For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
ہر ذرّہ گُلِستاں کا ۔ منوہر لعل بہارؔ
۱
ہے شیرازہ پریشاں اِس جہاں میں کُفر و ایماں کا
بنے گا اب نیا پرچم نیا دستور اِنساں کا
۲
شکایت باغبانوں کی کریں ہم ہمدمو کب تک
اُٹھو ہم خود بدل دیں چل کے ہر ذرّہ گُلِستاں کا
۳
سہارا لے کے بڑھ ہِمّت کا، تکیہ کر نہ کِشتی پر
کہ تجھ کو ہر قدم پر سامنا کرنا ہے طوفاں کا
۴
جگہ دوں میں کہاں پھولوں کو رکّھوں کس جگہ کلیاں
کہ خار و خس سے ہے بھرپور گوشہ گوشہ داماں کا
۵
عجب ہے خواجگی اُس کی عجب ہے بندگی اپنی
اُٹھائے ناز اُس کے حوصلہ دیکھو یہ اِنساں کا
۶
بہارؔ اپنا فسانہ کیا سنائے گی بہار آ کر
خزاں کھینچے گی کچھ نقشہ مرے حالِ پریشاں کا
हर ज़र्रा गुलिस्तां का – मनोहर लाल बहार
१
है शीराज़ा परेशान इस जहां में कुफ़्र ओ ईमां का
बनेगा अब नया परचम, नया दस्तूर इंसां का
२
शिका’एत बाग़बानौं की करें हम हमदमों कब तक
उठो हम ख़ुद बदल दें चल के हर ज़र्रा गुलिस्तां का
३
सहारा ले के बढ़ हिम्मत का, तकिया कर न कश्ती पर
के तुझ को हर क़दम पर सामना करना है तूफां का
४
जगह दूं मैं कहां फूलों को, रक्खूं किस जगह कलियां
के ख़ार ओ ख़स से है भरपूर गोशा गोशा दामां का
५
अजब है ख़्वाजगी उसकी, अजब है बंदगी अपनी
उठाए नाज़ उसके, हौसला देखो ये इंसां का
६
बहार अपना फ़साना क्या सुनाएगी बहार आ कर
ख़िज़ां खींचेगी कुछ नक़्शा मेरे हाल-ए परेशां का
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. manohar lal bahaar (1912-????), whose father, rai shahed lal taught him urdu and farsi at home was invited to mushaa’era in hyderabad regularly. His collection ‘bahaaristan’ was published in 1977. There are at least 4 additional collections of his poetry. He retired as a high-level official in the Department of Agriculture, Andhra Pradesh.
1
hai shiraaza1 pareshaaN2 is jahaaN3 meN kufr-o-iimaaN4 ka
banega ab nayaa parcham5, nayaa dastoor6 insaaN ka 1.book binding, sewing, orderly arrangement 2.scattered 3.world, times 4.used here to imply all faiths/beliefs 5.banner 6.traditions, constitution
In these times, the old orderly arrangement of all faiths have been disordered and scattered. Now a new banner will be unfurled, a new constitution promulgated based on humanity.
2
shikaa’et1 baaGhbaanoN2 ki kareN hum hamdamo3 kab tak
uTho hum Khud4 badal5 deN chal ke har zarra6 gulistaaN7 ka 1.complaint 2.gardener 3.friends 4.ourselves 5.chaange 6.grain of dust 7.garden
Here the garden is the homeland, and the gardener is the leader(s). O friends, how long will we keep complaining about the gardeners. Rise and let us go change every grain of dust in the garden.
3
sahaara1 le ke baRh2 himmat3 ka, takiiya4 kar na kashti par
keh tujh ko har qadam5 par saamna6 karna hai toofaaN7 ka 1.support 2.step forward 3.courage 4.dependence 5.step 6.confront 7.storm
Step forward and take the support of (your own) courage; do not depend on/rely on the boat, because you have to confront a storm at every step – a statement of political exhortation.
4
jagah1 duuN maiN kahaaN phooloN ko, rakkhuN kis jagah kaliyaaN
keh Khaar2 o Khas3 se hai bharpoor4 gosha-gosha5 daamaaN6 ka 1.place 2.thorns 3.dry twigs and leaves 4.filled 5.every corner 6.hem of the garment
The imagery of collecting flowers and buds in a daaman is used frequently … the hem of the garment is gathered and held to form a loose open sack in which things are collected. Thus, every corner of the daaman is already full of thorns and trash, where do I find a place for flowers and buds. In the light of the first she’r, this could be referring to inherited traditions and belief systems which like ‘Khaar o Khas’ as opposed to new thinking which is like flowers and buds. Of course, the daaman is the brain.
5
ajab1 hai Khwaajagi2 uski, ajab1 hai bandagi3 apni
uThaa’e naaz4 uske, hausla5 dekho ye insaaN ka 1.strange 2.lordship 3.servitude 4.bear whims and fancies 5.determination, resolve
Strange is your lordship and strange is our servitude; look at the resolve/determination of humans that they bear your whims and fancies. This could be addressed to the divine.
6
bahaar1 apna fasaana2 kya sunaa’egi bahaar3 aa kar
KhizaaN4 khiiNchegi5 kuchh naqsha6 mere haal7-e pareshaaN8 ka 1.pen-name of the poet 2.story 3.spring 4.fall, autumn 5.draw, sketch 6.picture, image 7.condition 8.dishevelled, worrisome
Spring is symbolic of joy, celebration, love and rejuvenation. Autumn/dry season is symbolic of decay and scarcity. O bahaar, how can the spring tell my story. It is the dry and barren season that will sketch a true picture of my worrisome condition.
manohar lal bahaar (1912-????), whose father, rai shahed lal taught him urdu and farsi at home was invited to mushaa’era in hyderabad regularly. His collection ‘bahaaristan’ was published in 1977. There are at least 4 additional collections of his poetry. He retired as a high-level official in the Department of Agriculture, Andhra Pradesh.
1
hai shiraaza1 pareshaaN2 is jahaaN3 meN kufr-o-iimaaN4 ka
banega ab nayaa parcham5, nayaa dastoor6 insaaN ka
1.book binding, sewing, orderly arrangement 2.scattered 3.world, times 4.used here to imply all faiths/beliefs 5.banner 6.traditions, constitution
In these times, the old orderly arrangement of all faiths have been disordered and scattered. Now a new banner will be unfurled, a new constitution promulgated based on humanity.
2
shikaa’et1 baaGhbaanoN2 ki kareN hum hamdamo3 kab tak
uTho hum Khud4 badal5 deN chal ke har zarra6 gulistaaN7 ka
1.complaint 2.gardener 3.friends 4.ourselves 5.chaange 6.grain of dust 7.garden
Here the garden is the homeland, and the gardener is the leader(s). O friends, how long will we keep complaining about the gardeners. Rise and let us go change every grain of dust in the garden.
3
sahaara1 le ke baRh2 himmat3 ka, takiiya4 kar na kashti par
keh tujh ko har qadam5 par saamna6 karna hai toofaaN7 ka
1.support 2.step forward 3.courage 4.dependence 5.step 6.confront 7.storm
Step forward and take the support of (your own) courage; do not depend on/rely on the boat, because you have to confront a storm at every step – a statement of political exhortation.
4
jagah1 duuN maiN kahaaN phooloN ko, rakkhuN kis jagah kaliyaaN
keh Khaar2 o Khas3 se hai bharpoor4 gosha-gosha5 daamaaN6 ka
1.place 2.thorns 3.dry twigs and leaves 4.filled 5.every corner 6.hem of the garment
The imagery of collecting flowers and buds in a daaman is used frequently … the hem of the garment is gathered and held to form a loose open sack in which things are collected. Thus, every corner of the daaman is already full of thorns and trash, where do I find a place for flowers and buds. In the light of the first she’r, this could be referring to inherited traditions and belief systems which like ‘Khaar o Khas’ as opposed to new thinking which is like flowers and buds. Of course, the daaman is the brain.
5
ajab1 hai Khwaajagi2 uski, ajab1 hai bandagi3 apni
uThaa’e naaz4 uske, hausla5 dekho ye insaaN ka
1.strange 2.lordship 3.servitude 4.bear whims and fancies 5.determination, resolve
Strange is your lordship and strange is our servitude; look at the resolve/determination of humans that they bear your whims and fancies. This could be addressed to the divine.
6
bahaar1 apna fasaana2 kya sunaa’egi bahaar3 aa kar
KhizaaN4 khiiNchegi5 kuchh naqsha6 mere haal7-e pareshaaN8 ka
1.pen-name of the poet 2.story 3.spring 4.fall, autumn 5.draw, sketch 6.picture, image 7.condition 8.dishevelled, worrisome
Spring is symbolic of joy, celebration, love and rejuvenation. Autumn/dry season is symbolic of decay and scarcity. O bahaar, how can the spring tell my story. It is the dry and barren season that will sketch a true picture of my worrisome condition.
