For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
interview/recitation gulzar
اُرْدُو زبان ۔ گلزار
یہ کیسا عشق ہے اُرْدُو زباں کا
مزہ گُھلتا ہے لفظوں کا زباں پر
کہ جیسے پان میں مہنگا قوام گُھلتا ہے
یہ کیسا عشق ہے اُرْدُو زباں کا
نشہ آتا ہے اُرْدُو بولنے میں
گلوری کی طرح ہیں منه لگی سب اِصطلاحیں
لطف دیتی ہیں
حلق چھوتی ہے اُرْدُو تو حلق سے جیسے مئے کا گھونٹ اُترتا ہے
بَڑی ارسٹوکریسی ہے زبان میں
فقیری میں نوابی کا مزا دیتی ہے اُرْدُو
اگرچہ معنی کم ہوتے ہیں الفاظ کی اِفراط ہوتی ہے
مگر پھر بھی، بلند آواز پڑھیے تو بہت ہی معتبر لگتی ہیں باتیں
کہیں کچھ دور سے کانوں سے میں پڑتی ہے اگر اُرْدُو
تو لگتا ہے کہ دن جاڑؤں كے ہیں کھڑکی کھلی ہے، دھوپ اندر آ رہی ہے
عجب ہے یہ زباں، اُرْدُو
کبھی یوں ہی سفر کرتے اگر کوئی مسافر شعر پڑھ دے میر، غالب کا
وہ چاہے اجنبی ہو، یہی لگتا ہے وہ میرے وطن کا ہے
بَڑے شائستہ لہجے میں کسی سے اُرْدُو سن کر
کیا نہیں لگتا کہ اک تہذیب کی آواز ہے، اُرْدُو
उर्दू ज़बान—गुलज़ार
ये कैसा इश्क़ है उर्दू ज़बां का
मज़ा घुलता है लफ़्ज़ों का ज़बाँ पर
की जैसे पान में महॅगा क़िवाम घुलता है
ये कैसा इश्क़ है उर्दू ज़बां का
नशा आता है उर्दू बोलने मे
गिलौरी की तरह हैं मुँह लगी सब इस्तेलाहें
लुत्फ़ देती हैं
हलक़ छूती है उर्दू तो हलक़ से जैसे मए का का घूंट उतरता है
बड़ी अरिस्टॉक्रेसी है ज़बाँ में
फ़क़ीरी में नवाबी का मज़ा देती है उर्दू
अगरचे मानी कम होते हैं अल्फ़ाज़ की इफ़्रात होती है
मगर फिर भी, बुलंद आवाज़ पढ़िए तो बहुत ही मोतबर लगतीं हैं बातें
कहीं कुच्छ दूर से कानों में पड़ती है अगर उर्दू
तो लगता है की दिन के दिन जाड़ों हैं, खिड़की खुली है, धूप अंदर आ रही है
अजब है ये ज़बाँ उर्दू
कभी यूं ही सफ़र करते अगर कोई मुसाफ़िर शेर पढ़ दे मीर, ग़ालिब का
वो चाहे अजनबी हो, यही लगता है वो मेरे वतन का है
बड़े शाएस्ता लहजे में किसी से उर्दू सुन कर
क्या नहीं लगता की एक तहज़ीब की आवाज़ है, उर्दू
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sampooran siNgh kalra gulzar (1936-living) poet, lyricist, film-maker and writer. Lover of urdu. Best known for producing a TV serial on Ghalib. This is a beautiful expression of his love for urdu and is linked to a collection of other nazm/Ghazal of the same theme under the icon ‘urdu’ on the Theme Index page.
ye kaisa ishq1 hai urdu zabaaN2 ka
maza ghulta hai lafzauN3 ka zabaaN4 par
ki jaise paan meN maheNga5 qivaam6 ghulta hai1.romance 2. language 3. words 4. tongue 5. expensive, refined 6. a syrupy tobacco extract and condiment based additive used in paan/betel leaf
Ah, the romance of Urdu language. Its words melt in the mouth like refined “qivaam” with paan.
ye kaisa ishq hai urdu zabaaN ka
nasha1 aata hai urdu bolne meN
gilauri2 ki tarah haiN muNh lagi3 sab istelaaheN4
lutf5 deti haiN1.intoxication 2. triangular folding of paan 3. habit forming 4. phrase, idiom 5. pleasure
Ah, the lovely romance of Urdu language. Speaking it gives the pleasure/sensation of intoxication. Its idioms are habit forming/addictive like paan. They (idioms) give great pleasure.
halaq chhooti hai urdu to, halaq se jaise mai2 ka ghooNT3 utarta hai
baRi aristocracy hai zabaaN meN
faqiri4 meN navaabi5 ka maza deti hai urdu1.pleasure 2. wine 3. mouthful 4. poverty 5. aristocracy It gives pleasure.
When Urdu touches the throat, it goes down like a mouthful of wine. There is great culture in the language. Even in destitution, it gives the pleasure of aristocracy.
agarche1 maani kam hote hai, alfaz2 ki ifraat3 hoti hai
magar phir bhi, buland avaaz4 paRhiye to bahut hi mo’tabar5 lagti haiN bateN1.even though 2. words 3. plentitude 4. loud voice 5. credible, respectable
Even IF there is no deep meaning, the plentiful (musical) words, when read aloud, grant great respectability.
kahiN kuchh duur se kaanauN meN paRti hai agar urdu
to lagta hai ki din jaaRauN ke haiN khiRki khuli hai, dhoop andar aa rahi haiAnd when from somewhere far Urdu reaches the ears, it seems like the warming sun shining through an open window on a cool winter day.
ajab1 hai ye zabaaN, urdu
kabhi yuN hi safar2 karte agar koi musafir3 she’r paRh de mir, Ghalib ka
vo chaahe ajnabi4 ho, yahi lagta hai vo mere vatan ka hai
baRay shaista5 lahje6 meN kisi se urdu sun kar
kya nahiN lagta ki ek tahzeeb7 ki avaaz hai, urdu1.fascinating 2. travel 3. traveller 4. stranger 5. cultured, courteous 6. accent 7. culture
A fascinating language Urdu. When away even casually, if you hear a stranger quote a she’r of Mir or Ghalib, it feels like he is from home. When you hear someone speak Urdu in a courteous accent, does it not seem like a very cultured voice, this Urdu.
sampooran siNgh kalra gulzar (1936-living) poet, lyricist, film-maker and writer. Lover of urdu. Best known for producing a TV serial on Ghalib. This is a beautiful expression of his love for urdu and is linked to a collection of other nazm/Ghazal of the same theme under the icon ‘urdu’ on the Theme Index page.
ye kaisa ishq1 hai urdu zabaaN2 ka
maza ghulta hai lafzauN3 ka zabaaN4 par
ki jaise paan meN maheNga5 qivaam6 ghulta hai
1.romance 2. language 3. words 4. tongue 5. expensive, refined 6. a syrupy tobacco extract and condiment based additive used in paan/betel leaf
Ah, the romance of Urdu language. Its words melt in the mouth like refined “qivaam” with paan.
ye kaisa ishq hai urdu zabaaN ka
nasha1 aata hai urdu bolne meN
gilauri2 ki tarah haiN muNh lagi3 sab istelaaheN4
lutf5 deti haiN
1.intoxication 2. triangular folding of paan 3. habit forming 4. phrase, idiom 5. pleasure
Ah, the lovely romance of Urdu language. Speaking it gives the pleasure/sensation of intoxication. Its idioms are habit forming/addictive like paan. They (idioms) give great pleasure.
halaq chhooti hai urdu to, halaq se jaise mai2 ka ghooNT3 utarta hai
baRi aristocracy hai zabaaN meN
faqiri4 meN navaabi5 ka maza deti hai urdu
1.pleasure 2. wine 3. mouthful 4. poverty 5. aristocracy
It gives pleasure. When Urdu touches the throat, it goes down like a mouthful of wine. There is great culture in the language. Even in destitution, it gives the pleasure of aristocracy.
agarche1 maani kam hote hai, alfaz2 ki ifraat3 hoti hai
magar phir bhi, buland avaaz4 paRhiye to bahut hi mo’tabar5 lagti haiN bateN
1.even though 2. words 3. plentitude 4. loud voice 5. credible, respectable
Even IF there is no deep meaning, the plentiful (musical) words, when read aloud, grant great respectability.
kahiN kuchh duur se kaanauN meN paRti hai agar urdu
to lagta hai ki din jaaRauN ke haiN khiRki khuli hai, dhoop andar aa rahi hai
And when from somewhere far Urdu reaches the ears, it seems like the warming sun shining through an open window on a cool winter day.
ajab1 hai ye zabaaN, urdu
kabhi yuN hi safar2 karte agar koi musafir3 she’r paRh de mir, Ghalib ka
vo chaahe ajnabi4 ho, yahi lagta hai vo mere vatan ka hai
baRay shaista5 lahje6 meN kisi se urdu sun kar
kya nahiN lagta ki ek tahzeeb7 ki avaaz hai, urdu
1.fascinating 2. travel 3. traveller 4. stranger 5. cultured, courteous 6. accent 7. culture
A fascinating language Urdu. When away even casually, if you hear a stranger quote a she’r of Mir or Ghalib, it feels like he is from home. When you hear someone speak Urdu in a courteous accent, does it not seem like a very cultured voice, this Urdu.
