For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “English” or “Notes” tab.
tarannum button has recitation by the poet herself at the shaheen baaGh rally
Recitation
Tarannum
اِنکار ہے ۔ اِقرا ؑ خلجی
۱
دھرتی تو یہ گلزار ہے، پیروں تلے انگار ہے
چھپّر جلے، دلبر جلے، پھر جان پر یلغار ہے
۲
ہر شاخِ گُل تیّار ہے، گلشن میں پھر تیوہار ہے
بُلبُل کہے صیّاد سے، لازم تیری اب ہار ہے
۳
نعرے اُٹھے اِنکار ہے، فانی تیرا دربار ہے
پنجاب بھی، گجرات بھی، پورب میں بھی ہنکار ہے
۴
وارانسی بیدار ہے، اب تو فضا سرشار ہے
دِلّی، دکّن، کشمیر سے، آتی ہوئی للکار ہے
۵
امبر تلے فولاد ہے، تم سے نہ اب فریاد ہے
آباد ہے، آزاد ہے، ہاں جسم (ملک) یہ آزاد ہے
इन्कार है – एक़्रा ख़िल्जी
१
धर्ती तो ये गुल्ज़ार है, पैरौ तले अंगार है
छप्पर जले, दिल्बर जले, फिर जान पर यल्ग़ार है
२
हर शाख़-ए गुल तय्यार है, गुल्शन में फिर त्योहार है
बुल्बुल कहे सय्याद से, लाज़िम तेरी अब हार है
३
नारे उठे इन्कार है, फ़ानी तेरा दरबार है
पंजाब भी, गुजरात भी, पूरब में भी हुंकार है
४
वारानसी बेदार है, अब तो फ़िज़ा सरशार है
दिल्ली, दक्कन, कश्मीर से, आती हुई लल्कार है
५
अम्बर तले फ़ौलाद है, तुम से न अब फ़रियाद है
आबाद है, आज़ाद है, हां जिस्म (मुल्क) ये आज़ाद है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. iqra Khilji is young woman from ahmedabad. Trained as a lawyer and intends to practice law in ahmedabad. She writes very well about feminist issues. She has spent time in shaheen baaGh and participated in many “ehtejaaji mushaa’era” that were held all over India around Republic Day. She appears to have written this specifically for and recited it at shaheen baaGh.
1
dharti to ye gulzaar1 hai, pairoN taley aNgaar hai
chhappar jale, dilbar2 jale, phir jaan par yalGhaar3 hai 1.garden 2.loved ones 3.attack, charge
This land should be a garden, but it feels like there are hot coals beneath our feet. Our homes were burnt down, our loved ones killed and now once again there is an onslaught.
2
har shaaKh-e-gul1 tayyaar hai, gulshan2 meN phir tyohaar3 hai
bulbul kahe sayyaad4 se, laazim5 teri ab haar hai 1.flower branch 2.garden 3.festivities 4.bird catcher 5.necessary, inevitable
In urdu poetry the bulbul and the rose are lovers. The flower picker and the bird catcher are symbols of oppression. They keep the lovers separated and the bulbul sings in sorrow. But now every branch of flowers is ready. The whole garden (shaheen baaGh) is celebrating. The bulbul challenges the bird catcher that now his defeat is inevitable.
3
n’aare1 uThe inkaar2 hai, faani3 tera darbaar4 hai
panjab bhi, gujarat bhi, poorab5 meN bhi huNkaar6 hai 1.rallying cry 2.refusal 3.temporary, fleeting 4.rule, power 5.western UP 6.protest
The rallying cry every where is “we refuse” (to accept CAA, NCR). Your power is fleeting, it will pass. panjab, gujarat, and in UP too, there is protest.
4
varaanasi bedaar1 hai, ab to fiza2 sarshaar3 hai
dilli, dakkan, kashmir se, aati hui lalkaar4 hai 1.awake 2.atmosphere, ambience 3.satiated, happy, festive 4.challenge
varaanasi is awake (protesting this injustice), the atmosphere all around is festive. dehli, dakkan, kashmir all rise up in protest/challenge.
5
ambar1 taley faulaad2 hai, tum se na ab faryaad3 hai
aabaad hai aazaad hai, haaN jism4/mulk ye aazaad hai 1.sky, clothing, sleeve/case – used here to mean glove 2.steel, iron 3.appeal, begging 4.body
‘ambar taley faulaad’ could be an expression meaning ‘iron fist in a velvet glove’ – we are ready to make peace but not surrender. We will not beg you. This body (could be a reference to newly empowered women, with their bodies) is strong and free. Alternatively, this land is free.
iqra Khilji is young woman from ahmedabad. Trained as a lawyer and intends to practice law in ahmedabad. She writes very well about feminist issues. She has spent time in shaheen baaGh and participated in many “ehtejaaji mushaa’era” that were held all over India around Republic Day. She appears to have written this specifically for and recited it at shaheen baaGh.
1
dharti to ye gulzaar1 hai, pairoN taley aNgaar hai
chhappar jale, dilbar2 jale, phir jaan par yalGhaar3 hai
1.garden 2.loved ones 3.attack, charge
This land should be a garden, but it feels like there are hot coals beneath our feet. Our homes were burnt down, our loved ones killed and now once again there is an onslaught.
2
har shaaKh-e-gul1 tayyaar hai, gulshan2 meN phir tyohaar3 hai
bulbul kahe sayyaad4 se, laazim5 teri ab haar hai
1.flower branch 2.garden 3.festivities 4.bird catcher 5.necessary, inevitable
In urdu poetry the bulbul and the rose are lovers. The flower picker and the bird catcher are symbols of oppression. They keep the lovers separated and the bulbul sings in sorrow. But now every branch of flowers is ready. The whole garden (shaheen baaGh) is celebrating. The bulbul challenges the bird catcher that now his defeat is inevitable.
3
n’aare1 uThe inkaar2 hai, faani3 tera darbaar4 hai
panjab bhi, gujarat bhi, poorab5 meN bhi huNkaar6 hai
1.rallying cry 2.refusal 3.temporary, fleeting 4.rule, power 5.western UP 6.protest
The rallying cry every where is “we refuse” (to accept CAA, NCR). Your power is fleeting, it will pass. panjab, gujarat, and in UP too, there is protest.
4
varaanasi bedaar1 hai, ab to fiza2 sarshaar3 hai
dilli, dakkan, kashmir se, aati hui lalkaar4 hai
1.awake 2.atmosphere, ambience 3.satiated, happy, festive 4.challenge
varaanasi is awake (protesting this injustice), the atmosphere all around is festive. dehli, dakkan, kashmir all rise up in protest/challenge.
5
ambar1 taley faulaad2 hai, tum se na ab faryaad3 hai
aabaad hai aazaad hai, haaN jism4/mulk ye aazaad hai
1.sky, clothing, sleeve/case – used here to mean glove 2.steel, iron 3.appeal, begging 4.body
‘ambar taley faulaad’ could be an expression meaning ‘iron fist in a velvet glove’ – we are ready to make peace but not surrender. We will not beg you. This body (could be a reference to newly empowered women, with their bodies) is strong and free. Alternatively, this land is free.
Key Search Words:
Reads nicely. Enjoyed.
I think sayyaad is spelled صیّاد۔
Thank you. Corrected.
In the last couplet’s first misra, the word “na” is missing in the Urdu version.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I missed a KEY word.