For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
تخلُّص کا کھیل ۔ چار چاند ۔ اِنتخاب قمرؔ جلالوی
۱
وہ چار چاند فلک کو لگا چلا ہوں قمرؔ
کہ میرے بعد ستارے کہیں گے افسانے
۲
ایسے میں وہ ہوں، باغ ہو، ساقی ہو اے قمرؔ
لگ جائیں چار چاند شبِ ماہتاب میں
۳
اگر آ جائے پہلو میں قمرؔ وہ ماہِ کامل بھی
دو عالم جگمگا اُٹھینگے دوہری چاندنی ہوگی
۴
چاندنی کم یکایک اِتنی قمرؔ
بام سے وہ اُتر گئے ہوں گے
तख़ल्लुस का खेल – चार चाँद – इन्तेख़ाब क़मर जलालवी
१
वो चार चाँद फ़लक को लगा चला हूँ क़मर
के मेरे बाद सितारे कहेंगे अफ़्साने
२
ऐसे में वो हों, बाग़ हो, साक़ी हो अए क़मर
लग जाएँ चार चाँद शब-ए माहताब में
३
अगर आ जाए पहलू में क़मर वो माह-ए कामिल भी
दो आलम जगमगा उठेंगे दोहरी चांदनी होगी
४
चांदनी कम यकायक इतनी क़मर
बाम से वो उतर गए होंगे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mohammed husain qamar jalaalavi (1887-1968), was born in jalaali, near aligaRh, moved to pakistan after partition/independence. He was popularly known as ‘ustad’, for his expertise in repairing bicycles, which is how he earned his living and lived in penury, in spite of his excellence as a poet. He wrote Ghazal is chaste classical style, many of which have been put to music. This is one of several thematic collections of his maqta in which he uses his taKhallus with great witticism.
1
vo chaar-chaand1 falak2 ko laga chala huN qamar
ke mere baad sitaare kaheNge afsaane3 1.chaar chaand lagaana is used to mean make something famous, bestow honour on someone 2.sky 3.legends
I have bestowed such an honour on the skies o qamar that after I am gone, stars will continue to tell my tales. The ‘falak’ here can be the firmament of urdu poetry. In this firmament I have made a great name for urdu poetry (and for myself). But I have not received the recognition I deserve. It is only after I am gone that ‘stars’ will appreciate me and tell stories about me.
2
aise meN vo1 hoN, baaGh ho, saaqi ho aye qamar
lag jaayeN chaar-chaand2 shab-e-maahtab3 meN 1.‘she’ meaning the beloved 2.chaar chaand lagaana is used to mean make something famous which also implies making them shine bright (like four moons) 3.full moon night
This is reminiscent of omar Khayyam. It is moonlit night and qamar, the poet (and the full moon) wishes that she were there and the saaqi too, serving wine. If this happens, the moonlit night (already famous for its beauty) will become even more famous.
3
agar aa jaaye pahlu1 meN qamar vo2 maah-e-kaamil3 bhi
do-aalam4 jagmaga uTTheNge dohri5 chaandni hogi 1.side, arms 2.‘she’-beloved 3.complete/full moon 4.two worlds – earth and sky 5.double
The beloved is so beautiful that she is referred to as “maah-e-kaamil” – full moon. The poet also is “qamar” which means full moon. Thus if she were to come in his arms, moonlight would double and the earth and sky sould light up.
4
chaandni kam yakaayek1 itni qamar
baam2 se vo utar gaye hoNge 1.suddenly 2.roof top
The poet has been talking about doubling of the moonlight because of her presence. This she’r talks of her absence. All of a sudden this much reduction in moonlight? The poet is surprised and speculates that she must have gotten off the rooftop and gone inside.
mohammed husain qamar jalaalavi (1887-1968), was born in jalaali, near aligaRh, moved to pakistan after partition/independence. He was popularly known as ‘ustad’, for his expertise in repairing bicycles, which is how he earned his living and lived in penury, in spite of his excellence as a poet. He wrote Ghazal is chaste classical style, many of which have been put to music. This is one of several thematic collections of his maqta in which he uses his taKhallus with great witticism.
1
vo chaar-chaand1 falak2 ko laga chala huN qamar
ke mere baad sitaare kaheNge afsaane3
1.chaar chaand lagaana is used to mean make something famous, bestow honour on someone 2.sky 3.legends
I have bestowed such an honour on the skies o qamar that after I am gone, stars will continue to tell my tales. The ‘falak’ here can be the firmament of urdu poetry. In this firmament I have made a great name for urdu poetry (and for myself). But I have not received the recognition I deserve. It is only after I am gone that ‘stars’ will appreciate me and tell stories about me.
2
aise meN vo1 hoN, baaGh ho, saaqi ho aye qamar
lag jaayeN chaar-chaand2 shab-e-maahtab3 meN
1.‘she’ meaning the beloved 2.chaar chaand lagaana is used to mean make something famous which also implies making them shine bright (like four moons) 3.full moon night
This is reminiscent of omar Khayyam. It is moonlit night and qamar, the poet (and the full moon) wishes that she were there and the saaqi too, serving wine. If this happens, the moonlit night (already famous for its beauty) will become even more famous.
3
agar aa jaaye pahlu1 meN qamar vo2 maah-e-kaamil3 bhi
do-aalam4 jagmaga uTTheNge dohri5 chaandni hogi
1.side, arms 2.‘she’-beloved 3.complete/full moon 4.two worlds – earth and sky 5.double
The beloved is so beautiful that she is referred to as “maah-e-kaamil” – full moon. The poet also is “qamar” which means full moon. Thus if she were to come in his arms, moonlight would double and the earth and sky sould light up.
4
chaandni kam yakaayek1 itni qamar
baam2 se vo utar gaye hoNge
1.suddenly 2.roof top
The poet has been talking about doubling of the moonlight because of her presence. This she’r talks of her absence. All of a sudden this much reduction in moonlight? The poet is surprised and speculates that she must have gotten off the rooftop and gone inside.
