For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
رنگِ حیا اور ہی کچھ ہے ۔ للّن چودھری آفتؔ گجپوری
۱
گلزار میں رفتارِ صبا اور ہی کچھ ہے
اس شوخ کے چلنے کی ادا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۲
کرتی ہے خُنُک دل کی تپِش بادِ سحر بھی
لیکن ترے دامن کی ہوا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۳
شاید وہ شباب آنے سے آگاہ ہوا ہے
پلکیں ہیں جھکیں رنگِ حیا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۴
کس شوخ نے زلفوں کو ہوا میں ہے اڑایا
یہ توبہ شکن کالی گھٹا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۵
کہنے کو تو ہر فرد و بشر سب ہیں برابر
دنیا میں مگر شور بپا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۶
بیکس کا لہو شعلہ نہ بن جائے سنبھلنا
پیغام سناتی یہ ہوا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۷
وہ لاکھ سِتم ڈھائیں کبھی اُف نہ کروں گا
آفتؔ مرا دستورِ وفا اور ہی کچھ ہے
रंग-ए हया और ही कुछ है – लल्न चौघरी आफ़त गजपूरी
१
गुलज़ार में रफ़्तार-ए सबा और ही कुछ है
उस शूख़ के चलने की अदा और ही कुछ है
२
करती है ख़ुनुक दिल की तपिश बाद-ए सहर भी
लेकिन तेरे दामन की हवा और ही कुछ है
३
शा’एद वो शबाब आने से आगाह हुआ है
पलकें हैं झुकीं रंग-ए हया और ही कुछ है
४
किस शूख़ ने ज़ुल्फ़ों को हवा में है उढाया
ये तौबा-शिकन काली-घटा और ही कुछ है
५
कहने को तो हर फ़र्द-ओ-बशर सब हैं बराबर
दुनिया में मगर शोर बपा और ही कुछ है
६
बेकस का लहू शो’ला न बन जाए सँभलना
पैग़ाम सुनाती ये हवा और ही कुछ है
७
वो लाख सितम ढाएँ कभी उफ़ न करूँगा
आफ़त मेरा दस्तूर-ए वफ़ा और ही कुछ है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. lallan chaudhry aafat gajpuri, gorakhpur (1921-xxxx). Refused to work for the colonial government. Worked as a daily wage labourer. Finished BA from aligaRh in 1955 and took up government service. Well versed in urdu and farsi but wrote initially in hindi. Moved to dehli and joined ‘halqa-e tishnagaan’, a group of shu’ara that met regularly. With this, he started composing regularly in urdu.
1
gulzaar1 meN raftaar2-e sabaa3 aur hi kuchh hai
uss shooKh4 ke chalne ki adaa5 aur hi kuchh hai 1.garden 2.speed, gait, gentle movement 3.breeze 4.mischievous, beloved 5.style
The gentle gait of the breeze in the garden is something else i.e., it is very soothing. But the style of walking of that mischievous one is something else i.e., not only is it more beautiful, but also it causes tumultous emotions rather than sooth.
2
karti hai Khunuk1 dil ki tapish2 baad3-e sahar4 bhi
laikin tere daaman5 ki havaa aur hi kuchh hai 1.cool 2.heat, burning 3.breeze 4.dawn 5.hem of the garment
The lover’s heart is burning in pain of love. The early morning breeze can provide some relief and cool the burning heart but blowing with the hem of the beloved’s garment is something else.
3
shaa’ed1 voh shabaab2 aane se aagaah3 huaa hai
palkeN4 haiN jhukiiN raNg5-e hayaa6 aur hi kuchh hai 1.perhaps 2.youth, adolescence 3.aware 4.eyelashes, eyelids 5.style, mannerism 6.coyness, shyness
In this case the beloved is very young and just budding into youth. Perhaps she has become aware of her budding youth that is why the mannerism of her coyness and lowering of her eyelids is now ‘something else’.
4
kis shooKh1 ne zulfoN2 ko havaa meN hai uRaayaa
yeh tauba-shikan3 kaali-ghaTaa4 aur hi kuchh hai 1.playful, mischievous 2.hair 3.repentence breaking 4.dark clouds
In the monsoon tradition dark clouds are a sign of coming rains, spring and rejuvenation; it is the season of celebration. It also is a sign for wine lovers to gather and drink to celebrate. The poet/wine-lover has repented and sworn off any more wine. But the dark clouds are ‘tauba-shikan’ – tempting him to break his penitence. But to the poet dark clouds themselves are as if someone who is playful (the beloved) has spread their hair and they are blowing in the air. Thus, it is the beloved herself that is tempting him to drink wine.
5
kahne ko to har fard-o-bashar1 sab haiN baraabar
duniyaa meN magar shor2 bapaa3 aur hi kuchh hai 1.individual and human 2.noise, tumult 3.prevalent
Everyone says that all people are equal but the real cry going around is something else. The ‘real cry’ could either be that of protest of the people who are being treated unequally or it could be the assertion of the powerful.
6
bekas1 kaa lahu2 sho’la3 na ban jaa’e sambhalnaa4
paiGhaam5 sunaati yeh havaa aur hi kuchh hai 1.helpless, oppressed 2.blood 3.flame 4.get steady, be ready, careful 5.message
Be careful lest the blood of the oppressed burst into flames. The message in the air is something else. This could well be about the independence movement and/or about social justice.
7
voh laakh sitam1 Dhaa’eN2 kabhi uff3 na karuuNgaa
aafat4 meraa dastuur5-e vafaa6 aur hi kuchh hai 1.oppression, torture 2.inflict suffering 3.wince, show pain 4.pen-name of the poet 5.tradition 6.keeping promise, fidelity
The lover has resolved not to wince, not to show any pain, no matter how much torture the beloved inflicts on him. O aafat, the tradition of my fidelity is something else.
lallan chaudhry aafat gajpuri, gorakhpur (1921-xxxx). Refused to work for the colonial government. Worked as a daily wage labourer. Finished BA from aligaRh in 1955 and took up government service. Well versed in urdu and farsi but wrote initially in hindi. Moved to dehli and joined ‘halqa-e tishnagaan’, a group of shu’ara that met regularly. With this, he started composing regularly in urdu.
1
gulzaar1 meN raftaar2-e sabaa3 aur hi kuchh hai
uss shooKh4 ke chalne ki adaa5 aur hi kuchh hai
1.garden 2.speed, gait, gentle movement 3.breeze 4.mischievous, beloved 5.style
The gentle gait of the breeze in the garden is something else i.e., it is very soothing. But the style of walking of that mischievous one is something else i.e., not only is it more beautiful, but also it causes tumultous emotions rather than sooth.
2
karti hai Khunuk1 dil ki tapish2 baad3-e sahar4 bhi
laikin tere daaman5 ki havaa aur hi kuchh hai
1.cool 2.heat, burning 3.breeze 4.dawn 5.hem of the garment
The lover’s heart is burning in pain of love. The early morning breeze can provide some relief and cool the burning heart but blowing with the hem of the beloved’s garment is something else.
3
shaa’ed1 voh shabaab2 aane se aagaah3 huaa hai
palkeN4 haiN jhukiiN raNg5-e hayaa6 aur hi kuchh hai
1.perhaps 2.youth, adolescence 3.aware 4.eyelashes, eyelids 5.style, mannerism 6.coyness, shyness
In this case the beloved is very young and just budding into youth. Perhaps she has become aware of her budding youth that is why the mannerism of her coyness and lowering of her eyelids is now ‘something else’.
4
kis shooKh1 ne zulfoN2 ko havaa meN hai uRaayaa
yeh tauba-shikan3 kaali-ghaTaa4 aur hi kuchh hai
1.playful, mischievous 2.hair 3.repentence breaking 4.dark clouds
In the monsoon tradition dark clouds are a sign of coming rains, spring and rejuvenation; it is the season of celebration. It also is a sign for wine lovers to gather and drink to celebrate. The poet/wine-lover has repented and sworn off any more wine. But the dark clouds are ‘tauba-shikan’ – tempting him to break his penitence. But to the poet dark clouds themselves are as if someone who is playful (the beloved) has spread their hair and they are blowing in the air. Thus, it is the beloved herself that is tempting him to drink wine.
5
kahne ko to har fard-o-bashar1 sab haiN baraabar
duniyaa meN magar shor2 bapaa3 aur hi kuchh hai
1.individual and human 2.noise, tumult 3.prevalent
Everyone says that all people are equal but the real cry going around is something else. The ‘real cry’ could either be that of protest of the people who are being treated unequally or it could be the assertion of the powerful.
6
bekas1 kaa lahu2 sho’la3 na ban jaa’e sambhalnaa4
paiGhaam5 sunaati yeh havaa aur hi kuchh hai
1.helpless, oppressed 2.blood 3.flame 4.get steady, be ready, careful 5.message
Be careful lest the blood of the oppressed burst into flames. The message in the air is something else. This could well be about the independence movement and/or about social justice.
7
voh laakh sitam1 Dhaa’eN2 kabhi uff3 na karuuNgaa
aafat4 meraa dastuur5-e vafaa6 aur hi kuchh hai
1.oppression, torture 2.inflict suffering 3.wince, show pain 4.pen-name of the poet 5.tradition 6.keeping promise, fidelity
The lover has resolved not to wince, not to show any pain, no matter how much torture the beloved inflicts on him. O aafat, the tradition of my fidelity is something else.
