For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
غزل کہتا ہوں ۔ پنڈت رتن موہن زتشی خارؔ دہلوی
۱
خرد و ہوش لُٹا کر میں غزل کہتا ہوں
دل کو دیوانہ بنا کر میں غزل کہتا ہوں
۲
حسن کے ناز اُٹھا کر میں غزل کہتا ہوں
اُس کے انداز چُرا کر میں غزل کہتا ہوں
۳
اُس کی تصویرِ تصوّر ہے سدا پیشِ نظر
آنکھ اُس بُت سے لڑا کر میں غزل کہتا ہوں
۴
جائزہ لیتا ہوں ہر ایک ادا کا اُس کی
یار کو پاس بِٹھا کر میں غزل کہتا ہوں
۵
رنگ اشعار میں بھرتا ہوں غمِ جاناں سے
غمِ دوراں کو بُھلا کر میں غزل کہتا ہوں
۶
مرغِ بِسمِل کی تڑپ، طرزِ فغاں بُلبُل کی
سوزِ پروانہ مِلا کر میں غزل کہتا ہوں
۷
نشترِ غم سے جو کِھل اُٹھتے ہیں زخمِ پنہاں
جشنِ نوروز منا کر میں غزل کہتا ہوں
۸
کشتہ ناز ہوں اِک تیر فگن قاتل کا
خون میں گنگا نہا کر میں غزل کہتا ہوں
۹
آرزو، حسرت و ارمان، تمنّا، اُمّید
اِن کا طوفان اُٹھا کر میں غزل کہتا ہوں
۱۰
چشم و ابرو، لب و رُخسار، قد و گیسو سے
دل کی محفل کو سجا کر میں غزل کہتا ہوں
۱۱
خارؔ ہے سب سے جداگانہ مرا رنگِ سخن
پہلو ہر اِک سے بچا کر میں غزل کہتا ہوں
ग़ज़ल कहता हूँ – पंडित रतन मोहन ज़ुत्शी ख़ार देहलवी
१
ख़िरद ओ होश लुटा कर मैं ग़ज़ल कहता हूं
दिल को दीवाना बना कर मैं ग़ज़ल कहता हूं
२
हुस्न के नाज़ उठा कर मैं ग़ज़ल कहता हूं
उसके अंदाज़ चुरा कर मैं ग़ज़ल कहता हूं
३
उसकी तस्वीर-ए तसव्वुर है सदा पेश-ए नज़र
आंख उस बुत से लढा कर मैं ग़ज़ल कहता हूं
४
जा’एज़ा लेता हूं हर एक अदा का उसकी
यार को पास बिठा कर मैं ग़ज़ल कहता हूं
५
रंग अश’आर में भरता हूं ग़म-ए जानां से
ग़म-ए दौरां को भुला कर मैं ग़ज़ल कहता हूं
६
मुर्ग़-ए बिस्मिल की तढप, तर्ज़-ए फ़ुग़ां बुलबुल की
सोज़-ए परवाना मिला कर मैं ग़ज़ल कहता हूं
७
नश्तर-ए ग़म से जो खिल उठते हैं ज़ख़्म-ए पिन्हां
जश्न-ए नौरोज़ मना कर मैं ग़ज़ल कहता हूं
८
कुश्ता-ए नाज़ हूं एक तीर-फ़िग़न क़ातिल का
ख़ून में गंगा नहा कर मैं ग़ज़ल कहता हूं
९
आर्ज़ू, हसरत ओ अरमान, तमन्ना, उम्मीद
इनका तूफ़ान उठा कर मैं ग़ज़ल कहता हूं
१०
चश्म ओ अब्रू, लब ओ रुख़्सार, क़द ओ गेसू से
दिल की महफ़िल को सजा कर मैं ग़ज़ल कहता हूं
११
ख़ार है सब से जुदागाना मेरा रंग-ए सुख़न
पहलू हर एक से बचा कर मैं ग़ज़ल कहता हूं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit ratan mohan nath zutshi Khaar dehlavi (1915-2002). Born in lahor, schooling and early college in dehli and BCom from lakhnau university. Central ministry of works and housing (1932) retiring as under-secretary in 1974. Both parents, several uncles and brothers were shu’araa. Started reading in mushaa’era at the age of 15. shaagird of saa’el dehlavi. At least two collections to his credit. This Ghazal is linked to others of a similar radeef (Ghazal hoti hai) on the Refrain Index page.
1
Khirad1 o hosh2 luTa3 kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
dil ko diivaana bana kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN 1.wisdom 2.awareness 3.waste, blow away, give away
The poet/lover (because of the intensity of his passion) loses his senses and goes mad; only then can he create a Ghazal. When my heart goes mad, then I write a Ghazal.
2
husn1 ke naaz2 uThaa kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
uss ke andaaz3 chura kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN 1.beauty i.e., beloved 2.naaz uThaana-a phrase that means bear whims, pamper
I bear the whims of the beloved and steal/copy her style/grace to compose a Ghazal.
3
uss ki tasveer1-e tasavvur2 hai sadaa3 pesh-e-nazar4
aaNkh uss but5 se laRaa kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN 1.image, picture 2.thoughts, mind 3.always 4.before my eyes 5.idol, beloved
The beloved’s image is always in my mind and before my eyes. I gaze directly into the beloved’s eyes and then compose a Ghazal.
4
jaa’eza1 leta huN har ek ada2 ka uss ki
yaar3 ko paas biThaa kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN 1.examine, scrutinize 2.style, gesture 3.friend, beloved
I examine every gesture of the beloved. I sit the beloved close to me and then compose a Ghazal i.e., her graceful gestures and her closeness proived the inspiration needed for a Ghazal.
5
raNg ash’aar meN bharta huN Gham-e-janaaN1 se
Gham-e-dauraaN2 ko bhula kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN 1.sorrow/pain of love 2.sorrows of the world
I fill my verses with the colors/range of varieties of the pain of love. I forget the sorrows of the world and compose a Ghazal. This goes so against the call of the Progressive Writers’ Association who called upon poets and writers to forget about conventional romance themes and write about the sorrow and injustice around them.
6
murGh1-e bismil2 ki taRap3, tarz4-e fuGhaaN5 bulbul6 ki
soz7-e parvaana8 mila kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN 1.bird 2.sacrificial, slaughtered 3.agony, thrashing 4.style 5.lament, wailing 6.nightingale 7.burning, passion 8.moth
I blend the agony/restless thrashing of a slaughtered bird (murGh-e bismil) and the lament of a nightingale to compose a Ghazal.
7
nashtar1-e Gham2 se jo khil3 uThte haiN zaKhm4-e pinhaaN5
jashn6-e nauruz7 manaa kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN 1.knife, dagger 2.pain/grief (unrequited love) 3.bloom 4.wounds 5.hidden 6.celebration 7.new day, new year
The poet/lover has lots of wounds of unrequited love/beloved’s indifference hidden in his heart. But sometimes the dagger of this pain refreshes these wounds, and they bleed. The blooming of flowers is often used as a symbol of a bleeding wound. Thus, when the dagger of sorrow opens the hidden wounds and they bloom like flowers, I celebrate like it is the festival of nauruz (which is a harbinger of spring – a time for flowers to bloom) and compose a Ghazal.
8
kushta1-e naaz2 huN ek tiir-figan3 qaatil4 ka
khuun meN gaNga naha5 kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN 1.victim of, killed by 2.coquetry 3.arrow throwing, arrow-shooting 4.killer/beloved 5.gaNga nahaana is an expression used to mean getting drenched
The beloved is described here as an arrow-shooting killer tiir-figan qaatil. The arrows that the beloved shoots are her coquettish glances. Thus, I am the target/victim of the
arrows of the coquettish glances of the killer beloved. I am drenched/bathed in blood before I compose a Ghazal.
9
aarzu1, hasrat2 o armaan3, tamanna4, ummeed5
in ka toofan6 uThaa kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN 1.wish 2.longing 3.desire 4.yearning 5.hope 6.storm
I raise a storm of desires, longing, hopes, and aspirations to compose a Ghazal.
10
chashm1 o abru2, lab3 o ruKhsaar4, qad5 o gesuu6 se
dil ki mahfil7 ko saja8 kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN 1.eyes 2.eyebrows 3.lips 4.cheeks 5.stature 6.tresses 7.gathering 8.adorn
I adorn the gathering of my heart with (the beauty of) the beloved’s eyes, eyebrows, lips, cheeks, stature, and tresses, and then compose a Ghazal.
11
Khaar1 hai sab se judagaana2 mera raNg3-e suKhan4
pahlu5 har ek se bacha kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN 1.pen-name 2.separate, different 3.style 4.versification, poetics 5.side, facet, influence
My style of poetry is unique and distinct from all others. I avoid every side/facet (influence) and compose a Ghazal.
panDit ratan mohan nath zutshi Khaar dehlavi (1915-2002). Born in lahor, schooling and early college in dehli and BCom from lakhnau university. Central ministry of works and housing (1932) retiring as under-secretary in 1974. Both parents, several uncles and brothers were shu’araa. Started reading in mushaa’era at the age of 15. shaagird of saa’el dehlavi. At least two collections to his credit. This Ghazal is linked to others of a similar radeef (Ghazal hoti hai) on the Refrain Index page.
1
Khirad1 o hosh2 luTa3 kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
dil ko diivaana bana kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
1.wisdom 2.awareness 3.waste, blow away, give away
The poet/lover (because of the intensity of his passion) loses his senses and goes mad; only then can he create a Ghazal. When my heart goes mad, then I write a Ghazal.
2
husn1 ke naaz2 uThaa kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
uss ke andaaz3 chura kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
1.beauty i.e., beloved 2.naaz uThaana-a phrase that means bear whims, pamper
I bear the whims of the beloved and steal/copy her style/grace to compose a Ghazal.
3
uss ki tasveer1-e tasavvur2 hai sadaa3 pesh-e-nazar4
aaNkh uss but5 se laRaa kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
1.image, picture 2.thoughts, mind 3.always 4.before my eyes 5.idol, beloved
The beloved’s image is always in my mind and before my eyes. I gaze directly into the beloved’s eyes and then compose a Ghazal.
4
jaa’eza1 leta huN har ek ada2 ka uss ki
yaar3 ko paas biThaa kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
1.examine, scrutinize 2.style, gesture 3.friend, beloved
I examine every gesture of the beloved. I sit the beloved close to me and then compose a Ghazal i.e., her graceful gestures and her closeness proived the inspiration needed for a Ghazal.
5
raNg ash’aar meN bharta huN Gham-e-janaaN1 se
Gham-e-dauraaN2 ko bhula kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
1.sorrow/pain of love 2.sorrows of the world
I fill my verses with the colors/range of varieties of the pain of love. I forget the sorrows of the world and compose a Ghazal. This goes so against the call of the Progressive Writers’ Association who called upon poets and writers to forget about conventional romance themes and write about the sorrow and injustice around them.
6
murGh1-e bismil2 ki taRap3, tarz4-e fuGhaaN5 bulbul6 ki
soz7-e parvaana8 mila kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
1.bird 2.sacrificial, slaughtered 3.agony, thrashing 4.style 5.lament, wailing 6.nightingale 7.burning, passion 8.moth
I blend the agony/restless thrashing of a slaughtered bird (murGh-e bismil) and the lament of a nightingale to compose a Ghazal.
7
nashtar1-e Gham2 se jo khil3 uThte haiN zaKhm4-e pinhaaN5
jashn6-e nauruz7 manaa kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
1.knife, dagger 2.pain/grief (unrequited love) 3.bloom 4.wounds 5.hidden 6.celebration 7.new day, new year
The poet/lover has lots of wounds of unrequited love/beloved’s indifference hidden in his heart. But sometimes the dagger of this pain refreshes these wounds, and they bleed. The blooming of flowers is often used as a symbol of a bleeding wound. Thus, when the dagger of sorrow opens the hidden wounds and they bloom like flowers, I celebrate like it is the festival of nauruz (which is a harbinger of spring – a time for flowers to bloom) and compose a Ghazal.
8
kushta1-e naaz2 huN ek tiir-figan3 qaatil4 ka
khuun meN gaNga naha5 kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
1.victim of, killed by 2.coquetry 3.arrow throwing, arrow-shooting 4.killer/beloved 5.gaNga nahaana is an expression used to mean getting drenched
The beloved is described here as an arrow-shooting killer tiir-figan qaatil. The arrows that the beloved shoots are her coquettish glances. Thus, I am the target/victim of the
arrows of the coquettish glances of the killer beloved. I am drenched/bathed in blood before I compose a Ghazal.
9
aarzu1, hasrat2 o armaan3, tamanna4, ummeed5
in ka toofan6 uThaa kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
1.wish 2.longing 3.desire 4.yearning 5.hope 6.storm
I raise a storm of desires, longing, hopes, and aspirations to compose a Ghazal.
10
chashm1 o abru2, lab3 o ruKhsaar4, qad5 o gesuu6 se
dil ki mahfil7 ko saja8 kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
1.eyes 2.eyebrows 3.lips 4.cheeks 5.stature 6.tresses 7.gathering 8.adorn
I adorn the gathering of my heart with (the beauty of) the beloved’s eyes, eyebrows, lips, cheeks, stature, and tresses, and then compose a Ghazal.
11
Khaar1 hai sab se judagaana2 mera raNg3-e suKhan4
pahlu5 har ek se bacha kar maiN Ghazal kahta huN
1.pen-name 2.separate, different 3.style 4.versification, poetics 5.side, facet, influence
My style of poetry is unique and distinct from all others. I avoid every side/facet (influence) and compose a Ghazal.
