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Recitation
gulzar dehlavi
محبّ اُردو ۔ آنند موہن گلزار دہلوی
۱
مضموں ہیں گہر فِکر جواں ہے میری
کوثر میں دھُلی طرزِ بیاں ہے میری
دِلّی جسے کہتے ہیں وطن ہے میرا
اُردو جسے کہتے ہیں زباں ہے میری
۲
میرؔ و مرزاؔ، ذوقؔ و مومنؔ نے جسے بخشی جِلا
وہ زباں مرزا داغ کی رکھتا ہوں میں
سات صدیوں تک جسے پالا عوام الناس نے
فخر ہے مجھ کو زبانِ خسروی رکھتا ہوں میں
۳
دس پُشت سے پالا ہے مرے آبا نے
اُردو کی حسیں طرز و طرح ڈالی ہے
اُردو کے بِگڑتے ہوئے ماحول میں بھی
جو لفظ زباں پر ہے وہ ٹکسالی ہے
۴
اب تو غالبؔ کو سکونِ قلب مِلنا چاہیے
اب تو شاید آرزو دِل میں نہاں کوئی نہ ہو
پوری خواہش ہو گئی اُن کی یہ آزادی کے بعد
ہم سخن کوئی نہ ہو اور ہم زباں کوئی نہ ہو
۵
مجبور ہیں جو نقدِ سخن بیچ رہے ہیں
اربابِ سیاست تو وطن بیچ رہے ہیں
اُردو کے حریفوں کو یہ معلوم نہیں ہے
یکجہتیٔ مِلّت کا کفن بیچ رہے ہیں
۶
جو ہو صیّاد کی سازِش تو پھر چُپ باغباں کیوں ہو
چمن میں بے سبب سہما مکینِ آسماں کیوں ہو
رقیبوں کی زبانیں تو نہیں گز گز بھر کی اے ہمدم
جو کاٹی جائے بے دردی سے وہ میری زباں کیوں ہو
کھنڈر اُجڑے دیاروں کے مکینوں سے یہ کہتے ہیں
خدا جب لامکاں ہے اُس کے بندوں کا مکاں کیوں ہو
۷
آج کل مانا فضائے دہر بھی ناساز ہے
ہر کرم فرمائی ظلم و جور کی غمّاز ہے
نام لینا آج اُردو کا ہے حدّ معصیت
یہ وہ عِصیاں ہے مگر عصمت کو جِس پر ناز ہے
۸
دِلّی سے لکھنؤ سے سمیٹا ہے بانکپن
بیٹھا ہوں بزمِ شعر میں جوشؔ و جگرؔ کے ساتھ
کیفیؔ و زارؔ و سألؔ و بیخودؔ کے فیض سے
گزری ہے ساری عمر ہی اہلِ ہنر کے ساتھ
۹
تہذیب کو بے جان بنانے والو
نغمات کو ہذیان بنانے والو
اُردو تو کُل اقوام کا سرمایہ ہے
اُردو کو مسلمان بنانے والو
मोहिब्ब-ए उर्दू – आनंद मोहन गुल्ज़ार देहलवी
१
मज़्मूं हैं गोहर फ़िक्र जवां है मेरी
कौसर में धूलि तर्ज़-ए बयाँ है मेरी
दिल्ली जिसे कहते हैं वतन है मेरा
उर्दू जिसे कहते हैं ज़बां है मेरी
२
मीर ओ मिर्ज़ा, ज़ौक़ ओ मोमिन ने जिसे बख़्शि जिला
वो ज़बां नवाब मिर्ज़ा दाग़ कि रखता हूं मैं
सात सदियों तक जिसे पा अवाम-उन्नास ने
फ़ख़्र है मुझ को ज़बान-ए ख़ुस्रवी रखता हूं मैं
३
दस पुश्त से पाला है मेरे आबा ने
उर्दू कि हसीं तर्ज़ ओ तरह डाली है
उर्दू के बिगड़ते हुए माहौल में भी
जो लफ़्ज़ ज़बां पर है वो टक्साली है
४
अब तो ग़ालिब को सुकून-ए क़ल्ब मिलना चाहिए
अब तो शाएद आरज़ू दिल में नेहां कोई न हो
पूरी ख़्वाहिश हो गई उन कि ये आज़ादी के बाद
हम सुख़न कोई न हो और हम ज़बां कोई न हो
५
मज्बूर हैं जो नक़्द-ए सुख़न बेच रहे हैं
अरबाब-ए सियासत तो वतन बेच रहे हैं
उर्दू के हरीफ़ौं को ये मालूम नहीं वो
यकजहती-ए मिल्लत का कफ़न बेच रहे हैं
६
जो हो सय्याद कि साज़िश तो फिर चुप बाग़बां क्यूं हो
चमन में बे-सबब सहमा मकीन-ए आस्मां क्यूं हो
रक़ीबौं कि ज़बानें तो नहीं गज़ गज़ भर कि अए हमदम
जो काटी जाए बेदर्दी से वो मेरी ज़बां क्यूं हो
खंडर उजड़े दयारौं के मकीनौं से ये कहते हैं
ख़ुदा जब लामकां है इस के बन्दौं का मकां क्यूं हो
७
आजकल माना फ़ज़ा-ए दहर भी नासाज़ है
हर करम फ़रमाई ज़ुल्म ओ जोर कि ग़म्माज़ है
नाम लेना आज उर्दू का है हद्द-ए म’आसियत
ये वो इसियाँ है मगर इस्मत पे जिस को नाज़ है
८
दिल्ली से लखनऊ से समेटा है बांकपन
बैठा हूं बज़्म-ए शेर में जोश ओ जिगर के साथ
कैफ़ी ओ ज़ार ओ सा’एल ओ बेख़ुद के फ़ैज़ से
गुज़्री है सारी उम्र ही अहल-ए हुनर के साथ
९
तहज़ीब को बेजान बनाने वालो
नग़्मात को हज़ियान बनाने वालो
उर्दू तो कुल अक़्वाम कस्त सरमाया है
उर्दू को मुसलमान बनाने वालो
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. anand mohan gulzar dehlavi (1926-living/2019), is a prolific writer reaching across religions and writing and speaking passionately about urdu and communal harmony. He is a true urdu lover.
1
mazmuN1 haiN gohar2 fikr3 javaaN hai meri
kausar4 meN dhuli5 tarz6-e bayaaN7 hai meri
dilli jise kahte haiN vatan hai mera
urdu jis kahte haiN zabaaN hai meri 1.subject 2.pearl 3.thought, reasoning 4.legendary river in heaven 5.washed 6.ways, style 7.speaking, reciting, versification, shaa’eri
The subject matter shines like pearls and reasoning is sound. My words are washed/purified in the waters of kauser. dehli is my homeland, urdu is my language.
2
mir1 o mirza2 o zauq3 o momin4 ne jis ko baKhshi5 jila6
vo zabaaN nawaab mirza daaGh7 ki rakhta huN maiN
saat sadiyauN8 tak jise paala avaam-un-naas9 ne
faKhr10 hai mujh ko zabaan-e Khusravi11 rakhta huN maiN 1.mir taqi mir (1723-1810) 2.mirza sauda (1713-1781) 3.mohammed ibrahim zauq (1789-1854) 4.momin KhaaN momin (1800-1851) 5.granted 6.brilliance 7.daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905) 8.seven centuries 9.ordinary people 10.pride 11.of amir Khusro (1253-1325)
mir, mirza, zauq and momin granted brilliance to the language that I inherited/received from daaGh. gulzar claims daaGh to be his literary ‘grandfather’ because his own father zaar zutshi dehlavi was the first student/shaagird of daaGh. For seven centuries everyday people nurtured it (refers to the birth and evolution of urdu). I am proud that I speak that language of amir Khusro.
3
das pusht1 se paala hai mere aaba2 ne
urdu ki haseeN tarz-o-tarah3 Daali hai
urdu ke bigaRte4 hue mahaul5 meN bhi
jo lafz6 zabaaN par hai vo Taksaali7 hai 1.ten generations 2.ancestors 3.ways/methods and foundation 4.deteriorating 5.environment, conditions 6.word 7.authentic
My ancestors have nurtured it for ten generations and laid down the foundations of urdu and crafted its rules. And even in these deteriorating conditions of urdu, every word that I speak is authentic. I am not sure but the ten generations might refer to another kashmiri panDit, chandr bhan barhaman (1574-1662), whose composition of a formal Ghazal structure was recited by daara shikoh in shaah jahaaN’s court.
4
ab to Ghalib ko sukoon1-e qalb2 milna chaahiye
ab to shaayed3 aarzu4 dil meN nehaaN5 koii na ho
poori Khwaahish ho gayi un ki ye aazadi ke baad
hum-suKhan6 koii na ho aur hum-zabaaN7 koii na ho 1.peace 2.heart/mind 3.perhaps 4.desire 5.hidden 6.fellow writer/poet 7.same language
This is a sarcastic spoof on Ghalib’s Ghazal applying it to the status of urdu (which Ghalib did not mean) …
rahiye ab aisi jagah chal kar jahaaN koii na ho
hum-suKhan koii na ho aur hum-zabaaN koii na ho
Surely Ghalib should have complete peace of mind now that his wish is being fulfilled. Perhaps now he has no more hidden desires left in his heart. After independence his wish has been fulfilled that there should be none left that write/recite/speak (urdu). Also see sahir ludhianavi’s jashn-e Ghalib on this site … https://urdushahkar.org/jashn-e-ghalib/
5
majboor1 haiN jo naqd2-e suKhan3 bech rahe haiN
arbaab-e-siyaasat4 to vatan5 bech rahe haiN
urdu ke hareefauN6 ko ye m’aaloom nahiN vo
yakjahti7-e millat8 ka kafan9 bech rahe haiN 1.helpless 2.wealth 3.verse 4.political lords/leaders 5.homeland 6.rivals/enemies 7.harmony 8.community 9.burial shroud
gulzar (and many other poets) have maintained that urdu has been a language bringing people together. It is only after independence, after pakistan adopted urdu as its national language that Indian politicians opposed urdu. Thus, poets who sell the wealth of their verse are helpless (they need sustenance). But political leaders are selling off their homeland. The enemies of urdu do not know that they are offering a burial shroud of communal harmony (by opposing the language that brought everyone together).
6
jo ho sayyaad1 ki saazish2 to phir chup baaGhbaaN3 kyuN ho
chaman meN be-sabab4 sahma5 makeen-e-aasmaaN6 kyuN ho
raqeebauN7 ki zabaaneN to nahiN gaz gaz bhar ki aye humdum8
jo kaaTi jaaye be-dardi se vo meri zabaaN kyuN ho
khanDar9 ujRe10 dayaarauN11 ke makeenauN12 se ye kahte haiN
Khuda jab lamakaaN13 hai us ke bandauN14 ka makaaN kyuN ho 1.hunter, catcher 2.conspiracy 3.gardener 4.without reason 5.scared 6.resident of the skies, dignified/noble person (language, urdu) 7.enemies 8.friend 9.ruins 10.ruined 11.homes 12.residents 13.not restricted to a place (god, divine), can also be used (sarcastically) to mean homeless 14.creatures
urdu does not have a region in India … like (say) gujarati, tamil etc. Thus it is ‘lamakaan’ – either divine or homeless. The hunters (politicians) are conspiring, so how can the gardener (gulzar) keep quiet. Why should this dignified language be scared in the garden. My friend, the tongues of enemies are yards long (that is why they are talking/maligning) which makes them cruelly cut off my tongue (suppress the language/urdu). Ruins of destroyed homes say to their residents, if god himself is “lamakaan” (homeless), then why should any of his creatures have a home. Thus, urdu becomes ‘homeless’.
7
aajkal maana1 fiza2-e dahr3 bhi naasaaz4 hai
har karam-farmaaii5 zulm-o-jor6 ki Ghammaaz7 hai
naam lena aaj urdu ka hai hadd8-e m’aasiyat9
ye vo isiyaaN10 hai magar ismat11 ko jis par naaz12 hai 1.agree, concede 2.atmosphere, conditions 3.world 4.unfavourable 5.bestowing favours 6.cruelty and oppression 7.conspiracy 8.limit of 9.sinning, transgressing 10.sin 11.virtuous behaviour 12.pride
I concede that conditions of the world are unfavourable, but every favour (to urdu) is a conspiracy of cruelty and oppression. Speaking of urdu today is considered the limit of transgression. But this is a sin of which Virtue herself is proud.
Also see sahir ludhianavi’s jashn-e Ghalib …
ye jashn ye haNgaame, dilchasp khilone haiN
kuchh logauN ki koshish hai, kuchh log bahal jaayeN
and …
aazadi-e kaamil ka e’laan hua jis din
m’aatuub zabaaN Thahri, Ghaddaar zabaaN Thahri
8
dilli se lakhnau se sameTa1 hai baaNkpan2
baiTha huN bazm-e-she’r3 meN josh4 o jigar5 ke saath
kaifi6 o zaar7 o saa’el8 o beKhud9 ke faiz10 se
guzri11 hai saari umr hi ahl-e-hunar12 ke saath 1.gathered 2.freshness, new style 3.assembly of verse 4.josh malihabadi (1894-1982) 5.jigar muradabadi (1890-1960) 6.brij mohan kaifi (1866-1955) 7.zaar zutshi dehlavi, the poet’s father and himself a poet, first shaagird of daaGh 8.daGh’s son-in-law 9.beKhud dehlavi (1863-1955) 10.benevolence, kindness 11.passed, spent 12.talented people
I have gathered fresh styles (of writing verse) from lakhnau and dehli and sat in the company of poets like josh and jigar. With the benevolence of zaar, saa’el, kaifi and beKhud, my whole life has been spent in the company of people of great talent.
9
tahzeeb1 ko be-jaan2 banaane vaalo
naGhmaat3 ko haziyaan4 banaane vaalo
urdu to kul aqvaam5 ka sarmaaya6 hai
urdu ko musalmaan banaane vaalo 1.culture 2.life-less, soul-less 3.song/music 4.delirium, blabber 5.communities 6.treasure
This was addressed particularly to literary critics in pakistan. You are robbing culture of its soul. You make musical verse sound like meaningless blabber. urdu is the treasure/heritage of all communities. Why do you make it a muslim language.
anand mohan gulzar dehlavi (1926-living/2019), is a prolific writer reaching across religions and writing and speaking passionately about urdu and communal harmony. He is a true urdu lover.
1
mazmuN1 haiN gohar2 fikr3 javaaN hai meri
kausar4 meN dhuli5 tarz6-e bayaaN7 hai meri
dilli jise kahte haiN vatan hai mera
urdu jis kahte haiN zabaaN hai meri
1.subject 2.pearl 3.thought, reasoning 4.legendary river in heaven 5.washed 6.ways, style 7.speaking, reciting, versification, shaa’eri
The subject matter shines like pearls and reasoning is sound. My words are washed/purified in the waters of kauser. dehli is my homeland, urdu is my language.
2
mir1 o mirza2 o zauq3 o momin4 ne jis ko baKhshi5 jila6
vo zabaaN nawaab mirza daaGh7 ki rakhta huN maiN
saat sadiyauN8 tak jise paala avaam-un-naas9 ne
faKhr10 hai mujh ko zabaan-e Khusravi11 rakhta huN maiN
1.mir taqi mir (1723-1810) 2.mirza sauda (1713-1781) 3.mohammed ibrahim zauq (1789-1854) 4.momin KhaaN momin (1800-1851) 5.granted 6.brilliance 7.daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905) 8.seven centuries 9.ordinary people 10.pride 11.of amir Khusro (1253-1325)
mir, mirza, zauq and momin granted brilliance to the language that I inherited/received from daaGh. gulzar claims daaGh to be his literary ‘grandfather’ because his own father zaar zutshi dehlavi was the first student/shaagird of daaGh. For seven centuries everyday people nurtured it (refers to the birth and evolution of urdu). I am proud that I speak that language of amir Khusro.
3
das pusht1 se paala hai mere aaba2 ne
urdu ki haseeN tarz-o-tarah3 Daali hai
urdu ke bigaRte4 hue mahaul5 meN bhi
jo lafz6 zabaaN par hai vo Taksaali7 hai
1.ten generations 2.ancestors 3.ways/methods and foundation 4.deteriorating 5.environment, conditions 6.word 7.authentic
My ancestors have nurtured it for ten generations and laid down the foundations of urdu and crafted its rules. And even in these deteriorating conditions of urdu, every word that I speak is authentic. I am not sure but the ten generations might refer to another kashmiri panDit, chandr bhan barhaman (1574-1662), whose composition of a formal Ghazal structure was recited by daara shikoh in shaah jahaaN’s court.
4
ab to Ghalib ko sukoon1-e qalb2 milna chaahiye
ab to shaayed3 aarzu4 dil meN nehaaN5 koii na ho
poori Khwaahish ho gayi un ki ye aazadi ke baad
hum-suKhan6 koii na ho aur hum-zabaaN7 koii na ho
1.peace 2.heart/mind 3.perhaps 4.desire 5.hidden 6.fellow writer/poet 7.same language
This is a sarcastic spoof on Ghalib’s Ghazal applying it to the status of urdu (which Ghalib did not mean) …
rahiye ab aisi jagah chal kar jahaaN koii na ho
hum-suKhan koii na ho aur hum-zabaaN koii na ho
Surely Ghalib should have complete peace of mind now that his wish is being fulfilled. Perhaps now he has no more hidden desires left in his heart. After independence his wish has been fulfilled that there should be none left that write/recite/speak (urdu). Also see sahir ludhianavi’s jashn-e Ghalib on this site … https://urdushahkar.org/jashn-e-ghalib/
5
majboor1 haiN jo naqd2-e suKhan3 bech rahe haiN
arbaab-e-siyaasat4 to vatan5 bech rahe haiN
urdu ke hareefauN6 ko ye m’aaloom nahiN vo
yakjahti7-e millat8 ka kafan9 bech rahe haiN
1.helpless 2.wealth 3.verse 4.political lords/leaders 5.homeland 6.rivals/enemies 7.harmony 8.community 9.burial shroud
gulzar (and many other poets) have maintained that urdu has been a language bringing people together. It is only after independence, after pakistan adopted urdu as its national language that Indian politicians opposed urdu. Thus, poets who sell the wealth of their verse are helpless (they need sustenance). But political leaders are selling off their homeland. The enemies of urdu do not know that they are offering a burial shroud of communal harmony (by opposing the language that brought everyone together).
6
jo ho sayyaad1 ki saazish2 to phir chup baaGhbaaN3 kyuN ho
chaman meN be-sabab4 sahma5 makeen-e-aasmaaN6 kyuN ho
raqeebauN7 ki zabaaneN to nahiN gaz gaz bhar ki aye humdum8
jo kaaTi jaaye be-dardi se vo meri zabaaN kyuN ho
khanDar9 ujRe10 dayaarauN11 ke makeenauN12 se ye kahte haiN
Khuda jab lamakaaN13 hai us ke bandauN14 ka makaaN kyuN ho
1.hunter, catcher 2.conspiracy 3.gardener 4.without reason 5.scared 6.resident of the skies, dignified/noble person (language, urdu) 7.enemies 8.friend 9.ruins 10.ruined 11.homes 12.residents 13.not restricted to a place (god, divine), can also be used (sarcastically) to mean homeless 14.creatures
urdu does not have a region in India … like (say) gujarati, tamil etc. Thus it is ‘lamakaan’ – either divine or homeless. The hunters (politicians) are conspiring, so how can the gardener (gulzar) keep quiet. Why should this dignified language be scared in the garden. My friend, the tongues of enemies are yards long (that is why they are talking/maligning) which makes them cruelly cut off my tongue (suppress the language/urdu). Ruins of destroyed homes say to their residents, if god himself is “lamakaan” (homeless), then why should any of his creatures have a home. Thus, urdu becomes ‘homeless’.
7
aajkal maana1 fiza2-e dahr3 bhi naasaaz4 hai
har karam-farmaaii5 zulm-o-jor6 ki Ghammaaz7 hai
naam lena aaj urdu ka hai hadd8-e m’aasiyat9
ye vo isiyaaN10 hai magar ismat11 ko jis par naaz12 hai
1.agree, concede 2.atmosphere, conditions 3.world 4.unfavourable 5.bestowing favours 6.cruelty and oppression 7.conspiracy 8.limit of 9.sinning, transgressing 10.sin 11.virtuous behaviour 12.pride
I concede that conditions of the world are unfavourable, but every favour (to urdu) is a conspiracy of cruelty and oppression. Speaking of urdu today is considered the limit of transgression. But this is a sin of which Virtue herself is proud.
Also see sahir ludhianavi’s jashn-e Ghalib …
ye jashn ye haNgaame, dilchasp khilone haiN
kuchh logauN ki koshish hai, kuchh log bahal jaayeN
and …
aazadi-e kaamil ka e’laan hua jis din
m’aatuub zabaaN Thahri, Ghaddaar zabaaN Thahri
8
dilli se lakhnau se sameTa1 hai baaNkpan2
baiTha huN bazm-e-she’r3 meN josh4 o jigar5 ke saath
kaifi6 o zaar7 o saa’el8 o beKhud9 ke faiz10 se
guzri11 hai saari umr hi ahl-e-hunar12 ke saath
1.gathered 2.freshness, new style 3.assembly of verse 4.josh malihabadi (1894-1982) 5.jigar muradabadi (1890-1960) 6.brij mohan kaifi (1866-1955) 7.zaar zutshi dehlavi, the poet’s father and himself a poet, first shaagird of daaGh 8.daGh’s son-in-law 9.beKhud dehlavi (1863-1955) 10.benevolence, kindness 11.passed, spent 12.talented people
I have gathered fresh styles (of writing verse) from lakhnau and dehli and sat in the company of poets like josh and jigar. With the benevolence of zaar, saa’el, kaifi and beKhud, my whole life has been spent in the company of people of great talent.
9
tahzeeb1 ko be-jaan2 banaane vaalo
naGhmaat3 ko haziyaan4 banaane vaalo
urdu to kul aqvaam5 ka sarmaaya6 hai
urdu ko musalmaan banaane vaalo
1.culture 2.life-less, soul-less 3.song/music 4.delirium, blabber 5.communities 6.treasure
This was addressed particularly to literary critics in pakistan. You are robbing culture of its soul. You make musical verse sound like meaningless blabber. urdu is the treasure/heritage of all communities. Why do you make it a muslim language.
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