For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
آئندہ بدل کر دیکھیں ۔ روی سنہا رویؔ
۱
وقت کے ساتھ بھی چل کر دیکھیں
چل گزشتہ سے نکل کر دیکھیں
۲
آپ ماضی کو بدل دیتے ہیں
کبھی آئندہ بدل کر دیکھیں
۳
اب سے آگے ہے زمانے کی ڈھلان
اور دعوت کہ پِھسل کر دیکھیں
۴
عربدہ جو کی سکونت ہے دماغ
دہر سے جنگ و جدل کر دیکھیں
۵
ہم کو معلوم ہے پتھر ہونا
آپ کہیے تو پِگھل کر دیکھیں
۶
کیا لطافت ہے گزر جانے میں
ساتھ میں شام کے ڈھل کر دیکھیں
۷
روز آئینہ بدلنے والے
کبھی خود کو بھی بدل کر دیکھیں
۸
ہر دفعہ ہوش گنوانا اپنا
اُن کو اِس بار سنبھل کر دیکھیں
۹
بندگی کا تو صلہ دیکھ لیا
آج کہیے تو مچل کر دیکھیں
आइन्दा बदल कर देखें – रवि सिन्हा रवि
१
वक़्त के साथ भी चल कर देखें
चल गुज़िश्ता से निकल कर देखें
२
आप माज़ी को बदल देते हैं
कभी आइन्दा बदल कर देखें
३
अब से आगे है ज़माने की ढलान
और दावत के फिसल कर देखें
४
अर्बदा-जू की सुकूनत है दिमाग़
दहर से जंग-ओ-जदल कर देखें
५
हम को मालूम है पत्थर होना
आप कहिये तो पिघल कर देखें
६
क्या लताफ़त है गुज़र जाने में
साथ में शाम के ढल कर देखें
७
रोज़ आईना बदलने वाले
कभी ख़ुद को भी बदल कर देखें
८
हर दफ़ा होश गँवाना अपना
उनको इस बार सँभल कर देखें
९
बंदगी का तो सिला देख लिया
आज कहिये तो मचल कर देखें
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ravi sinha ravi (1952-living) bihar, UP and dehli, physicist, writer, educationist and an activist-scholar associated with progressive and emancipatory movements for nearly four decades. PhD in theoretical physics, MIT. Worked in research and teaching institutions in Maryland, USA and later ahmedabad, gujarat, before resigning from his job to devote himself full time to writing, organizing and theorizing. He is the principal author of the book, Globalization of Capital, co-founder of the hindi journal, sandhan, and one of the founding members of the New Socialist Initiative – an informal group of intellectuals and activists. . Came to urdu late in life (at 65) to start on a new, unexpected and challenging venture …
iss umr-e-Ghazal kii mahfil meN ek der se pahuNche shaa’er ko
maqte ki ghaRii aate-aate kahne ka saliiqaa aa jaa’e
His Ghazal maintain a progressive and enlightened outlook.
1
vaqt ke saath bhi chal kar dekheN
chal guzishtaa1 se nikal kar dekheN 1.past
This is wide open to interpretations. Let us walk with the times. Let us get out of the past. It can mean that present times are marching along with progress in knowledge and capability. Let us step up and keep up with it, rather than be stuck in past superstitions and ignorance. It can also be interpreted as – the world is moving forward, let us get out of our hubristic sense of past glory. Said rajesh reddy …
Khud ko maazi meN rakhuN haal meN rahte hue bhi
naye vaqtoN ke Khayaalaat na likhne paa’uN
Said fahmida riaz in ‘naya bharat’ …
ek jaap saa kartey jaa’o
baaram-baar yehi dohraa’o
kitna veer mahaan tha bharat
kaisa ‘aalishaan tha bharat
2
aap maazii1 ko badal dete haiN
kabhii aa’inda2 badal kar dekheN 1.past 2.future
You change/modify that past, sometime try and change/shape the future. This could mean … you invent fables to glorify the past, or you change history books to obscure the truth. Try and focus on improving/shaping the future.
3
ab se aage1 hai zamaane2 ki Dhalaan3
aur d’aavat4 keh phisal5 kar dekheN 1.in front, ahead 2.times, period 3.slope 4.invitation 5.slip
Our times are facing a steep downhill slope, and you invite us slip down into the abyss. This like many other ash’aar, can have political implications.
4
arbada-juu1 ki sukuunat2 hai dimaaGh
dahr3 se jaNg-o-jadal4 kar dekheN 1.conflict/struggle seeking 2.residence, home 3.world 4.war and conflict
This is also wide open to interpretations. In a positive view, the mind is the seat of struggle (against ignorance, injustice). Let us wage war (against injustice of the) world. In a more accusatory interpretation … your mind is the seat of war and conflict. You pick fights with the whole world. This could also have a lot of political implications.
5
ham ko maaluum hai patthar1 honaa
aap kahiye to pighal2 kar dekheN 1.rock, obstacle, obstinate 2.melt away, disappear, soften
‘patthar hona’ can be used for becoming an obstacle to progress or becoming insistent and obstinate, or even becoming a rock that can be used to throw and attack. Thus, we know how to be a rock/obstacle/obstinate. If you say/ask we can melt away and see what happens. Who is this addressed to? The beloved or to the political order? The poet invites us to create our own interpretation.
6
kyaa lataafat1 hai guzar2 jaane meN
saath meN shaam ke Dhal3 kar dekheN 1.elegance, subtlety, delicacy 2.passing by, passing 3.set (as in sunset)
This is an enigma to me. It could be about the passage of time/age. The day passes elegantly, subtly and smoothly into night. The second misra either invites the reader to witness the elegance of this passage or is it an invitation to try this ourselves. I am particularly sensitive to the latter because I am at a stage of life where I am fighting aging, struggling to keep up my old capabilities … this is an invitation to elegantly accept the processes of nature and age gracefully.
7
roz1 aa’iina badalne2 vaale
kabhii Khud3 ko bhi badal kar dekheN 1.daily 2.changing 3.self
You will see the same yourself even if you change mirrors every day. It is not the mirror, it is YOU, says the poet. I am reminded of a she’r of krishn bihari noor and was inspired to compose a rather politically loaded and mischievous she’r. Said krish bihari noor …
chaahe sone ke frame meN jaR do
aa’ina jhuuT boltaa hi nahiN
Says shahed …
roz dastaar badalne vaale
barhana-sar kabhi chal kar dekheN
8
har daf’aa1 hosh2 gaNvaanaa3 apnaa
unko is baar saNbhal4 kar dekheN 1.every time 2.senses 3.losing 4.balanced, tempered
Losing our senses every time; this time let us look with a balanced view. I am reminded of poets writing exaggerated descriptions of the beloved; people/fans getting enamoured with artists/politicians or the like; perhaps even divinity/god.
9
bandagii1 kaa to silaa2 dekh liyaa
aaj kahiye to machal3 kar dekheN 1.servitude, devotion 2.recompense 3.used to mean – rebel
I am tempted to apply this to god, especially since the word ‘bandagii’ is used. We have seen the results of blind obedience/devotion. Let us rebel today and see what happens.
ravi sinha ravi (1952-living) bihar, UP and dehli, physicist, writer, educationist and an activist-scholar associated with progressive and emancipatory movements for nearly four decades. PhD in theoretical physics, MIT. Worked in research and teaching institutions in Maryland, USA and later ahmedabad, gujarat, before resigning from his job to devote himself full time to writing, organizing and theorizing. He is the principal author of the book, Globalization of Capital, co-founder of the hindi journal, sandhan, and one of the founding members of the New Socialist Initiative – an informal group of intellectuals and activists. . Came to urdu late in life (at 65) to start on a new, unexpected and challenging venture …
iss umr-e-Ghazal kii mahfil meN ek der se pahuNche shaa’er ko
maqte ki ghaRii aate-aate kahne ka saliiqaa aa jaa’e
His Ghazal maintain a progressive and enlightened outlook.
1
vaqt ke saath bhi chal kar dekheN
chal guzishtaa1 se nikal kar dekheN
1.past
This is wide open to interpretations. Let us walk with the times. Let us get out of the past. It can mean that present times are marching along with progress in knowledge and capability. Let us step up and keep up with it, rather than be stuck in past superstitions and ignorance. It can also be interpreted as – the world is moving forward, let us get out of our hubristic sense of past glory. Said rajesh reddy …
Khud ko maazi meN rakhuN haal meN rahte hue bhi
naye vaqtoN ke Khayaalaat na likhne paa’uN
Said fahmida riaz in ‘naya bharat’ …
ek jaap saa kartey jaa’o
baaram-baar yehi dohraa’o
kitna veer mahaan tha bharat
kaisa ‘aalishaan tha bharat
2
aap maazii1 ko badal dete haiN
kabhii aa’inda2 badal kar dekheN
1.past 2.future
You change/modify that past, sometime try and change/shape the future. This could mean … you invent fables to glorify the past, or you change history books to obscure the truth. Try and focus on improving/shaping the future.
3
ab se aage1 hai zamaane2 ki Dhalaan3
aur d’aavat4 keh phisal5 kar dekheN
1.in front, ahead 2.times, period 3.slope 4.invitation 5.slip
Our times are facing a steep downhill slope, and you invite us slip down into the abyss. This like many other ash’aar, can have political implications.
4
arbada-juu1 ki sukuunat2 hai dimaaGh
dahr3 se jaNg-o-jadal4 kar dekheN
1.conflict/struggle seeking 2.residence, home 3.world 4.war and conflict
This is also wide open to interpretations. In a positive view, the mind is the seat of struggle (against ignorance, injustice). Let us wage war (against injustice of the) world. In a more accusatory interpretation … your mind is the seat of war and conflict. You pick fights with the whole world. This could also have a lot of political implications.
5
ham ko maaluum hai patthar1 honaa
aap kahiye to pighal2 kar dekheN
1.rock, obstacle, obstinate 2.melt away, disappear, soften
‘patthar hona’ can be used for becoming an obstacle to progress or becoming insistent and obstinate, or even becoming a rock that can be used to throw and attack. Thus, we know how to be a rock/obstacle/obstinate. If you say/ask we can melt away and see what happens. Who is this addressed to? The beloved or to the political order? The poet invites us to create our own interpretation.
6
kyaa lataafat1 hai guzar2 jaane meN
saath meN shaam ke Dhal3 kar dekheN
1.elegance, subtlety, delicacy 2.passing by, passing 3.set (as in sunset)
This is an enigma to me. It could be about the passage of time/age. The day passes elegantly, subtly and smoothly into night. The second misra either invites the reader to witness the elegance of this passage or is it an invitation to try this ourselves. I am particularly sensitive to the latter because I am at a stage of life where I am fighting aging, struggling to keep up my old capabilities … this is an invitation to elegantly accept the processes of nature and age gracefully.
7
roz1 aa’iina badalne2 vaale
kabhii Khud3 ko bhi badal kar dekheN
1.daily 2.changing 3.self
You will see the same yourself even if you change mirrors every day. It is not the mirror, it is YOU, says the poet. I am reminded of a she’r of krishn bihari noor and was inspired to compose a rather politically loaded and mischievous she’r. Said krish bihari noor …
chaahe sone ke frame meN jaR do
aa’ina jhuuT boltaa hi nahiN
Says shahed …
roz dastaar badalne vaale
barhana-sar kabhi chal kar dekheN
8
har daf’aa1 hosh2 gaNvaanaa3 apnaa
unko is baar saNbhal4 kar dekheN
1.every time 2.senses 3.losing 4.balanced, tempered
Losing our senses every time; this time let us look with a balanced view. I am reminded of poets writing exaggerated descriptions of the beloved; people/fans getting enamoured with artists/politicians or the like; perhaps even divinity/god.
9
bandagii1 kaa to silaa2 dekh liyaa
aaj kahiye to machal3 kar dekheN
1.servitude, devotion 2.recompense 3.used to mean – rebel
I am tempted to apply this to god, especially since the word ‘bandagii’ is used. We have seen the results of blind obedience/devotion. Let us rebel today and see what happens.
