For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
غم زدوں کی بات کر ۔ الزبت کُرین موناؔ
۱
نہ مسجدوں کی بات کر، نہ بتکدوں کی بات کر
خدا کو ڈھونڈھنا ہو گر، تو غم زدوں کی بات کر
۲
جو چھاؤں بھی نہ دے سکے، شجر بھی کیا شجر ہے وہ
تلاش ہے جو چھاؤں کی، تو برگدوں کی بات کر
۳
خمار عشق میں بھی ہے، نشہ رنج و غم میں بھی
جنوں میں بھی ہیں مستیاں، نہ مے کدوں کی بات کر
۴
بشر بشر میں فرق کیا، ہر اِک ہے بندۂ خدا
ہے فرش اِک، ہے عرش اِک، نہ سرحدوں کی بات کر
۵
زمین میں گڑھے ہوۓ عمارتوں کے نیو ہیں
ہیں اِن کے بل پہ وہ کھڑے، نہ گنبدوں کی بات کر
۶
نڈھال جو رہےگا تو، نہ کچھ بھی ہاتھ آئے گا
جلا کے دل چراغ سا، تو مقصدوں کی بات کر
۷
جو ٹھان لی ہے دل میں تو، فلک کو موناؔ چھو کے دیکھ
ملیں تجھے جو راہ میں، نہ اُن حدوں کی بات کر
ग़मज़दों की बात कर – एलिज़बेत कुरियन मोना
१
न मस्जिदों की बात कर, न बुतकदों की बात कर
ख़ुदा को ढूँढना हो गर, तो ग़मज़दों की बात कर
२
जो छाँव भी न दे सके, शजर भी क्या शजर है वो
तलाश है जो छाँव की, तो बरगदों बात कर
३
ख़ुमार इश्क़ में भी है, नशा रंज-ओ-ग़म में भी
जुनूँ में भी हैं मस्तियाँ, न मय-कदों की बात कर
४
बशर बशर में फ़र्क़ क्या, हर एक है बंदा-ए-ख़ुदा
है फ़र्श एक, है अर्श एक, न सरहदों की बात कर
५
ज़मीन में गढे हुए इमारतों के नीव हैं
हैं इन के बल पे वो खढे, न गुम्बदों की बात कर
६
निढाल जो रहेगा तू, न कुछ भी हाथ आएगा
जला कि दिल चिराग़ सा, तू मक़सदों की बात कर
७
जो ठान ली है दिल में तो, फ़लक को मोना छू के देख
मिलीं तुझे जो राह में, न उन हदों की बात कर
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. Elizabeth Kurian ‘Mona’ (1949-living) is a poet in many languages – urdu, English, hindi, and her mother tongue malayalam, with published books in each. A true blue hyderabadi, she is a late comer to urdu, but apparently good at it as well as in love with it. She learnt urdu through a correspondence course offered by jaami’a-e millia islamia, dehli. She has written four urdu books of Ghazal/nazms and one on rules of poetic meter. She took early retirement from a management position in Reserve Bank of India and now lives in her hometown, hyderabad and pursues her passion in poetry. This Ghazal is linked to others with the refrain ‘ki baat kareN’ on the Refrain Index page.
1
na masjidoN ki baat kar, na butkadoN1 ki baat kar
Khuda ko DhoonDna ho gar2, to Gham-zadoN3 ki baat kar 1.idol houses, temples 2.if 3.grief-stricken, pained, sorrowful
Don’t talk to me about mosques and temples. If you want to search god, then talk about those who are deprived and grief-stricken.
2
jo chhaa’uN bhi na de sake, shajar1 bhi kya shajar1 hai voh
talaash2 hai jo chhaa’uN ki, to bargadoN3 ki baat kar 1.tree 2.search 3.banyan tree
What kind of a tree is a tree that cannot even provide shade. If you are looking for shade/shelter/protection, talk about the banyan tree.
3
Khumaar1-e ishq meN bhi hai, nasha ranj-o-Gham2 meN bhi
junooN3 meN bhi haiN mastiyaaN4, na mai-kadoN5 ki baat kar 1.intoxication 2.pain and sorrow 3.passion, mystic trance 4.intoxication, ecstasy 5.tavern
There is intoxication in love (it can also mean divine/spiritual love) as well as in pain and sorrow. There is ecstasy in mystic trance/passion, don’t talk to me only about taverns and wine.
4
bashar1 bashar meN farq2 kya, har ek hai banda3-e Khuda
hai farsh4 ek, hai arsh5 ek, na sarhadoN6 ki baat kar 1.human 2.difference 3.servant, creature, devotee 4.floor, earth 5.sky 6.boundaries
What is the difference between one human and another, everyone is created by the same god. Everyone has the same earth and the same sky, don’t talk to me about (man-made) boundaries.
5
zameen meN gaRay1 hue imaaratoN2 ke niiv3 haiN
haiN in ke bal4 pe voh khaRe, na gumbadoN5 ki baat kar 1.buried 2.buildings 3.foundation 4.power, support 5.domes
Foundations are buried deep in the ground. These buildings stand, supported by them, don’t talk to me about domes i.e., the real work is done by the foundation. The analogy could be applied to the working class on whose labour everything else is built.
6
niDhaal1 jo rahega tu, na kuch bhi haath aa’ega
jala ke dil charaaGh2 sa, tu maqsadoN3 ki baat kar 1.listless 2.lamp 3.purpose, goal
If you remain listless, you will not achieve anything. Lighting up your heart like a shining lamp, talk about your purpose/goal.
7
jo Thaan1 li hai dil meN to, falak2 ko mona3 choo ke dekh
mileN tujhe jo raah4 meN, na un hadoN5 ki baat kar 1.resolved, determined 2.sky 3.pen-name of the poet 4.path 5.limits, hurdles
Now that you have resolved in your mind, O mona, reach of the sky. Don’t dwell on the hurdles along the way.
Elizabeth Kurian ‘Mona’ (1949-living) is a poet in many languages – urdu, English, hindi, and her mother tongue malayalam, with published books in each. A true blue hyderabadi, she is a late comer to urdu, but apparently good at it as well as in love with it. She learnt urdu through a correspondence course offered by jaami’a-e millia islamia, dehli. She has written four urdu books of Ghazal/nazms and one on rules of poetic meter. She took early retirement from a management position in Reserve Bank of India and now lives in her hometown, hyderabad and pursues her passion in poetry. This Ghazal is linked to others with the refrain ‘ki baat kareN’ on the Refrain Index page.
1
na masjidoN ki baat kar, na butkadoN1 ki baat kar
Khuda ko DhoonDna ho gar2, to Gham-zadoN3 ki baat kar
1.idol houses, temples 2.if 3.grief-stricken, pained, sorrowful
Don’t talk to me about mosques and temples. If you want to search god, then talk about those who are deprived and grief-stricken.
2
jo chhaa’uN bhi na de sake, shajar1 bhi kya shajar1 hai voh
talaash2 hai jo chhaa’uN ki, to bargadoN3 ki baat kar
1.tree 2.search 3.banyan tree
What kind of a tree is a tree that cannot even provide shade. If you are looking for shade/shelter/protection, talk about the banyan tree.
3
Khumaar1-e ishq meN bhi hai, nasha ranj-o-Gham2 meN bhi
junooN3 meN bhi haiN mastiyaaN4, na mai-kadoN5 ki baat kar
1.intoxication 2.pain and sorrow 3.passion, mystic trance 4.intoxication, ecstasy 5.tavern
There is intoxication in love (it can also mean divine/spiritual love) as well as in pain and sorrow. There is ecstasy in mystic trance/passion, don’t talk to me only about taverns and wine.
4
bashar1 bashar meN farq2 kya, har ek hai banda3-e Khuda
hai farsh4 ek, hai arsh5 ek, na sarhadoN6 ki baat kar
1.human 2.difference 3.servant, creature, devotee 4.floor, earth 5.sky 6.boundaries
What is the difference between one human and another, everyone is created by the same god. Everyone has the same earth and the same sky, don’t talk to me about (man-made) boundaries.
5
zameen meN gaRay1 hue imaaratoN2 ke niiv3 haiN
haiN in ke bal4 pe voh khaRe, na gumbadoN5 ki baat kar
1.buried 2.buildings 3.foundation 4.power, support 5.domes
Foundations are buried deep in the ground. These buildings stand, supported by them, don’t talk to me about domes i.e., the real work is done by the foundation. The analogy could be applied to the working class on whose labour everything else is built.
6
niDhaal1 jo rahega tu, na kuch bhi haath aa’ega
jala ke dil charaaGh2 sa, tu maqsadoN3 ki baat kar
1.listless 2.lamp 3.purpose, goal
If you remain listless, you will not achieve anything. Lighting up your heart like a shining lamp, talk about your purpose/goal.
7
jo Thaan1 li hai dil meN to, falak2 ko mona3 choo ke dekh
mileN tujhe jo raah4 meN, na un hadoN5 ki baat kar
1.resolved, determined 2.sky 3.pen-name of the poet 4.path 5.limits, hurdles
Now that you have resolved in your mind, O mona, reach of the sky. Don’t dwell on the hurdles along the way.
