For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “Roman” or “Notes” tab.
Recitation
zahra nigaah
Ghulaam ali
کدھر گیا وہ ۔ ناصر کاضمی
۱
گئے دنوں کا سُراغ لے کر کِدھر سے آیا کِدھر گیا وہ
عجیب مانُوس اَجنبی تھا مجھے تو حیران کر گیا وہ
۲
بس ایک موتی سی چھب دکھا کر بس ایک میٹھی سی دھُن سنا کر
ستارۂ شام بن کے آیا برنگ خوابِ سحر گیا وہ
۳
خوشی کی رت ہو کہ غم کا موسم نظر اُسے ڈھونڈتی ہے ہر دم
وہ بُوئے گُل تھا کہ نغمۂ جاں مرے تو دل میں اُتر گیا وہ
۴
نہ اب وہ یادوں کا چڑھتا دریا نہ فرصتوں کی اُداس برکھا
یوں ہی ذرا سی کسک ہے دل میں جو زخم گہرا تھا بھر گیا وہ
۵
کچھ اب سنبھلنے لگی ہے جاں بھی بدل چلا دورِ آسماں بھی
جو رات بھاری تھی ٹل گئی ہے جو دن کڑا تھا گزر گیا وہ
۶
بس ایک منزل ہے بوالہوس کی ہزار رستے ہیں اہل دل کے
یہی تو ہے فرق مجھ میں اُس میں گزر گیا میں ٹھہر گیا وہ
۷
شکستہ پا راہ میں کھڑا ہوں گئے دنوں کو بُلا رہا ہوں
جو قافلہ میرا ہم سفر تھا مثالِ گردِ سفر گیا وہ
۸
مرا تو خوں ہو گیا ہے پانی ستم گروں کی پلک نہ بھیگی
جو نالہ اُٹّھا تھا رات دل سے نہ جانے کیوں بے اثر گیا وہ
۹
وہ مے کدے کو جگانے والا وہ رات کی نیند اُڑانے والا
یہ آج کیا اُس کے جی میں آئی کہ شام ہوتے ہی گھر گیا وہ
۱۰
وہ ہِجر کی رات کا سِتارہ وہ ہم نَفَس ہم سخن ہمارا
صدا رہے اس کا نام پیارا سُنا ہے کل رات مر گیا وہ
۱۱
وہ جس کے شانے پہ ہاتھ رکھ کر سفر کیا تو نے منزلوں کا
تری گلی سے نہ جانے کیوں آج سر جھکائے گزر گیا وہ
۱۲
وہ رات کا بے نوا مسافر وہ تیرا شاعر وہ تیرا ناصرؔ
تری گلی تک تو ہم نے دیکھا پھر نہ جانے کدھر گیا وہ
किधर गया वो – नासिर काज़मी
१
गए दिनों का सुराग़ ले कर किधर से आया किधर गया वो
अजीब मानूस अजनबी था मुझे तो हैरान कर गया वो
२
बस एक मोती सी छब दिखा कर बस एक मीठी सी धुन सुना कर
सितारा-ए-शाम बन के आया ब-रंग-ए-ख़्वाब-ए-सहर गया वो
३
ख़ुशी की रुत हो कि ग़म का मौसम नज़र उसे ढूँडती है हर दम
वो बू-ए-गुल था कि नग़्मा-ए-जाँ मिरे तो दिल में उतर गया वो
४
न अब वो यादों का चढ़ता दरिया न फ़ुर्सतों की उदास बरखा
यूँही ज़रा सी कसक है दिल में जो ज़ख़्म गहरा था भर गया वो
५
कुछ अब सँभलने लगी है जाँ भी बदल चला दौर-ए-आसमाँ भी
जो रात भारी थी टल गई है जो दिन कड़ा था गुज़र गया वो
६
बस एक मंज़िल है बुल-हवस की हज़ार रस्ते हैं अहल-ए-दिल के
यही तो है फ़र्क़ मुझ में उस में गुज़र गया मैं ठहर गया वो
७
शिकस्ता-पा राह में खड़ा हूँ गए दिनों को बुला रहा हूँ
जो क़ाफ़िला मेरा हम-सफ़र था मिसाल-ए-गर्द-ए-सफ़र गया वो
८
मिरा तू ख़ूँ हो गया है पानी सितमगरों की पलक न भीगी
जो नाला उट्ठा था रात दिल से न जाने क्यूँ बे-असर गया वो
९
वो मय-कदे को जगाने वाला वो रात की नींद उड़ाने वाला
ये आज क्या उस के जी में आई कि शाम होते ही घर गया वो
१०
वो हिज्र की रात का सितारा वो हम-नफ़स हम-सुख़न हमारा
सदा रहे उस का नाम प्यारा सुना है कल रात मर गया वो
११
वो जिस के शाने पे हाथ रख कर सफ़र किया तू ने मंज़िलों का
तिरी गली से न जाने क्यूँ आज सर झुकाए गुज़र गया वो
१२
वो रात का बे-नवा मुसाफ़िर वो तेरा शाइर वो तेरा ‘नासिर’
तिरी गली तक तो हम ने देखा फिर न जाने किधर गया वो
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. naasir kazimi (1923-1972) migrated to pakistan. Several of his compostions are interpreted as mourning the loss of home, familiar surroundings and identity. In this Ghazal he writes about himself, his alter-ego, standing apart from himself as a poet.
1
gaye dinoN1 ka suraaGh2 le kar kidhar se aaya kidhar gaya vo
ajib3 manoos4 ajnabi5 tha mujhe to hairaan6 kar gaya vo 1.past days, days gone by 2.clue, reminder, memories 3.strange, enchanting 4.familiar, intimate 5.stranger 6.puzzled
He brought with him memories of days gone by. I don’t know where he came from and where he went. He was an enchanting stranger, yet familiar/intimate. He left me puzzled. The “he” is the poet himself or his alter-ego.
2
bas ek moti1 si chhab2 dikha kar bas ek meeThi si dhun suna kar
sitaara-e-shaam ban ke aaya ba-raNg3-e Khwaab-e sahar4 gaya wo 1.pearl, sparkling 2.image, picture 3.used to mean in the likeness of, similar to 4.dawn
Dreams late at night, about dawn time, leave us with incomplete memories … we cannot remember everything but there is still that sweet taste of a pleasant dream. He came like a sparkling/fleeting image like the stars of the night, like a sweet tune. He disappeared like a dream of late night/early morning.
3
Khushi ki rut1 ho keh Gham ka mausam nazar2 use DhunDti hai har dam3
vo buu-e gul4 tha keh naGhma5-e jaaN mere to dil meN utar6 gaya vo 1.season 2.eyes 3.moment 4.rose 5.song 6.descended, entered
Whether it be happy times or an occasion for sadness, my eyes look for him every moment. Was he like the fragrance of a rose or like the song of love, he entered my heart.
4
na ab vo yaadoN ka chaRhta dariya na fursatoN1 ki udaas barkha2
yuNhi zara si kasak3 hai dil meN jo zaKhm4 gahra5 tha bhar gaya vo 1.leisure 2.rains 3.faint pain 4.wound 5.deep
No more is there that rising tide of memories nor that sorrowful drizzle of leisure. The deep wound (of separation from home) is filled leaving only a faint pain.
5
kuchh ab sambhalne1 lagi hai jaaN bhi badal chala daur-e asmaaN bhi
jo raat bhaari thi Tal gai hai jo din kaRa tha guzar2 gaya vo 1.becoming steady 2.passed
Life now is becoming a little steady. Conditions too have changed (daur-e asmaaN – an expression used to mean ‘luck’, because the sky/heavens decide your fate). The heavy/dark night has passed. The hard day too is gone.
6
bas ek manzil1 hai bul-havas2 ki hazaar raste haiN ahl-e-dil3 ke
yahi to hai farq4 mujh meN us meN guzar5 gaya maiN Thahar6 gaya vo 1.goal 2.greedy, lecherous 3.lovers 4.difference 5.passed, changed 6.stopped, stayed the same
The greedy/lecherous are focused on just one goal (material acquisition), but lovers have traverse a hundred different pathways (wander). That is the difference between him and me. The bul-havas is stuck on the goal itself. The ahl-e dil seek different pathways and keep struggling. I change/evolve/adopt, he stays the same (old memories don’t change).
7
shikasta-pa1 raah2 meN khaRa huN gaye3 dinoN ko bula raha huN
jo qaafila4 mera ham-safar5 tha misaal6-e gard7-e safar8 gaya vo 1.broken/tired feet 2.path 3.past (days) 4.caravan, travel party 5.travel companions 6.like, example of 7.dust 8.travel
I stand in the path, tired of the struggle, calling back past/old days gone by. My travel party has passed on like the dust of the caravan, while I stand transfixed.
8
mera to KhuN ho gaya hai paani1 sitamgaroN2 ki palak3 na bheegi
jo naala4 uTTha tha raat dil se na jaane kyuN be-asar5 gaya vo 1.Khoon paani hona is an expression that means everything went to waste 2.oppressors 3.eye lash 4.wail 5.without any effect
The poet was distraught and he raised a complaint, wailing loudly. But all this went to waste. It did not have any effect. The oppressors were unaffected. Their eyelashes did not show any tears. Who the oppressors are undefined and left to the imagination.
9
vo mai-kade1 ko jagaane vaala vo raat ki neend uRaane vaala
ye aaj kya us ke ji meN aai ke shaam hote hi ghar gaya vo 1.tavern
The poet is speaking about himself as if he is an observer, observing himself. “He” used to bring life to the tavern. He never slept nor let anyone sleep. I don’t know what came over him today, he left and went home early in the evening.
10
vo hijr1 ki raat ka sitaara vo ham-nafas2 ham-suKhan3 hamara
sada rahe us ka naam pyaara suna hai kal raat mar gaya vo 1.separation 2.literally, breathing the same breath, friend 3.literally, speaking the same words, fellow poet
The poet is commiserating the death of his ater-ego. He was the star of the night of separation i.e. of sorrowful nights when we all got together and shared our sorrow. He was our friend, he used to talk to me. May his name/memory always be loved, we have heard that he died last night.
11
vo jis ke shaane pe haath rakh kar safar1 kiya tu ne manziloN2 ka
teri gali se na jaane kyuN aaj sar jhukaaye guzar3 gaya vo 1.journey 2.stages/goals of the journey 3.passed through
We used to travel together, shoulder to shoulder, through all stages/trials of the journey (of life). But I wonder why today he passed through your street without even looking up. His despondent state of mind is left to the imagination.
12
vo raat ka be-nava1 musaafir2 wo tera shaa’er vo tera naasir3
teri gali tak to hum ne dekha phir na jaane kidhar gaya vo 1.without making a sound, without reciting verse 2.fellow traveler on the journey of life 3.pen name of the poet also means helper/friend
The one who used to help him silently through dark nights, seems to have abandoned him, avoiding looking at him. The “one” here is the shaa’er himself – his earlier identity/his earlier abilities. We saw him go as far as the street of the beloved (the destination) and then we don’t know where he disappeared. Is it possible that the “gali”, street is his new home – pakistan, we saw him there but he soon disappeared.
naasir kazimi (1923-1972) migrated to pakistan. Several of his compostions are interpreted as mourning the loss of home, familiar surroundings and identity. In this Ghazal he writes about himself, his alter-ego, standing apart from himself as a poet.
1
gaye dinoN1 ka suraaGh2 le kar kidhar se aaya kidhar gaya vo
ajib3 manoos4 ajnabi5 tha mujhe to hairaan6 kar gaya vo
1.past days, days gone by 2.clue, reminder, memories 3.strange, enchanting 4.familiar, intimate 5.stranger 6.puzzled
He brought with him memories of days gone by. I don’t know where he came from and where he went. He was an enchanting stranger, yet familiar/intimate. He left me puzzled. The “he” is the poet himself or his alter-ego.
2
bas ek moti1 si chhab2 dikha kar bas ek meeThi si dhun suna kar
sitaara-e-shaam ban ke aaya ba-raNg3-e Khwaab-e sahar4 gaya wo
1.pearl, sparkling 2.image, picture 3.used to mean in the likeness of, similar to 4.dawn
Dreams late at night, about dawn time, leave us with incomplete memories … we cannot remember everything but there is still that sweet taste of a pleasant dream. He came like a sparkling/fleeting image like the stars of the night, like a sweet tune. He disappeared like a dream of late night/early morning.
3
Khushi ki rut1 ho keh Gham ka mausam nazar2 use DhunDti hai har dam3
vo buu-e gul4 tha keh naGhma5-e jaaN mere to dil meN utar6 gaya vo
1.season 2.eyes 3.moment 4.rose 5.song 6.descended, entered
Whether it be happy times or an occasion for sadness, my eyes look for him every moment. Was he like the fragrance of a rose or like the song of love, he entered my heart.
4
na ab vo yaadoN ka chaRhta dariya na fursatoN1 ki udaas barkha2
yuNhi zara si kasak3 hai dil meN jo zaKhm4 gahra5 tha bhar gaya vo
1.leisure 2.rains 3.faint pain 4.wound 5.deep
No more is there that rising tide of memories nor that sorrowful drizzle of leisure. The deep wound (of separation from home) is filled leaving only a faint pain.
5
kuchh ab sambhalne1 lagi hai jaaN bhi badal chala daur-e asmaaN bhi
jo raat bhaari thi Tal gai hai jo din kaRa tha guzar2 gaya vo
1.becoming steady 2.passed
Life now is becoming a little steady. Conditions too have changed (daur-e asmaaN – an expression used to mean ‘luck’, because the sky/heavens decide your fate). The heavy/dark night has passed. The hard day too is gone.
6
bas ek manzil1 hai bul-havas2 ki hazaar raste haiN ahl-e-dil3 ke
yahi to hai farq4 mujh meN us meN guzar5 gaya maiN Thahar6 gaya vo
1.goal 2.greedy, lecherous 3.lovers 4.difference 5.passed, changed 6.stopped, stayed the same
The greedy/lecherous are focused on just one goal (material acquisition), but lovers have traverse a hundred different pathways (wander). That is the difference between him and me. The bul-havas is stuck on the goal itself. The ahl-e dil seek different pathways and keep struggling. I change/evolve/adopt, he stays the same (old memories don’t change).
7
shikasta-pa1 raah2 meN khaRa huN gaye3 dinoN ko bula raha huN
jo qaafila4 mera ham-safar5 tha misaal6-e gard7-e safar8 gaya vo
1.broken/tired feet 2.path 3.past (days) 4.caravan, travel party 5.travel companions 6.like, example of 7.dust 8.travel
I stand in the path, tired of the struggle, calling back past/old days gone by. My travel party has passed on like the dust of the caravan, while I stand transfixed.
8
mera to KhuN ho gaya hai paani1 sitamgaroN2 ki palak3 na bheegi
jo naala4 uTTha tha raat dil se na jaane kyuN be-asar5 gaya vo
1.Khoon paani hona is an expression that means everything went to waste 2.oppressors 3.eye lash 4.wail 5.without any effect
The poet was distraught and he raised a complaint, wailing loudly. But all this went to waste. It did not have any effect. The oppressors were unaffected. Their eyelashes did not show any tears. Who the oppressors are undefined and left to the imagination.
9
vo mai-kade1 ko jagaane vaala vo raat ki neend uRaane vaala
ye aaj kya us ke ji meN aai ke shaam hote hi ghar gaya vo
1.tavern
The poet is speaking about himself as if he is an observer, observing himself. “He” used to bring life to the tavern. He never slept nor let anyone sleep. I don’t know what came over him today, he left and went home early in the evening.
10
vo hijr1 ki raat ka sitaara vo ham-nafas2 ham-suKhan3 hamara
sada rahe us ka naam pyaara suna hai kal raat mar gaya vo
1.separation 2.literally, breathing the same breath, friend 3.literally, speaking the same words, speaking to me, fellow poet
The poet is commiserating the death of his ater-ego. He was the star of the night of separation i.e. of sorrowful nights when we all got together and shared our sorrow. He was our friend, he used to talk to me. May his name/memory always be loved, we have heard that he died last night.
11
vo jis ke shaane pe haath rakh kar safar1 kiya tu ne manziloN2 ka
teri gali se na jaane kyuN aaj sar jhukaaye guzar3 gaya vo
1.journey 2.stages/goals of the journey 3.passed through
We used to travel together, shoulder to shoulder, through all stages/trials of the journey (of life). But I wonder why today he passed through your street without even looking up. His despondent state of mind is left to the imagination.
12
vo raat ka be-nava1 musaafir2 wo tera shaa’er vo tera naasir3
teri gali tak to hum ne dekha phir na jaane kidhar gaya vo
1.without making a sound, without reciting verse 2.fellow traveler on the journey of life 3.pen name of the poet also means helper/friend
The one who used to help him silently through dark nights, seems to have abandoned him, avoiding looking at him. The “one” here is the shaa’er himself – his earlier identity/his earlier abilities. We saw him go as far as the street of the beloved (the destination) and then we don’t know where he disappeared. Is it possible that the “gali”, street is his new home – pakistan, we saw him there but he soon disappeared.
