For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
Elizabeth Kurian mona
غزل ہوتی ہے ۔ اِلزبت کرین موناؔ
۱
شاعری سے ہو محبّت تو غزل ہوتی ہے
ہم پہ ہو رب کی عنایت تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۲
قاعدے خوب ہیں بس ایک غزل کہنے میں
سیکھنے میں جو ہو شدّت تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۳
قافیے کھیلتے ہیں آنکھ مچولی ہم سے
ہو جو تحریر کی قسمت تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۴
ایک سیلاب کی مانند اُبھرتے آنسو
روکنے کی جو ہو طاقت تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۵
زندگی میں ہمیں ملتے ہیں بڑے زخم ہرے
زخم گننے کی ہو فرصت تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۶
داستاں اپنی محبّت کی سنائیں کب تک
ہو جو مخلوق سے اُلفت تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۷
کتنے ہی ظلم و ستم ہوتے ہیں کمزوروں پر
بولنے کی ہو جو ہمّت تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۸
حسن ہے چاروں طرف، آنکھ اُٹھا کر دیکھیں
پیاری لگتی ہے جو قدرت، تو غزل ہوتی ہے
۹
گُل کے پہلو میں چھپے خار بھی ہوںگیں موناؔ
غم میں بھی ہو جو مسرّت تو غزل ہوتی ہے
ग़ज़ल होती है – एलिज़बेत कुरियन मोना
१
शा’एरी से हो मोहब्बत तो ग़ज़ल होती है
हम पे हो रब की इनायत तो ग़ज़ल होती है
२
क़ा’एदे ख़ूब हैं बस एक ग़ज़ल कहने में
सीखने में जो हो शिद्दत तो ग़ज़ल होती है
३
क़ाफ़िये खेलते हैं आँख मिचोली हम से
हो जो तहरीर की क़िस्मत तो ग़ज़ल होती है
४
एक सैलाब की मानिंद उभरते आंसू
रोकने की जो हो ताक़त तो ग़ज़ल होती है
५
ज़िन्दगी में हमें मिलते हैं बड़े ज़ख़्म हरे
ज़ख़्म गिनने की हो फ़ुर्सत तो ग़ज़ल होती है
६
दास्ताँ अपनी मोहब्बत की सुनाएँ कब तक
हो जो मख़्लूक़ से उल्फ़त तो ग़ज़ल होती है
७
कितने ही ज़ुल्म-ओ-सितम होते हैं कमज़ोरों पर
बोलने की हो जो हिम्मत तो ग़ज़ल होती है
८
हुस्न है चारों तरफ़, आँख उठा कर देखें
प्यारी लगती है जो क़ुद्रत तो ग़ज़ल होती है
९
गुल के पहलू में छुपे ख़ार भी होंगे ‘मोना’
ग़म में भी हो जो मसर्रत तो ग़ज़ल होती है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. Elizabeth Kurian ‘Mona’ (1949-living) is a poet in many languages – urdu, English, hindi, and her mother tongue malayalam, with published books in each. A true blue hyderabadi, she is a late comer to urdu, but apparently good at it as well as in love with it. She learnt urdu through a correspondence course offered by jaami’a-e millia islamia, dehli. She has written four urdu books of Ghazal/nazms. She took early retirement from a management position in Reserve Bank of India and now pursues her passion in poetry. When she came across and explored urdushahkar, she came across the collection ‘Ghazal hoti hai’ and liked it so much that she composed one of her own.
1
shaa’eri se ho mohabbat to Ghazal hoti hai
hum pe ho rab1 ki inaayet2 to Ghazal hoti hai 1.god 2.benevolence, gift
If we have love of shaa’eri (versification), then there can be a Ghazal. If we get (talent as a) gift of god, then there can be a Ghazal.
2
qaa’ede1 Khoob2 haiN bas ek Ghazal kahne meN
seekhne meN jo ho shiddat3 to Ghazal hoti hai 1.ways, rules 2.good, many 3.intensity, much (practice, effort)
There are many good rules in composing Ghazal. If there is intensity in learning, then there can be a Ghazal.
3
qaafiye1 khelte haiN aaNkh micholi hum se
ho jo tahriir2 ki qismat3 to Ghazal hoti hai 1.rhyming word/sound 2.writing 3.(good) luck
A Ghazal has radeef and qaafiya, a refrain and rhyming sound that precedes the refrain. In this Ghazal, ‘to Ghazal hoti hai’ is the radeef/refrain and the ending sound of ‘inaayet, shiddat, qismat’ is the qaafiya. It is often very difficult to find the right qaafiya. Thus, qaafiya plays hide and seek with us. If the writing/composing has good luck, then there can be a Ghazal.
4
ek sailaab1 ki maanind2 ubharte3 aaNsu
rokne ki jo ho taaqat4 to Ghazal hoti hai 1.flood 2.like, similar to 3.emerging, coming up 4.strength, courage, ability
When tears well up like a flood, if there is courage to contain them, then there can be a Ghazal.
5
zindagi meN hameN milte haiN baRe zaKhm1 hare2
zaKhm gin-ne ho fursat3 to Ghazal hoti hai 1.wound, hurt 2.green, fresh, bleeding 3.liesure, time
We are wounded/hurt many times during our lives. These wounds remain fresh/sensitive for long. When we have time to think about these wounds, then the sentiments that they arouse can be a Ghazal.
6
daastaaN1 apni mohabbat ki sunaa’eN kab tak
ho jo maKhlooq2 se ulfat3 to Ghazal hoti hai 1.story 2.creation, everyone 3.love
There was a tradition in urdu poetry to write a lot about unrequited love and the cruelty of the beloved. That has changed but the old image is still stuck in the popular conception. This she’r represents a break from that tradition. How long will we keep harping on the story or our own love. If there is love for all creatures, then there can be a Ghazal.
7
kitne hi zulm1 o sitam2 hote haiN kamzoroN3 par
bolne ki ho jo himmat4 to Ghazal hoti hai 1.oppression 2.cruelty 3.weak 4.courage
How much oppression and injustice is visited on the weak. If there is courage to speak up, then there can be a Ghazal.
8
husn1 hai chaaroN taraf2, aaNkh uTha kar dekheN
pyaari lagti hai jo qudrat3, to Ghazal hoti hai 1.beauty 2.directions 3.nature
The implication is about the beauty of god’s creation. It is all around us, if we only look up and see. If you like/appreciate (the beauty of) nature/creation then there can be a Ghazal.
9
gul1 ke pahlu2 meN chhupe Khaar3 bhi hoNge mona
Gham4 meN bhi ho jo masarrat5 to Ghazal hoti hai 1.rose 2.side 3.thorns 4.sorrow 5.happiness
Along with the rose are thorns at his side. In life too, along with pain there is pleasure. If there is happiness side by side with sorrow, then there can be a Ghazal. The unsaid implication is that if you can bear and convert some of the sorrow to contentment/acceptance/happiness then there can be a Ghazal.
Elizabeth Kurian ‘Mona’ (1949-living) is a poet in many languages – urdu, English, hindi, and her mother tongue malayalam, with published books in each. A true blue hyderabadi, she is a late comer to urdu, but apparently good at it as well as in love with it. She learnt urdu through a correspondence course offered by jaami’a-e millia islamia, dehli. She has written four urdu books of Ghazal/nazms. She took early retirement from a management position in Reserve Bank of India and now pursues her passion in poetry. When she came across and explored urdushahkar, she came across the collection ‘Ghazal hoti hai’ and liked it so much that she composed one of her own.
1
shaa’eri se ho mohabbat to Ghazal hoti hai
hum pe ho rab1 ki inaayet2 to Ghazal hoti hai
1.god 2.benevolence, gift
If we have love of shaa’eri (versification), then there can be a Ghazal. If we get (talent as a) gift of god, then there can be a Ghazal.
2
qaa’ede1 Khoob2 haiN bas ek Ghazal kahne meN
seekhne meN jo ho shiddat3 to Ghazal hoti hai
1.ways, rules 2.good, many 3.intensity, much (practice, effort)
There are many good rules in composing Ghazal. If there is intensity in learning, then there can be a Ghazal.
3
qaafiye1 khelte haiN aaNkh micholi hum se
ho jo tahriir2 ki qismat3 to Ghazal hoti hai
1.rhyming word/sound 2.writing 3.(good) luck
A Ghazal has radeef and qaafiya, a refrain and rhyming sound that precedes the refrain. In this Ghazal, ‘to Ghazal hoti hai’ is the radeef/refrain and the ending sound of ‘inaayet, shiddat, qismat’ is the qaafiya. It is often very difficult to find the right qaafiya. Thus, qaafiya plays hide and seek with us. If the writing/composing has good luck, then there can be a Ghazal.
4
ek sailaab1 ki maanind2 ubharte3 aaNsu
rokne ki jo ho taaqat4 to Ghazal hoti hai
1.flood 2.like, similar to 3.emerging, coming up 4.strength, courage, ability
When tears well up like a flood, if there is courage to contain them, then there can be a Ghazal.
5
zindagi meN hameN milte haiN baRe zaKhm1 hare2
zaKhm gin-ne ho fursat3 to Ghazal hoti hai
1.wound, hurt 2.green, fresh, bleeding 3.liesure, time
We are wounded/hurt many times during our lives. These wounds remain fresh/sensitive for long. When we have time to think about these wounds, then the sentiments that they arouse can be a Ghazal.
6
daastaaN1 apni mohabbat ki sunaa’eN kab tak
ho jo maKhlooq2 se ulfat3 to Ghazal hoti hai
1.story 2.creation, everyone 3.love
There was a tradition in urdu poetry to write a lot about unrequited love and the cruelty of the beloved. That has changed but the old image is still stuck in the popular conception. This she’r represents a break from that tradition. How long will we keep harping on the story or our own love. If there is love for all creatures, then there can be a Ghazal.
7
kitne hi zulm1 o sitam2 hote haiN kamzoroN3 par
bolne ki ho jo himmat4 to Ghazal hoti hai
1.oppression 2.cruelty 3.weak 4.courage
How much oppression and injustice is visited on the weak. If there is courage to speak up, then there can be a Ghazal.
8
husn1 hai chaaroN taraf2, aaNkh uTha kar dekheN
pyaari lagti hai jo qudrat3, to Ghazal hoti hai
1.beauty 2.directions 3.nature
The implication is about the beauty of god’s creation. It is all around us, if we only look up and see. If you like/appreciate (the beauty of) nature/creation then there can be a Ghazal.
9
gul1 ke pahlu2 meN chhupe Khaar3 bhi hoNge mona
Gham4 meN bhi ho jo masarrat5 to Ghazal hoti hai
1.rose 2.side 3.thorns 4.sorrow 5.happiness
Along with the rose are thorns at his side. In life too, along with pain there is pleasure. If there is happiness side by side with sorrow, then there can be a Ghazal. The unsaid implication is that if you can bear and convert some of the sorrow to contentment/acceptance/happiness then there can be a Ghazal.
Thank you very much for posting my poem and giving appropriate notes as usual.
in fact this radeef inspired me to write more ghazals; starting with one, now there are four.
All the best in the labour of love that you are doing for the ghazal.