For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اُردو جیسی زبان دے ۔ اجئے پانڈے سحابؔ
۱
مجھے اُس غزل کی تلاش ہے، میرے درد کو جو زبان دے
کہیں در بہ در ہے جو آرزو، اسے اک سکوں کا مکان دے
۲
مجھے شہرتیں جو ملیں کبھی، یہی مخلصی ہو قبا مری
مرے قد سے اونچا غرور ہو، وہ کبھی نہ اتنا گمان دے
۳
جو کماؤں میں وہ حلال ہو، جو کبھی نہ وجہ ملال ہو
کبھی مجھ سے ہو نہ گداگری، مجھے مفلسی میں بھی شان دے
۴
مجھے ایک روٹی ملے اگر، تیرے ساتھ اس کو بھی بانٹ لوں
جہاں صرف میں ہی سما سکوں، نہ وہ اتنا تنگ مکان دے
۵
جو فریب دے وہی شاہ ہے، وہی جھوٹ کا بھی گواہ ہے
میں کہاں سے لاؤں تلاش کر، وہ جو حق کے حق میں بیان دے
۶
وہ عوام دے میرے ہند کو، جو بٹے نہ فرقوں کے نام پر
وہ جو مندروں میں بھی گا سکے، جو ہوئی سحر تو اذان دے
۷
وہی بے کلی وہی تشنگی، بڑی تلخ ہے یہاں زندگی
میرے ذہن و دل کو مٹھاس دے، مجھے اُردو جیسی زبان دے
उर्दू जैसी ज़बान दे – अजय पांडे सहाब
१
मुझे उस ग़ज़ल की तलाश है, मेरे दर्द को जो ज़बान दे
कहीं दर बा दर है जो आर्ज़ू, उसे एक सुकूं का मकान दे
२
मुझे शोहरतें जो मिलें कभी, यही मुख़्लिसी हो क़बा मेरी
मेरे क़द से ऊँचा ग़ुरूर हो, वो कभी न इतना गुमान दे
३
जो कमाऊं मैं वो हलाल हो, जो कभी न वजह मलाल हो
कभी मुझसे हो न गदागरी, मुझे मुफ़्लिसी में भी शान दे
४
मुझे एक रोटी मिले अगर, तेरे साथ उस को भी बांट लूं
जहां सिर्फ़ मैं ही समा सकूं, न वो इतना तंग मकान दे
५
जो फ़रेब दे वही शाह है, वही झूट का भी गवाह है
मैं कहां से लाऊं तलाश कर, वो जो हक़ के हक़ में बयान दे
६
वो अवाम दे मेरे हिंद को, जो बटे न फ़िर्क़ौं के नाम पर
वो जो मंदिरों में भी गा सके, जो हुई सुबह तो अज़ान दे
७
वही बे-कली, वही तिश्नगी, बढी तल्ख़ है यहां जिंदगी
मेरे ज़हन ओ दिल को मिठास दे, मुझे उर्दू जैसी ज़बान दे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ajay paanDay sahaab (1969-living) ICS officer, commisioner GST, jhaarkhanD. Grew up in surroundings completely devoid of urdu. Read sahir, firaq and faiz in devanagiri and fell in love with urdu. Taught himself reading and writing and started composing at 16-17. He writes …
seekha isi se dard ye hindostaan ka
bachpan se mujh pe qarz hai urdu zabaan ka
1
mujhe uss Ghazal ki talaash1 hai, meray dard ko jo zabaan2 de
kahiiN dar-ba-dar3 hai jo aarzu4, usay ek sukooN5 ka makaan6 de 1.search 2.tongue, voice 3.door to door, homeless 4.desire 5.peace, tranquility 6.home
The poet has painful thoughts. His pain could be ‘Gham-e janaaN’ – pain of love, but in this case it appears to be ‘Gham-e dauraaN’ – pain about the condition of fellow humans. He wants a voice to express his pain in the form of Ghazal. His thoughts are wandering homelessly – they don’t have a Ghazal. He prays that they may find a peaceful, tranquil home.
2
mujhe shohrateN1 jo mileN kabhi, yahi muKhlisi2 ho qaba3 meri
meray qad4 se ooNcha5 Ghuroor6 ho, vo kabhi na itna gumaan7 de 1.fame 2.sincere, genuine 3.garment 4.height, stature 5.tall 6.pride 7.assumption
If I were ever to achieve fame, may I continue to wear a garment of authenticity. May I never feel pride that exceeds my stature.
3
jo kamaauN1 maiN vo halaal2 ho, jo kabhi na vaj’h3 malaal4 ho
kabhi mujh se ho na gadaagari5, mujhe muflisi6 meN bhi shaan7 de 1.earn 2.permitted, honest 3.reason 4.sorrow, regret 5.begging 6.penury 7.dignity
May whatever I earn be honest, may it never be the reason for regret. Grant me such dignity even in penury that I may never stoop to begging.
4
mujhe aek roTi milay agar, teray saath uss ko bhi baaNT luN
jahaaN1 sirf2 maiN hi samaa3 sakuN, na voh itna taNg4 makaan de 1.where 2.only 3.contained 4.narrow
Even if I earn just one piece of bread, may I have it in me that I share it with you. Do not put me in a place (state of mind) which is so tight, that only I can fit.
5
jo fareb1 de vahi shaah2 hai, vahi jhooT3 ka bhi gavaah4 hai
maiN kahaaN se laauN talaash5 kar, voh jo haq6 ke haq7 meN bayaan8 de 1.deception 2.ruler 3.lies, falsehood 4.witness 5.search, find 6.truthful 7.rights, justice 8.narrate, speak
The ruler himself deceives and bears false witness (speaks untruth). Where can I find someone who speaks the truth in defence of justice.
6
voh avaam1 de meray hind2 ko, jo baTay3 na firqauN4 ke naam par
voh jo mandiroN meN bhi gaa sakay, jo hui sub’h to azaan de 1.public, people 2.India 3.divide 4.communities
Give my homeland a people that do not divide themselves in the name of communities; a people that will sing devotional songs in a temple and give the call to prayer at dawn.
7
vahi be-kali1, vahi tishnagi2, baRi talKh3 hai yahaaN zindagi
meray zahn4 o dil ko miThaas de, mujhe urdu jaisi zabaan de 1.restlessness 2.thirst 3.bitter 4.mind
The same restlessness, the same thirst, life is very bitter here. Grant sweetness to my heart and mind; grant me a tongue like urdu.
ajay paanDay sahaab (1969-living) ICS officer, commisioner GST, jhaarkhanD. Grew up in surroundings completely devoid of urdu. Read sahir, firaq and faiz in devanagiri and fell in love with urdu. Taught himself reading and writing and started composing at 16-17. He writes …
seekha isi se dard ye hindostaan ka
bachpan se mujh pe qarz hai urdu zabaan ka
1
mujhe uss Ghazal ki talaash1 hai, meray dard ko jo zabaan2 de
kahiiN dar-ba-dar3 hai jo aarzu4, usay ek sukooN5 ka makaan6 de
1.search 2.tongue, voice 3.door to door, homeless 4.desire 5.peace, tranquility 6.home
The poet has painful thoughts. His pain could be ‘Gham-e janaaN’ – pain of love, but in this case it appears to be ‘Gham-e dauraaN’ – pain about the condition of fellow humans. He wants a voice to express his pain in the form of Ghazal. His thoughts are wandering homelessly – they don’t have a Ghazal. He prays that they may find a peaceful, tranquil home.
2
mujhe shohrateN1 jo mileN kabhi, yahi muKhlisi2 ho qaba3 meri
meray qad4 se ooNcha5 Ghuroor6 ho, vo kabhi na itna gumaan7 de
1.fame 2.sincere, genuine 3.garment 4.height, stature 5.tall 6.pride 7.assumption
If I were ever to achieve fame, may I continue to wear a garment of authenticity. May I never feel pride that exceeds my stature.
3
jo kamaauN1 maiN vo halaal2 ho, jo kabhi na vaj’h3 malaal4 ho
kabhi mujh se ho na gadaagari5, mujhe muflisi6 meN bhi shaan7 de
1.earn 2.permitted, honest 3.reason 4.sorrow, regret 5.begging 6.penury 7.dignity
May whatever I earn be honest, may it never be the reason for regret. Grant me such dignity even in penury that I may never stoop to begging.
4
mujhe aek roTi milay agar, teray saath uss ko bhi baaNT luN
jahaaN1 sirf2 maiN hi samaa3 sakuN, na voh itna taNg4 makaan de
1.where 2.only 3.contained 4.narrow
Even if I earn just one piece of bread, may I have it in me that I share it with you. Do not put me in a place (state of mind) which is so tight, that only I can fit.
5
jo fareb1 de vahi shaah2 hai, vahi jhooT3 ka bhi gavaah4 hai
maiN kahaaN se laauN talaash5 kar, voh jo haq6 ke haq7 meN bayaan8 de
1.deception 2.ruler 3.lies, falsehood 4.witness 5.search, find 6.truthful 7.rights, justice 8.narrate, speak
The ruler himself deceives and bears false witness (speaks untruth). Where can I find someone who speaks the truth in defence of justice.
6
voh avaam1 de meray hind2 ko, jo baTay3 na firqauN4 ke naam par
voh jo mandiroN meN bhi gaa sakay, jo hui sub’h to azaan de
1.public, people 2.India 3.divide 4.communities
Give my homeland a people that do not divide themselves in the name of communities; a people that will sing devotional songs in a temple and give the call to prayer at dawn.
7
vahi be-kali1, vahi tishnagi2, baRi talKh3 hai yahaaN zindagi
meray zahn4 o dil ko miThaas de, mujhe urdu jaisi zabaan de
1.restlessness 2.thirst 3.bitter 4.mind
The same restlessness, the same thirst, life is very bitter here. Grant sweetness to my heart and mind; grant me a tongue like urdu.
