He inherited the talent/passion for poetry from his father who learnt it at grandfather’s knee. At school he learnt panjabi, urdu and later faarsi. They had to move to India (rajasthan) in 1947 where he composed in hindi and panjabi. The family moved to rae bareilly in 1962 and he started composing in urdu. He had 6 manuscripts ready in hindi and panjabi to which he added seven in urdu. When his son started a publishing business, he gave his manuscripts to him but his son’s business, their home and all his manuscripts were looted and burnt to the ground in 1984. The family moved to ludhiana. He continued to write and publish as he went along. By 2015 there were 22 collections published with more to come. He continued to write with great love of communal harmony and devotion to figures of other faiths. This short nazm reflects his reaction to the 1984 riots but is even more relevant today.
1
apni apni zaat mazhab jaante haiN
ab to Khanjar bhi gale pahchaante haiN They know their caste, community and religion. Now even knives can discern which throats to slit.
2
shahr se nikleNge kab kitne janaaze1
ye Khuda se pahle neta2 jaante haiN 1.funeral biers 2.(political) leaders
How many funeral biers will be taken out in the city. Political leaders know this even before god does.
3
band haiN un ke davaa-Khaane abhi tak
jo hamaare dard ko pahchaante haiN The doors to their dispensaries are closed. Those that know the cure of our ailment.
4
haadese1 deNge munaafa2 kis tarah se
ye to bas ahl-e-siyaasat3 jaante haiN 1.accidents, incidents 2.profit, benefit 3.politicians
How (communal) incidents can benefit, only politicians know.
5
phaaR kar aaiin1 ke auraaq2 haakim3
qaatiloN4 ke ruKh5 pe parda taante6 haiN 1.constitution 2.pages 3.rulers 4.killers 5.face 6.stretch
Tearing out the pages of the constition, rulers stretch a curtain across the face of killers.
sardar karnail siNgh panchhi (1932-xxxx) gujranvala (now in pakistan). He composed extensively in panjaabi, hindi and urdu and wrote a few songs for movies. He inherited the talent/passion for poetry from his father who learnt it at grandfather’s knee. At school he learnt panjabi, urdu and later faarsi. They had to move to India (rajasthan) in 1947 where he composed in hindi and panjabi. The family moved to rae bareilly in 1962 and he started composing in urdu. He had 6 manuscripts ready in hindi and panjabi to which he added seven in urdu. When his son started a publishing business, he gave his manuscripts to him but his son’s business, their home and all his manuscripts were looted and burnt to the ground in 1984. The family moved to ludhiana. He continued to write and publish as he went along. By 2015 there were 22 collections published with more to come. He continued to write with great love of communal harmony and devotion to figures of other faiths. This short nazm reflects his reaction to the 1984 riots but is even more relevant today.
1
apni apni zaat mazhab jaante haiN
ab to Khanjar bhi gale pahchaante haiN
They know their caste, community and religion. Now even knives can discern which throats to slit.
2
shahr se nikleNge kab kitne janaaze1
ye Khuda se pahle neta2 jaante haiN
1.funeral biers 2.(political) leaders
How many funeral biers will be taken out in the city. Political leaders know this even before god does.
3
band haiN un ke davaa-Khaane abhi tak
jo hamaare dard ko pahchaante haiN
The doors to their dispensaries are closed. Those that know the cure of our ailment.
4
haadese1 deNge munaafa2 kis tarah se
ye to bas ahl-e-siyaasat3 jaante haiN
1.accidents, incidents 2.profit, benefit 3.politicians
How (communal) incidents can benefit, only politicians know.
5
phaaR kar aaiin1 ke auraaq2 haakim3
qaatiloN4 ke ruKh5 pe parda taante6 haiN
1.constitution 2.pages 3.rulers 4.killers 5.face 6.stretch
Tearing out the pages of the constition, rulers stretch a curtain across the face of killers.
