For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
کہکشاں بنا دوں ۔ پنّالال سریواسو نورؔ
۱
ہے ناز اپنی جبیں پہ مجھ کو، زمیں کو میں آسماں بنا دوں
جہاں جہاں اپنے سر کو رکھ دوں، وہاں وہاں کہکشاں بنا دوں
۲
تمام غُنچوں کو گُل بنا دوں، گُلوں کو پھر جاوِداں بنا دو
جو میرا بس ہو تو اِس زمیں کو، نظیرِ باغِ جِناں بنا دوں
۳
جہاں جہاں آشیاں بنائے، وہیں وہیں برق نے جلائے
اِسی لیے اب یہ سوچتا ہوں، قفس کو بھی آشیاں بنا دوں
۴
کہاں کا یہ دردِ عاشقی ہے، کہ اپنا دردِ نہاں جتا کر
کسی کے معصوم دل پہ اپنے، الم کو بارِ گراں بنا دوں
۵
نہ جانے ہر شعر میں کہاں سے، اُبھر ہی آتا ہے غم کا عنصر
ہزار چاہا خوشی کو اپنی، غزل کی روحِِ رواں بنا دوں
कहकशाँ बना दूँ – पन्ना लाल श्रीवास्तव नूर
१
है नाज़ अपनी जबीं पे मुझ को, ज़मीं को मैं आसमाँ बना दूँ
जहाँ जहाँ अपने सर को रख दूँ, वहाँ वहाँ कहकशाँ बना दूँ
२
तमाम ग़ुंचों को गुल बना दूँ, गुलौं को फिर जावदाँ बना दूँ
जो मेरा बस हो तो इस ज़मीं को, नज़ीर-ए बाग़-ए जिनाँ बना दूँ
३
जहाँ जहाँ आशियाँ बनाए, वहीं वहीं बर्क़ ने जलाए
इसी लिये अब ये सोचता हूँ, क़फ़स को भी आशियाँ बना दूँ
४
कहाँ का ये दर्द-ए आशेक़ी है, के अपना दर्द नेहाँ जता कर
किसी के मासूम दिल पे अपने, अलम को बार-ए गिराँ बना दूँ
५
न जाने हर शे’र में कहाँ से, उभर ही आता है ग़म का उन्सुर
हज़ार चाहा ख़ुशी को अपनी, ग़ज़ल की रूह-ए रवाँ बना दूँ
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. pannalal srivastav noor (xxxx-xxxx), BA LLB, practiced law in jabalpur, ex-mayor of jabalpur, ex-chair of anjuman-e taraqqi-e urdu, jabalpur. In 1969 a Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur was formed to organize 5 mushaa’era over a year and publish proceedings as ‘nazr-e Ghalib’. pannalal noor served as secretary. His own collection of Ghazal was published in 1985.
1
hai naaz¹ apnii jabiiN² pe mujh ko, zamiiN³ ko maiN aasmaaN⁴ banaa duN
jahaaN jahaaN apne sar ko rakh duN, wahaaN wahaaN kahkashaaN⁵ banaa duN 1.pride 2.forehead 3.earth 4.sky 5.galaxy
I take pride in my forehead, so much so that I could turn the earth into the sky. Wherever I place my head, I could create a galaxy there. This couplet exudes self-assurance and the transformative power of devotion. The poet metaphorically equates the act of placing his head (possibly in prayer or humility) with the ability to create celestial wonders. The imagery of galaxies sprouting from such an act speaks to the cosmic scale of human potential and spiritual elevation.
2
tamaam¹ GhunchoN² ko gul³ banaa duN, guloN ko phir jaavedaaN⁴ banaa duN
jo meraa bas ho to is zamiin⁵ ko, naziir⁶-e baaGh-e-jinaaN⁷ banaa duN 1.all 2.buds 3.flowers 4.everlasting 5.earth 6.like, comparable 7.garden of paradise
I would turn all the buds into flowers and then make those flowers everlasting. If it were within my power, I would make this earth comparable to the garden of paradise.
3
jahaaN jahaaN aashiyaaN¹ banaa’e, vahiiN vahiiN barq² ne jalaa’e³
isii liye ab ye sochtaa huN, qafas⁴ ko bhii aashiyaaN¹ banaa duN 1.nests, abodes 2.lightning 3.burned 4.cage
In urdu poetic tradition, the poet often presents himself as a bird either caged or flying free and making his own nests. But his fate is such that lightning always strikes and burns it down. Thus, wherever I build a nest, lightning burns it down. I have decided then, that I will turn the cage into an abode. This couplet conveys resilience and adaptation. Despite the repeated destruction of safe spaces (symbolized by nests), the poet is determined to redefine and recreate comfort even in confinement (the cage).
4
kahaaN kaa ye dard-e-aashiqii¹ hai, keh apnaa dard² nehaaN3 jataa4 kar
kisii ke maa’suum5 dil pe apne, alam6 ko baar-e-giraaN7 banaa duN 1.pain of love 2.sorrow 3.hidden 4.assert, express 5.innocent 6.sorrow 7.heavy burden
This is probably a reflection on the tradition of classical urdu poets to constantly keep wailing about their grief and hardship including the indifference of the beloved. It may also be an answer to the call of Progressive Writers’ Association to turn towards social issues. Thus, what kind of love’s pain is this, that by expressing my hidden sorrow, I would burden an innocent/unsuspecting heart with my grief.
5
na jaane har she’r¹ meN kahaaN se, ubhar2 hii aataa hai Gham3 kaa ‘unsur4
hazaar chaahaa Khushii ko apnii, Ghazal kii ruuh-e-ravaaN5 banaa duN 1.couplet 2.rise, emerge 3.sorrow 4.element, component 5.driving spirit, essence
I don’t know how the element of sorrow keeps surfacing in every couplet. I have tried so hard to make joy the essence of my Ghazal. This couplet captures the poet’s struggle to break free from classical melancholic undertones of urdu poetic tradition.
pannalal srivastav noor (xxxx-xxxx), BA LLB, practiced law in jabalpur, ex-mayor of jabalpur, ex-chair of anjuman-e taraqqi-e urdu, jabalpur. In 1969 a Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur was formed to organize 5 mushaa’era over a year and publish proceedings as ‘nazr-e Ghalib’. pannalal noor served as secretary. His own collection of Ghazal was published in 1985.
1
hai naaz¹ apnii jabiiN² pe mujh ko, zamiiN³ ko maiN aasmaaN⁴ banaa duN
jahaaN jahaaN apne sar ko rakh duN, wahaaN wahaaN kahkashaaN⁵ banaa duN
1.pride 2.forehead 3.earth 4.sky 5.galaxy
I take pride in my forehead, so much so that I could turn the earth into the sky. Wherever I place my head, I could create a galaxy there. This couplet exudes self-assurance and the transformative power of devotion. The poet metaphorically equates the act of placing his head (possibly in prayer or humility) with the ability to create celestial wonders. The imagery of galaxies sprouting from such an act speaks to the cosmic scale of human potential and spiritual elevation.
2
tamaam¹ GhunchoN² ko gul³ banaa duN, guloN ko phir jaavedaaN⁴ banaa duN
jo meraa bas ho to is zamiin⁵ ko, naziir⁶-e baaGh-e-jinaaN⁷ banaa duN
1.all 2.buds 3.flowers 4.everlasting 5.earth 6.like, comparable 7.garden of paradise
I would turn all the buds into flowers and then make those flowers everlasting. If it were within my power, I would make this earth comparable to the garden of paradise.
3
jahaaN jahaaN aashiyaaN¹ banaa’e, vahiiN vahiiN barq² ne jalaa’e³
isii liye ab ye sochtaa huN, qafas⁴ ko bhii aashiyaaN¹ banaa duN
1.nests, abodes 2.lightning 3.burned 4.cage
In urdu poetic tradition, the poet often presents himself as a bird either caged or flying free and making his own nests. But his fate is such that lightning always strikes and burns it down. Thus, wherever I build a nest, lightning burns it down. I have decided then, that I will turn the cage into an abode. This couplet conveys resilience and adaptation. Despite the repeated destruction of safe spaces (symbolized by nests), the poet is determined to redefine and recreate comfort even in confinement (the cage).
4
kahaaN kaa ye dard-e-aashiqii¹ hai, keh apnaa dard² nehaaN3 jataa4 kar
kisii ke maa’suum5 dil pe apne, alam6 ko baar-e-giraaN7 banaa duN
1.pain of love 2.sorrow 3.hidden 4.assert, express 5.innocent 6.sorrow 7.heavy burden
This is probably a reflection on the tradition of classical urdu poets to constantly keep wailing about their grief and hardship including the indifference of the beloved. It may also be an answer to the call of Progressive Writers’ Association to turn towards social issues. Thus, what kind of love’s pain is this, that by expressing my hidden sorrow, I would burden an innocent/unsuspecting heart with my grief.
5
na jaane har she’r¹ meN kahaaN se, ubhar2 hii aataa hai Gham3 kaa ‘unsur4
hazaar chaahaa Khushii ko apnii, Ghazal kii ruuh-e-ravaaN5 banaa duN
1.couplet 2.rise, emerge 3.sorrow 4.element, component 5.driving spirit, essence
I don’t know how the element of sorrow keeps surfacing in every couplet. I have tried so hard to make joy the essence of my Ghazal. This couplet captures the poet’s struggle to break free from classical melancholic undertones of urdu poetic tradition.
