For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
ashok lal
یتیم انصاف ۔ اشوک لال
۱
ہر ایک کونے میں ہر کن میں ہے لہو کا سراغ
۲
ٹپک رہا ہے لہو آستینِ قاتل سے
جھلک رہا ہے ابھی خوف چشمِ بسمل سے
۳
ہیں خاک پہ نئے دھبے ہیں بام پہ نئے داغ
ہر ایک کونے میں ہر کن میں ہے لہو کا سراغ
۴
ہوئی ہے آدمیت صرف دینِ شیطاں پر
ہوا ہے صرف لہو تشنگیٔ حیواں پر
۵
یہ خونِ خاک نشیناں بنا ہے رزقِ ستم
ہوا ہے سلسلۂ جور کا علم پہ رقم
۶
پکار کرتا ہے بے آسرا یتیم لہو
کسی کے پاس سماعت کا وقت ہے نہ دماغ
۷
زبانِ مدعی خم ہے شہادت آوارہ
زمیں کے سینے پہ بہتا ہے خون کا دھارا
۸
ہر ایک کونے میں ہر کن میں ہے لہو کا سراغ
यतीम इन्साफ़ – अशोक लाल
१
हर एक कोने में हर कण में है लहू का सुराग़
२
टपक रहा है लहू आस्तीन-ए क़ातिल से
झलक रहा है अभी ख़ौफ़ चश्म-ए बिस्मिल से
३
हैं ख़ाक पे नए धब्बे हैं बाम पे नए दाग़
हर एक कोने में हर कण में है लहू का सुराग़
४
हुई है आदमियत सर्फ़ दीन-ए शैताँ पर
हुआ है सर्फ़ लहू तिश्नगी-ए हैवाँ पर
५
ये ख़ून-ए ख़ाक-नशीनां बना है रिज़्क़-ए सितम
हुआ है सिलसिला-ए जौर का अलम पे रक़म
६
पुकार करता है बे-आसरा यतीम लहू
किसी के पास समा’अत का वक़्त है न दिमाग़
७
ज़बान-ए मुद्दई ख़म है शहादत आवारा
ज़मीं के सीने पे बहता है ख़ून का धारा
८
हर एक कोने में हर कण में है लहू का सुराग़
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ashok lal (xxxx-living) dehli. urdu poet, playwrite, screen writer, theatre director. His father, vinod lal taalib was an urdu poet and his mother was a hindi writer and poet. Their house had frequent gatherings of poetry recitation. Two of his older pramod lal yakta and subodh lal saaqi are poets also featured on urdushahkar. All three are committed secularists. ashok lal’s collection of poems is titled ‘raushnaaii’. This nazm, inspired by faiz ahmed faiz’s ‘lahu ka suraaGh’ reflects what is going on in India in terms of organized communal violence.
1
har ek kone meN har kanD1 meN hai lahu2 ka suraaGh3 1.particle, grain, atom 2.blood 3.clue, sign
In every corner, on every grain of sand, there are signs of blood. As opposed to that, in today’s world, there is blood everywhere – open killing, without any attempt to hide or be subtle.
2
Tapak1 raha hai lahu2 aastiin3-e qaatil4 se
jhalak5 raha hai abhi Khauf6 chashm7-e bismil8 se 1.dripping 2.blood 3.sleeve 4.killer 5.shining, reflecting 6.fear 7.eyes 8.victim, slaughtered
Blood drips from the hand of the killer. The eyes of the slaughtered victim still reflect fear.
3
haiN Khaak1 pe naye dhabbe2 haiN baam3 pe naye daaGh4
har ek kone meN har kanD meN hai lahu ka suraaGh 1.dust 2.spots 3.roof 4.stains
There are fresh stains on the dust, new stains (of blood) on the roof. In every corner, on every grain of sand, there are signs of blood.
4
hui hai aadmiyat1 sarf2 diin3-e shaitaaN4 par
hua hai sarf2 lahu5 tishnagi6-e haivaaN7 par 1.human-ness 2.spent 3.faith, religion 4.satan, devil 5.blood 6.thirst 7.wild beast
Humanity has been sacrificed at the altar of the religion of satan. Blood flows to slake the thirst of wild beasts.
5
ye Khoon-e Khaak-nashinaaN1 bana hai rizq2-e sitam3
hua hai silsila4-e jaur5 ka alam6 pe raqam7 1.dust-dwellers, poor 2.food 3.oppression 4.continuation 5.cruelty 6.banner 7.written
This is the blood of poor dust-dwellers which has become food for the oppressor. The story of continuous cruelty is being proudly written/advertized on banners.
6
pukaar karta hai be-aasra1 yatim2 lahu3
kisi ke paas samaa’at4 ka vaqt hai na dimaaGh5 1.helpless 2.orphaned 3.blood 4.hearing 5.used here to mean inclination/willingness
This helpless blood is shouting for help. No one has time or inclination to listen.
7
zabaan-e mudda’i1 Kham2 hai shahaadat3 aavaara4
zamiN ke siine5 pe bahta hai Khoon ka dhaara 1.plaintiff, complainant, victim 2.bowed 3.witness 4.wandering, lost 5.bosom
The victim’s tongue is cut off (bowed here means made to submit and remain quiet). The witness has wandered away (either refusing or fearful of offering testimony). Streams blood flow on the bosom of the earth.
8
har ek kone meN har kanD1 meN hai lahu2 ka suraaGh3 1.particle, grain, atom 2.blood 3.clue, sign
In every corner, on every grain of sand, there are signs of blood.
ashok lal (xxxx-living) dehli. urdu poet, playwrite, screen writer, theatre director. His father, vinod lal taalib was an urdu poet and his mother was a hindi writer and poet. Their house had frequent gatherings of poetry recitation. Two of his older pramod lal yakta and subodh lal saaqi are poets also featured on urdushahkar. All three are committed secularists. ashok lal’s collection of poems is titled ‘raushnaaii’. This nazm, inspired by faiz ahmed faiz’s ‘lahu ka suraaGh’ reflects what is going on in India in terms of organized communal violence.
1
har ek kone meN har kanD1 meN hai lahu2 ka suraaGh3
1.particle, grain, atom 2.blood 3.clue, sign
In every corner, on every grain of sand, there are signs of blood. faiz ahmed faiz in his ‘lahu ka suraaGh’, writes ‘kahiiN nahiN hai, kahiiN bhi nahiN lahu ka suraaGh’. As opposed to that, in today’s world, there is blood everywhere – open killing, without any attempt to hide or be subtle.
2
Tapak1 raha hai lahu2 aastiin3-e qaatil4 se
jhalak5 raha hai abhi Khauf6 chashm7-e bismil8 se
1.dripping 2.blood 3.sleeve 4.killer 5.shining, reflecting 6.fear 7.eyes 8.victim, slaughtered
Blood drips from the hand of the killer. The eyes of the slaughtered victim still reflect fear.
3
haiN Khaak1 pe naye dhabbe2 haiN baam3 pe naye daaGh4
har ek kone meN har kanD meN hai lahu ka suraaGh
1.dust 2.spots 3.roof 4.stains
There are fresh stains on the dust, new stains (of blood) on the roof. In every corner, on every grain of sand, there are signs of blood.
4
hui hai aadmiyat1 sarf2 diin3-e shaitaaN4 par
hua hai sarf2 lahu5 tishnagi6-e haivaaN7 par
1.human-ness 2.spent 3.faith, religion 4.satan, devil 5.blood 6.thirst 7.wild beast
Humanity has been sacrificed at the altar of the religion of satan. Blood flows to slake the thirst of wild beasts.
5
ye Khoon-e Khaak-nashinaaN1 bana hai rizq2-e sitam3
hua hai silsila4-e jaur5 ka alam6 pe raqam7
1.dust-dwellers, poor 2.food 3.oppression 4.continuation 5.cruelty 6.banner 7.written
This is the blood of poor dust-dwellers which has become food for the oppressor. The story of continuous cruelty is being proudly written/advertized on banners.
6
pukaar karta hai be-aasra1 yatim2 lahu3
kisi ke paas samaa’at4 ka vaqt hai na dimaaGh5
1.helpless 2.orphaned 3.blood 4.hearing 5.used here to mean inclination/willingness
This helpless blood is shouting for help. No one has time or inclination to listen.
7
zabaan-e mudda’i1 Kham2 hai shahaadat3 aavaara4
zamiN ke siine5 pe bahta hai Khoon ka dhaara
1.plaintiff, complainant, victim 2.bowed 3.witness 4.wandering, lost 5.bosom
The victim’s tongue is cut off (bowed here means made to submit and remain quiet). The witness has wandered away (either refusing or fearful of offering testimony). Streams blood flow on the bosom of the earth.
8
har ek kone meN har kanD1 meN hai lahu2 ka suraaGh3
1.particle, grain, atom 2.blood 3.clue, sign
In every corner, on every grain of sand, there are signs of blood.
