Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is called shaa’er-e inqelaab, poet of change/revolution. He is very secular and nationalistic in his writings and rebels against orthodoxy. His range of language and vocabulary is simply amazing. He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn. His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’. The ‘sahr-dawn’ he writes about in this nazm/Ghazal is an image of a new world order and social harmony.
1
vaqt-e sahar¹ hai aao hariifo² vuzuu³ kareN
meena⁴ uThaa’eN Khidmat⁵-e jaam-o-subuu⁶ kareN     1.dawn 2.rival, partner, friend 3.ritual washing, ablutions 4.decanter, flask 5.service 6.cup and glass
It is dawn, come my friends, let us perform ablution. Let us lift the wine flask and serve the cup and goblet. Ablutions are performed in preparation of namaaz. But here the call for ablution is followed by the call for serving wine. Does the poet consider serving wine to be his form of namaaz! Or does it signify the wine of love. With the new day, a fresh dawn, universal love is served. Could this be a call for social justice. The serving of red wine with the redness of dawn is also nicely juxtaposed.
2
lo khul gaya voh parcham¹-e Khurshid²-e zar-nigaar³
uTho ke vaa⁴ dariicha⁵-e sad-raNg-o-buu⁶ kareN    1.banner 2.sun 3.decorating with gold 4.open wide 5.window 6.hundred colours and fragrances
Behold, the golden banner of the sun is unfurled in the sky. Rise and open the window wide to a hundred colours and fragrances. This could be a celebration of the beauty of dawn and/or to the promise of a new beginning – the colour and fragrance symbolizing justice and well-being.
3
taa’er¹ Kharosh² meN haiN sabaa³ garm⁴-e eKhtelaat⁵
aao hariim⁶-e kaif⁷ meN phir ha-o-huu⁸ kareN    1.birds 2.full throated sound/song 3.breeze 4.enthusiastically busy 5.amalgamation, mixing 6.sanctuary, realm 7.pleasure, joy 8.sounds of tumultous celebration
In poetic tradition, the morning breeze blows, tickling unopened buds and wakes them up – causing them to bloom, thus spreading fragrance, mixing fragrances. Thus, birds are in full song and the breeze is mixing fragrances, come let us celebrate with song in the realm of joy – welcoming the rising dawn – either the literal dawn or the dawn of justice, reason, universal love … it is up to us to imagine the possibilities.
4
mastaana-vaar¹ jeb²-e javaani³ ke chaak⁴ meN
phir rishta⁵-e sharaab-e kuhan⁶ se rafu⁷ kareN    1.intoxicated state, mad 2.collar 3.youth 4.tear 5.relationship, thread 6.old 7.darn, stitch
Traditionally a mad passionate lover tears his collar. Youth is passionate (about change) and its collar torn. The poet wants to sew/stitch the torn collar with the thread of old wine. Could wine here symbolize universal love and/or justice.
5
phir ruu¹-e Khush-nigaar² ki dohraa’eN³ daastaaN⁴
husn-o-jamaal⁵-e yaar⁶ ki phir guftagu⁷ kareN     1.face, looks 2.beautiful lines/form/shape 3.repeat 4.story 5.beauty and grace 6.friend, beloved, god, dawn, social justice 7.conversation
The poet does not clearly state who the ‘yaar-friend’ is. He could be talking about the beloved, about god, the dawn or the coming era of social justice. We are left to choose. Once again, let us re-tell stories of that beautifully carved/formed face. Let us talk about the beauty and grace of the ‘friend’.
6
malboos¹-e zindagaani o raKht²-e hayaat³ ko
sahba⁴ ki narm⁵ aaNch⁶ se phir shust-o-shuu⁷ kareN    1.garment 2.robe, provisions 3.life 4.wine 5.soft 6.fire 7.wash, clean, purify
The garments of life and its robes and provisions symbolize the restrictions that conventions, rituals and orthodoxy have placed on us … have used to cover up the real pleasures of life. On the other hand, wine symbolizes rebellion against conventions and orthodoxy. It symbolizes free thinking equality of all humans … everyone in the tavern is treated the same. Thus, the poet calls for washing away the restrictions of orthodoxy with the wine of universal love.
7
aao bana’eN yaar¹ ko phir sadr-e-anjuman²
aaina aaftab³ ka phir ruu-ba-ruu⁴ kareN    1.friend, beloved 2.centre/focus of the gathering 3.sun 4.face to face, in front
The beloved is the mirror/reflection of the sun because of her brilliance/glory. But who is the beloved. Like for many of the progressive poets … maKhdoom, faiz, sahir … it could be the dawn of social justice. The poet calls upon the gathering to once again make the ‘beloved’ the focus of attention and come face to face with her glory.
8
duniya ko aao rashk¹-e behisht²-e bariiN³ banaa’eN
Khushki⁴ ko aao ruu-kash⁵-e sad-aabjuu⁶ kareN    1.envy 2.heaven 3.lofty, sublime 4.dry, barren 5.equal, rival 6.hundred rivers
Come, let us make the world the envy of high heavens. Let us turn barren lands into lush valleys of a hundred rivers.
9
laila¹-e kaif²-e dosh³ ka murjha⁴ chala hai haar
phir taazah⁵ phool goondh⁶ ke zeb⁷-e gulu⁸ kareN    1.of laila majnuN legend, beloved 2.pleasures, joy 3.past 4.wilted 5.fresh 6.string 7.embellishment 8.neck
The joys of the past (or revelries of last night) are pictured as laila, the beloved. Her garland is wilted. Let us gather fresh flowers and string them into a new garland for the embellishment of her neck. This may well be about peaceful times of harmony, friendship and love between communities. The poet harks back to those times.
10
aane lagi hai daer¹ se naaquus² ki sadaa³
aao, tasavvur⁴-e sanam⁵-e saada-ruu⁶ kareN    1.temple 2.conche shell 3.sound, call 4.imagination 5.beloved 6.simple face
I am really not sure why uses the word ‘saada-ruu’. He could easily have used ‘Khoob-ruu’. Perhaps ‘saada-ruu’ is used to signify uncomplicated, straightforward, truthful. Thus, the call of the conche shell sounds from the temple. Let us go there and imagine a simple/straight-faced beloved. This could then be about an uncomplicated, unifying god, rather than an angry and dividing god.
11
bahr¹-e veGha² zamaana³ uThaa’e hue hai haath
yaaro uTho keh bai’at⁴-e dast⁵-e subuu⁶ kareN     1.with the intention of 2.conflict, war 3.the times, world 4.pledge fielty/loyalty 5.hand 6.wine, bearer of wine cup
The world has raised its are with the intent of attack/conflict. Published in 1935, this could be about world war or about communal conflicts. ‘dast-e subuu’- the hand of wine (cup bearer), is the hand that offers love, acceptance, human equality. Thus, he calls upon his readers to pledge loyalty to these universal concepts.
12
phir aao dil¹ ka josh² ke naGhmoN³ se dars⁴ leN
phir aao taazah⁵ rasm-o-rah⁶-e aarzu⁷ kareN     1.heart, love 2.pen-name of the poet 3.songs, nazm/Ghazal 4.lesson 5.fresh 6.traditions and ways 7.desire, love
Come, let us once again learn the lesson of love from the verse of josh. Let us refresh the traditions and ways of love.