For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
کوئی زندگی نہیں ۔ رنگا چاری رنگاؔ
۱
کچھ تیرگیِ شامِ الم میں کمی نہیں
روشن ہیں دل کے داغ مگر روشنی نہیں
۲
جس زندگی سے فیض نہ پہنچے کسی کو دوست
وہ ننگِ زندگی ہے کوئی زندگی نہیں
۳
پہنچا دے کوئی دیر و حرم تک صدائے حق
اِنسانیت سے بڑھ کے کوئی بندگی نہیں
۴
زندہ ہوں اِس لئے کہ ہے قیدِ حیات شرط
ورنہ یہ زندگی تو کوئی زندگی نہیں
۵
پردے میں اُن کو دیکھ رہی ہے نگاہِ شوق
وہ جانتے ہیں میری نظر دیکھتی نہیں
۶
دو چار جام اور تیرے میکدے کی خیر
ساقی بہ قدرِ ظرف ابھی بیخودی نہیں
۷
رنگاؔ کسے بنائے محبُت میں غمگسار
جب آپ ہی شریکِ غمِ زندگی نہیں
कोई ज़िंदगी नहीं – रंगा चारी रंगा
१
कुछ तीरगी-ए शाम-ए अलम में कमी नहीं
रौशन हैं दिल के दाग़ मगर रौशनी नहीं
२
जिस ज़िंदगी से फ़ैज़ न पहुंचे किसी को दोस्त
वो नंग-ए ज़िंदगी है कोई ज़िंदगी नहीं
३
पहुंचा दे कोई दैर ओ हरम तक सदा-ए हक़
इंसानियत से बढ के कोई बंदगी नहीं
४
ज़िंदा हुं इस लिये के है क़ैद-ए हयात शर्त
वर्ना ये ज़िंदगी तो कोई ज़िंदगी नहीं
५
पर्दे में उन को देख रही है निगाह-ए शौक़
वो जांते हैं मेरी नज़र देखती नहीं
६
दो चार जाम और तेरे मयकदे की ख़ैर
साक़ी ब-क़द्र-ए ज़र्फ़ अभी बेख़ुदी नहीं
७
रंगा किसे बनाए मोहब्बत में ग़मगुसार
जब आप हि शरीक-ए ग़म-ए ज़िंदगी नहीं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. raNga chari raNga allahabadi (1931-????) worked as a head clerk, at the Govt Junior Basic Training College, jhaanNsi – a middle level job at best. But he was caught in the love of urdu and I found his diivan to be particularly erudite and was delighted to discover him. He learnt faarsi and urdu at home from his grandfather, munshi nand kishor who clerked for panDit motilal nehru. He names shu’ara sukhdev parshad bismil, and rajeshwar parshad soz as friends of his father with regular recitation sessions at their home. His brother put Ghazal to music and sang them. In 1956 he helped organize a major mushaa’era. zahoor nashtar salonavi, who saw this, encouraged him to compose and ended up being his ustaad. He published his diivaan, navaa-e dair o haram, in 1985.
1
kuchh tiiragi1-e shaam-e alam2 meN kami nahiN
raushan3 haiN dil ke daaGh4 magar raushni nahiN 1.darkness 2.sorrow 3.shining 4.wounds, scars
In poetic convention the wounds/scars of the heart are like a badge of honour. They are inflicted by the beloved. They are considered to shine. For the poet/lover they are shining, but there has been no light, no reduction in the darkness of the night of sorrow/separation (from the beloved). His wounds have had no effect.
2
jis zindagi se faiz1 na pahuNche kisi ko dost
vo naNg2-e zindagi hai koii zindagi nahiN 1.benefit, betterment 2.shame, insult
If there is no benefit to any other from life my friend, then that life is shameful. It is not worth living.
3
pahuNcha de koii dair1 o haram2 tak sadaa3-e haq4
insaaniyat5 se baRh ke koii bandagi6 nahiN 1.temple 2.mosque 3.voice, cry 4.truth 5.human-ness 6.devotion
Someone please tell the temple and mosque that there is no devotion to the divine greater than service to humanity.
4
zinda huN is liye ke hai qaid1-e hayaat2 shart3
varna4 ye zindagi to koii zindagi nahiN 1.imprisonment, bondage 2.life 3.condition 4.otherwise
This caters to the conventional thought that this material life is not worth living, what you need to strive for is the spiritual life that awaits you in the next world. Says the poet – the only reason that I am alive is that bondage of life in the material world is condition for reward with spiritual life. Otherwise, this life is not worth living.
5
parde meN un ko dekh rahi hai nigaah1-e shauq2
vo jaante haiN meri nazar3 dekhti nahiN 1.eyes, sight 2.desire 3.eyes, sight
The beloved is behind the veil and the poet/lover’s eager/desirous eyes are trying to catch a glimpse. She knows that he cannot see her.
6
do-chaar1 jaam2 aur tere maikade3 ki Khair4
saaqi ba-qadr5-e zarf6 abhi be-Khudi7 nahiN 1.a few 2.cups (of wine) 3.tavern 4.blessing 5.in proportion to 6.capacity 7.intoxication
A few more cups of wine, O, saaqi, may your tavern be blessed. I am not yet intoxicated in proportion to my capability/capacity.
7
raNga kise banaaye mohabbat meN Ghamgusaar
jab aap hi shariik-e Gham-e zindagi nahiN 1.pen-name of poet 2.sympathiser, companion 3.partner
Who can raNga count on to be a sympathiser/helper in love, when you are not my partner in the sorrow/trial of life.
raNga chari raNga allahabadi (1931-????) worked as a head clerk, at the Govt Junior Basic Training College, jhaanNsi – a middle level job at best. But he was caught in the love of urdu and I found his diivan to be particularly erudite and was delighted to discover him. He learnt faarsi and urdu at home from his grandfather, munshi nand kishor who clerked for panDit motilal nehru. He names shu’ara sukhdev parshad bismil, and rajeshwar parshad soz as friends of his father with regular recitation sessions at their home. His brother put Ghazal to music and sang them. In 1956 he helped organize a major mushaa’era. zahoor nashtar salonavi, who saw this, encouraged him to compose and ended up being his ustaad. He published his diivaan, navaa-e dair o haram, in 1985.
1
kuchh tiiragi1-e shaam-e alam2 meN kami nahiN
raushan3 haiN dil ke daaGh4 magar raushni nahiN
1.darkness 2.sorrow 3.shining 4.wounds, scars
In poetic convention the wounds/scars of the heart are like a badge of honour. They are inflicted by the beloved. They are considered to shine. For the poet/lover they are shining, but there has been no light, no reduction in the darkness of the night of sorrow/separation (from the beloved). His wounds have had no effect.
2
jis zindagi se faiz1 na pahuNche kisi ko dost
vo naNg2-e zindagi hai koii zindagi nahiN
1.benefit, betterment 2.shame, insult
If there is no benefit to any other from life my friend, then that life is shameful. It is not worth living.
3
pahuNcha de koii dair1 o haram2 tak sadaa3-e haq4
insaaniyat5 se baRh ke koii bandagi6 nahiN
1.temple 2.mosque 3.voice, cry 4.truth 5.human-ness 6.devotion
Someone please tell the temple and mosque that there is no devotion to the divine greater than service to humanity.
4
zinda huN is liye ke hai qaid1-e hayaat2 shart3
varna4 ye zindagi to koii zindagi nahiN
1.imprisonment, bondage 2.life 3.condition 4.otherwise
This caters to the conventional thought that this material life is not worth living, what you need to strive for is the spiritual life that awaits you in the next world. Says the poet – the only reason that I am alive is that bondage of life in the material world is condition for reward with spiritual life. Otherwise, this life is not worth living.
5
parde meN un ko dekh rahi hai nigaah1-e shauq2
vo jaante haiN meri nazar3 dekhti nahiN
1.eyes, sight 2.desire 3.eyes, sight
The beloved is behind the veil and the poet/lover’s eager/desirous eyes are trying to catch a glimpse. She knows that he cannot see her.
6
do-chaar1 jaam2 aur tere maikade3 ki Khair4
saaqi ba-qadr5-e zarf6 abhi be-Khudi7 nahiN
1.a few 2.cups (of wine) 3.tavern 4.blessing 5.in proportion to 6.capacity 7.intoxication
A few more cups of wine, O, saaqi, may your tavern be blessed. I am not yet intoxicated in proportion to my capability/capacity.
7
raNga kise banaaye mohabbat meN Ghamgusaar
jab aap hi shariik-e Gham-e zindagi nahiN
1.pen-name of poet 2.sympathiser, companion 3.partner
Who can raNga count on to be a sympathiser/helper in love, when you are not my partner in the sorrow/trial of life.
Beautiful.