For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “English” or “Notes” tab.
Recitation
افسانہ تھا ۔ عثمان علی خاں
۱
مے بھی تھی مینا بھی تھا اور ساقیٔ میخانہ تھا
بزم تھی آراستہ اور جلوۂ جانانہ تھا
۲
پھول کھِلنے سے ہوا سارا چمن رشکِ جناں
بُلبُلوں کا اِس لئے انداز کچھ مستانہ تھا
۳
بجھ گیا وہ دِل کہ جس میں تھا ہجومِ آرزو
گُل ہوی وہ شمع جس کا اِک جہاں پروانہ تھا
۴
نکہتِ گُل بھی ہوا خواہِ عنادِل ہو گئی
اور یگانہ ہو گیا جو سبزۂ بیگانہ تھا
۵
شاہدِ گُل پر نہ کیوں وارفتہ ہوتیں بُلبُلیں
جبکہ خود گُلچیں بھی اُس کے حسن کا دیوانہ تھا
۶
اپنی خوبی پر تھا اِتراتا ہر اِک غنچہ دہن
قمریوں کا سرو سے برتاؤ بیباکانہ تھا
۷
دیکھ کر یہ رنگ عثماں اِس طرح گویا ہوا
خواب تھا جو کچھ کہ دیکھا، جو سُنا افسانہ تھا
उस्मान अली ख़ां
१
मै भी थी, मीना भी था और साक़ी-ए मै-ख़ाना था
बज़्म थी आरास्ता और जल्वा-ए जानाना था
२
फूल खिलने से हुआ सारा चमन रश्क-ए जिनां
बुलबुलों का इस लिए अंदाज़ कुछ मस्ताना था
३
बुझ गया वो दिल के जिस में था हुजूम-ए आरज़ू
गुल हुई वो शम’अ जिस का एक जहां परवाना था
४
निकहत-ए गुल भी हवा-ख़्वाह-ए अनादिल हो गई
और यगाना हो गया जो सब्ज़ा-ए बेगाना था
५
शाहेद-ए गुल पर न क्यूं वारफ़्ता होतीं बुलबुलें
जब के ख़ुद गुलचीं भी उस के हुस्न का दीवाना था
६
अपनी ख़ूबी पर था इत्राता हर एक ग़ुन्चा दहन
क़ुम्रियों का सर्व से बरताऊ कुछ बेबाकाना था
७
देख कर ये रंग उस्मां इस तरह गोया हुआ
ख़्वाब था जो कुछ के देखा, जो सुना अफ़्साना था
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. usmaan ali KhaaN borrows a misra from a sufiyaana Ghazal of Khwaja mir dard and composes his own Ghazal suggesting that all the beauty/comfort/pleasure of this world is mere illusion/dream. There is one she’r (third) that does not fit the theme and I have difficulty interpreting. Any help would be appreciated and welcome.
1
mai1 bhi thi, meena2 bhi tha aur saaqi-e maiKhaana3 tha
bazm4 thi aaraasta5 aur jalva6-e jaanana7 tha 1.wine 2.flask 3.tavern 4.gathering, party 5.arranged, supplied 6.display of beauty 7.beloved
There was much joy and all provisions for a party/gathering supplied – wine, flask and saqi. The beloved was displaying her beauty in all its glory.
2
phool khilne se hua saara chaman rashk1-e jinaaN2
bulbulauN ka is liye andaaz3 kuchh mastaana4 tha 1.envy 2.heavens 3.style 4.inebriated, intoxicated
Flowers were in full bloom making the garden the envy of the heavens. Seeing all this beauty the style of the bulbul was that of joy of intoxication.
3
bujh gaya vo dil ke jis meN tha hujoom1-e aarzu2
gul hui vo sham’a jis ka ek jahaaN parvaana3 tha 1.crowd, mob 2.desires 3.moth
Among all ash’aar this one alone strikes a discordant note. All other ash’aar describe beauty and happiness. This one alone seems to describe sorrow. It does not seem to fit in the Ghazal. If I am missing something that you see, please let me know. The heart that was once mobbed by desire had turned forlorn. The lamp around which the whole world once circled like moths was now put out.
4
nikhat1-e gul2 bhi hava-Khwaah3-e anaadil4 ho gaii
aur yagaana5 ho gaya jo sabza6-e begaana7 tha 1.fragrance 2.rose 3.desirous of (hearing) sound/song 4.plural of andaleeb-bulbul 5.intimate, friend 6.greenery 7.unfamiliar, foreign
In urdu poetic tradition the rose and the bulbul are lover and beloved. The rose was fragrant (sending a message to its beloved, the bulbul) that it was desirous of hearing its sound/song. The once unfamiliar greenery had become intimate and welcoming.
5
shaahed1-e gul par na kyuN vaarafta2 hoteeN bulbuleN
jab ke Khud gulchiN3 bhi us ke husn4 ka deevaana tha 1.beauty 2.lost in love 3.flower picker 4.beauty
Why would the bulbul not be engrossed in the love of the rose. After all even the flower-picker was mad about its beauty.
6
apni Khoobi1 par tha itraata2 har ek Ghuncha-dahan3
qumriyauN4 ka sarv5 se bartaau6 bebaakaana7 tha 1.goodness, beauty 2.vain strutting, coquettish 3.flower-faced, beautiful 4.dove 5.cypress 6.behavious 7.bold, uninhibited
The qumri and sarv (dove and cypress) is another traditional/metaphoric pair of lovers in urdu poetry. Every beautiful creature was strutting about primly thinking of its own beauty. Even the behaviour of the dove towards the cypress was uninhibited (displaying its love). Thus, it was the season of love.
7
dekh kar ye raNg1 usmaaN is tarah2 goya3 hua
Khwaab tha jo kuchh ke dekha, jo suna afasaana4 tha 1.colour, ambience, scene 2.like this 3.spoke 4.fable
Looking at this scene, usmaan spoke thus … whatever I saw was a dream, what I heard was a fable. osmaan ali KhaaN has used a misra from Khwaaja miir dard …
vaa’e naadaanii ke vaqt-e-marg ye saabit hua
Khwaab tha jo kuchh ke dekhaa jo suna afsaana tha
See ‘dard’ in Poet Index for interpretation.
usmaan ali KhaaN borrows a misra from a sufiyaana Ghazal of Khwaja mir dard and composes his own Ghazal suggesting that all the beauty/comfort/pleasure of this world is mere illusion/dream. There is one she’r (third) that does not fit the theme and I have difficulty interpreting. Any help would be appreciated and welcome.
1
mai1 bhi thi, meena2 bhi tha aur saaqi-e maiKhaana3 tha
bazm4 thi aaraasta5 aur jalva6-e jaanana7 tha
1.wine 2.flask 3.tavern 4.gathering, party 5.arranged, supplied 6.display of beauty 7.beloved
There was much joy and all provisions for a party/gathering supplied – wine, flask and saqi. The beloved was displaying her beauty in all its glory.
2
phool khilne se hua saara chaman rashk1-e jinaaN2
bulbulauN ka is liye andaaz3 kuchh mastaana4 tha
1.envy 2.heavens 3.style 4.inebriated, intoxicated
Flowers were in full bloom making the garden the envy of the heavens. Seeing all this beauty the style of the bulbul was that of joy of intoxication.
3
bujh gaya vo dil ke jis meN tha hujoom1-e aarzu2
gul hui vo sham’a jis ka ek jahaaN parvaana3 tha
1.crowd, mob 2.desires 3.moth
Among all ash’aar this one alone strikes a discordant note. All other ash’aar describe beauty and happiness. This one alone seems to describe sorrow. It does not seem to fit in the Ghazal. If I am missing something that you see, please let me know. The heart that was once mobbed by desire had turned forlorn. The lamp around which the whole world once circled like moths was now put out.
4
nikhat1-e gul2 bhi hava-Khwaah3-e anaadil4 ho gaii
aur yagaana5 ho gaya jo sabza6-e begaana7 tha
1.fragrance 2.rose 3.desirous of (hearing) sound/song 4.plural of andaleeb-bulbul 5.intimate, friend 6.greenery 7.unfamiliar, foreign
In urdu poetic tradition the rose and the bulbul are lover and beloved. The rose was fragrant (sending a message to its beloved, the bulbul) that it was desirous of hearing its sound/song. The once unfamiliar greenery had become intimate and welcoming.
5
shaahed1-e gul par na kyuN vaarafta2 hoteeN bulbuleN
jab ke Khud gulchiN3 bhi us ke husn4 ka deevaana tha
1.beauty 2.lost in love 3.flower picker 4.beauty
Why would the bulbul not be engrossed in the love of the rose. After all even the flower-picker was mad about its beauty.
6
apni Khoobi1 par tha itraata2 har ek Ghuncha-dahan3
qumriyauN4 ka sarv5 se bartaau6 bebaakaana7 tha
1.goodness, beauty 2.vain strutting, coquettish 3.flower-faced, beautiful 4.dove 5.cypress 6.behavious 7.bold, uninhibited
The qumri and sarv (dove and cypress) is another traditional/metaphoric pair of lovers in urdu poetry. Every beautiful creature was strutting about primly thinking of its own beauty. Even the behaviour of the dove towards the cypress was uninhibited (displaying its love). Thus, it was the season of love.
7
dekh kar ye raNg1 usmaaN is tarah2 goya3 hua
Khwaab tha jo kuchh ke dekha, jo suna afasaana4 tha
1.colour, ambience, scene 2.like this 3.spoke 4.fable
Looking at this scene, usmaan spoke thus … whatever I saw was a dream, what I heard was a fable. osmaan ali KhaaN has used a misra from Khwaaja miir dard …
vaa’e naadaanii ke vaqt-e-marg ye saabit hua
Khwaab tha jo kuchh ke dekhaa jo suna afsaana tha
See ‘dard’ in Poet Index for interpretation.
Key Search Words: sufiyaana, sufi, mysticism
